Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-26
RIVER Of FIERY LAVA
|h[NACES TWO TOWNS
ERUPTIoNs FROM MOUNT ETNA
CONTINUE AND DANGER
GROWS GREATER.
MOLTEN STREAM COVERS
TWENTY-FIVE MILES
Rumblinss and Explosions From Noun
tain Create More Terror Than Dam
ger From Lsvatie River'-soIdi'r'
on Duty Protecting the PopuIaee -
Scientists Disagree.


on Duty Protecting the PopuIaee -
Scientists Disagree.
Cantania, Sicily, March 26--Erup-
tions from the side craters Of Mount
Ena continued today and a fiery riv-
er formed at the foot OF Mount Cas-
tellazo and moved slowly toward Bor-
relic and Belpasso. consuming every
thing in its path. The lavatic stream,
winding in and out over the uneven
yurface at the mountain base. has
severed probably twenty-five miles,
tho its head is not more than ten
miles from its sources in air line Thru
put the night the. summit Of Mount
Etna appeared to be ablaze, but today
! cloud of black smoke enveloped the
peak. Prolonged rumblings from the
central crater and frequent explosions
rom the side assures served as ef-
.ectually as the flood itself to hold in
terror the populace for miles around.
Fears Worse Eruption Than 1908
Sig. Mercalli, the Neapolitan volcan=
LIST, believes the outbreak Is a nor
NAL recurrence Of the eruption Of
1908, and that 1t will be of short dur
alton. Professor Ricco thinks 1t will
be more serious than that Of 1908.
Thousands abandoned their homes
at daylight. The roaring of Mount Etna
continued without interruption all day.
and rain of cinders fell for miles
around.
King Victor Emmanuel today ex-
j. Z. i~S
affected territory to direct the work
the danger Of his subjects II the grav.
ity OF the eruptions continued.
Frank A. Perret OF Brooklyn, N. T.,
who is attached to the royal observa-
tory on Mount vesuvius, arrived here
yesterday and proceeded to the scene
OF the eruption.
Nicolosi IL packed with tourists.
mainly British end american Lines OF
soldiers gre easi 5Sei is-keSping 4tsa tour
lists back rom places Of danger. The
attitude Of the visitors contrasts
strangely with that Of the inhabitants.
whose terror Is heartrending. Their.
prayers for protection are interspersed
with curses against the lava, while the
sightseers are filled with admiration of
the mighty display Of the forces Of ma
ture.
Peasants Flee From Homes.
An early morning visit into the
threatened region afforded a spectacle
magnificent beyond description, which
could be thoroughly enjoyed by hun
dreds of sightseers focking there, but
for the other side of the picture. The
terror and real distress of the peas
ants in the vicinity is depressing. Panic
10, nv,1 {t0 k1Axy 01r
TO their little homes until the flood was
almost upon them. they have now
abandoned all but their portable prop
erty, and driving before them their
dorkeys and pigs, the former loaded
with household goods, they are wan
dering about with the single aim of
preserving what little has been left to
them.
On the hill tops groups of men, wom-
en- and children could be seen looking
back sadly to the sites of their former
homes, now covered with lava to the
height perhaps of fifteen feet. Others
whose homes had not been overtaken
clasped their crucifixes, images Of their
Madonna, and saints. and with charac-
teristic cries and prayers implored that
tteir little huts be spared.
In the meantime the molten mass
crawled irresistibly forward as tho de-
termined that nothing could escape it,
At times the storm Of cinders obscured
the volcano, and then suddenly shift
of,wind forced back the cloud. and the
sun bursting thru, smiled down upon
the most fertile country in the world.
The summit Of Mount Etna appears to
be still covered with snow.
Superstition Prevails.
SYlBAa nf- -
wrought to q high pitch OF excitement
and are ready for miracles, tho at the
same time declaring the evil eye is
upon them. AT little roadside altar
erected to. Saint Josephm, at point
above Nicolosi, the women, priests and
children had gathered to implore mercy.
AS they knelt@ tllev saw in the distance
the destructive flood advancing. AS, it
drew nearer the agitation among the
group increased until one exclaimed.
"A miracle has occurred. The lava will
not touch the sanctuary" The cry
was taken up by Others and then the
chanting OF melancholy Sicilian hymns
was renewed Nearer came the lava.
but when its heat had nearly suffocated
the praying ones the stream was di-
verted. With cries Of Joy at what ap-
peared to be a miraculous manifesto
ton, the snpplicants sprang to their
feet. A moment later, the course of the
Hood again. changed and; sweeping
down upon the worshippers, permitted
them barely time to flee for their lives.
while It enkulfed and burned the
sanctuary.
Worst Seems to 1s Over.
The eruption OF Mount Etna de-
creased noticeably as the dayzpro-
greeged and this evening the worst ap-.
pears to have been passed Streams OF
lava moving In the direction Of Bor-S
relic have diminished in volume and
velocity. While the now that threatened
Nicolosi has almost ceased
vaterieo Loses Baseball Playsr.
chicago. MArcnz z6.-SscoT66T q.
del onc6 0atcher for the Northwestern,
Ualyor1ity b1esbal team, Wa today.
oel1steA 4oAeenAs4h tsaHi3oE ehta1eea--