Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-03-25

Catanina, Sicily, March 25.-The
great eruption of Mount Aetna is
growing in intensity with every pas
sing hour Six new craters opened
today and shot forth streams OF
lava which have joined the boiling
torrent that is despoiling cities.
towns and farms in its path.
The towns of Borello, Belpasso.
San Leo, Rinazzi, Copello, Albanello
and Nicolosi have been wholly or
partially destroyed. Thousands OF
persons are fleeing toward this city
from the mountain towns.
Scores OF inhabitants of villages
of Aetna's slopes are reported miss
ing. Although no dead have been
reported, it is feared that this may
prove one of the most destructive
of modern times.
Whole Villages More.
Scenes following the destruction
of the mountain towns resemble
those following the Messina earth
quake. Whole villages are on the
move and streams of refugees COM
posed of terroT-stricken men, wo-
men and children are coming into
Catanina. Already the authorities are
facing a serious problem in caring
| Tor the homeless.
Government engineers are vainly
endeavoring TO avert the destruction
of towns in the path of the lava tor
rent by hastily erecting dykes and
digging trenches to divert the
| stream.
The irresistible flow of hot mud
and boiling lava swept away all OBJ
! structlons. The lava is travelling at
the rate of thirteen hundred feet an
hour. The main stream, which is
causing the greatest destruction, Is
| so feet deep and half a mile wide
The great lake of lava which has
| formed at the southern base of the
mountain covers nine miles This
overflow wrought the destruction OF
the greater number of towns
Earthquakes Are Continuous.
Detachments OF soldiers were or
dered to drive out inhabitants OF
threatened towns and in many cases
the people although terror stricken
| by the thunderous reverberations
and recurrent earth shocks, refused
TO leave Their homes. The soldiers
were compelled to use bayonets TO
force them 20 leave places where
they We're exposed to certain death.
Word came 10 Catania that scores
of refugees had been cut off by di-
Yerging lava streams and volunteers
| left for the scene. Many thrilling
| rescues we're made.
In addition 10 the lava the. hhab-
itants of the mountain towns were
threatened with death by the out
pouring OF rocks and showers of hot
ashes from the main crater
Six New CInters Open.
With The outbreak of six eraters
today there are now eighteen active
craters pouring forth sulphurous
vapors, stones, and ashes while each
Is an overlooking well OF molten
lava, Streams from these craters
combine at a point half way down
the southern slope where they form
one gigantic river OF destruction.
Clouds Of smoke pouring from the
craters obscure the sun and the half
darkness increased the superstitlous
fear of the peasants.
The escape of the greater number
of the Inhabitants Is attributed 10
the fact that small hills stopped the
flow of lava from flooding the towns
for some time, giving the people a
chance TO escape.
The authorities are making every
effort TO ascertain whether lives have
been lost and IL 10 feared that the
list OF missing may grow into list
OF dead
Loss Is Enormous.
The extent of the disaster meas
ured by property Loss, Is enormous.
The entire district just south Of the
mountain has been dopopulated and
the vineyards aud groves destroyed.
The damage wrought has been
lcontinued from Page S.