The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-25
THOUSANDS DRIVEN
FROM THEIR HOMES
Mt. Etna Eruption May be
Most Destructive of Mod
ern Times
MILE WIDE STREAM
DESTROYS SIX TOWNS
Eighteen Craters Pouring Out
Columns of Death-Thrilling
Rescues-Troops Super
intend Evacuation.

CATANIA, SICILY. March 25.--
Thousands OF people rendered home.
less by the new eruption of Mount Ell
ma. which bids fair to be the mos,
ing toward Catania to-day. the scene
rfvaling that of fifteen months ago
when this city became the refuge OF
many of Messina's earthquake suffer
ers.
With characteristic religious zeal
the people first tried to check the flow
OF lava by the interposition OF holy
images and relics.
The eruption increased in violence
to day. six new craters opening In the
side of the mountain.
A stream OF molten lava fifty feet
deep to-day and a mile wide Is now
sweeping down the southern slope OF
the mountain at the rate of 1900 feet
an hour. 1t has already covered nine
miles of the slope and destroyed, either
In part or in whole, the villages of
Boreilo, Beipasso. San Leo. Riannizzi,
Copello and Albano. Nicoliso escaped
destruction through the fact that the
town is shut In by hills. The lava sur
rounds the. hills. however. and most OF
the people OF the town have fled.
Eighteen craters are pouring out their
columns Of sulphurous vapor. stones.
einders and lava. These separate
streams run together at point few
miles down the slope.
The ruin OF farms and the destruc-
tien of homes have impoverished the
entire section.
Government engineers tried In vain
to-day to divert the course OF the lava
stream by building dams and digging
bitches. but the onrush of the molten
food WAS too rapid and swept away
the improvised obstacles.
Four detRchments OF soldiers were
- -AAA~s@@saA 10 sssssAssat@sasa
the work OF evAcuating the threatened
towns
Thrilling Rsseues.
Many thrilling rescues have been
made In many places people refused
to leave their homes until almost too
late. The rescuers are forced TO cover
their faces with wet handkercfiiefs TO
prevent safYeeatioa.
Project Mtaef%sai. at CHtaFsia. super
intending the work of rescue, was him
self cut off by a stream of lava to-day
and nearly persisted before three SOL
,dters rescued him. The safdiers were
all badly burned
Cardinal FraRcica- Nava. the aged
archbishop of Catania, was thrice over
come while administering to the suf-
ferers and was finally carried from
The scene in state OF collapse
There have been no reports OF death
yet. but 10 feared that several persons
have been cut Off and have persisted.
A number are known to be missing.
Relief depots have been opened here
and an appeal base been made to the
government to send help as speedily as
possible. The extent Of the saestruc-
ton Is SO great that the government
win probably have to make an appro-
priation for the sufferers as it did at
the time of the earthquake
The craters are in widely separated
parts of the mountain. one of them at
the foot of Mount Casteliazzo, being
four miles from the summit OF Mount
Etna. Another new fissufe m 500 fset
above the foot ~ MGnt cMstellazso.
A new crater han formed at Montan.
gonla.
1t IL announced that King Victor will
visit the scene IL the eruption conttn-
ues,