The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-31

stunned by the great catastrophe. were
striving to save their wives and their
children from under the ruined houses.
| The number OF the persons killed and
injured was more than doubled in the
newspaper accounts. and long stories sup
posed to have been Cabled from the earth
quake zone filled every paper in Italy.
All Geographic and telephone communica-
ton was stopped and even the railway
line was Interrupted The rails were
torn off and twisted. bridges collapsed
and the roofs OF tunnels threatened to
cave In The only train on the line be-
tween Clare and Aci Reale was blocked.
There was panic in every city. town
and village. At Caiania the convicts in
the prisons mutinlcd. the Inmates OF the
hospitals left their beds and fled, the citi-
zens rushed into the streets shouting
wildly: The earthquake The earth
quake" The inhabitants spent the night
In the open everywhere. In the villages
and hamlets destroyed or damaged by
the earthquake, which had Linera as its
centre. the survivors fed from their
crumbled houses across devastated fields
and vineyards. through roads covered
with the lava blocks that were hurled
from the higher slopes OF the noun
tain.
Work of Rescue Begins.
Wild eyed and still psralyzed with fear.
few susvivors brought news OF the
disaster and rescue parties were organ
lied Soldiers. ilremen, Red Cross nurses
on foot, in carriages or automobiles
rushed toward the earthquake zone aud
started to work. The usual confusion
prevailed, and as Is inevitable in such
cases the rescue work was dlsorganlZed
and hampered by the survivors who in
sisted that their families were stlll
alive, buried under the crumbled houses
Very few were found alive and hardly
any OF those seriously injured lived The
identihcation of the victims was the
hardest task of all. MS many were multi
lated beyond recognition. 4 mother was
asked whether "A child crushed to death
was her daughter and at the sight OF the
body she became insane.
When the next day dawned on impro.
Vised stretchers or carts wagons and mo-
tor cars. the injured were conveyed to the
hospitals of Aci Reale and Glarre. More
troops reached the scene of the disaster
and rescue work proceeded systematically.
Tents were distributed to the survivors,
who encamped near their ruined houses.
Then the bodies OF the victims were
buried. as the sun was hot and il was inn
perative that they should not be left long
above ground. Priests and nuns with the
Archbishop Of Catania. Cardinal Nava
and the Bishop OF Aci Realo visited the
earthquake area, distributing relief to the
survivors consoling the injured and pray
Ing over the bodies OF the dead Food
and water were distributed TO all the sur
vivors. and Government officials went
around promising relief. exemption from
taxes and the rebuilding of houses.
The American National Red Cross So
ciety at Washington has sent to the
American Ambassador at Rome tele.
gram requesting him to convey its deep
est sympathy for the terrible disaster
which has befallen Italy and to say TO the
italian Red Cross Society that the Amer
lean society will be glad to contribute
Immediately $4,000 lire (S5.O0O) toward
the relief of the sufferers should this be
acceptable.
1t Ii not yet known whether tho Ital-
Ian Government will accept contributions
from foreign institutions on penalf of the
sufferers In Sicily. The money contrib
uted by the King, $4,000 by the Queen
Mother, $4,000, and by others In Italy,
besides the sum authorized by the Gov
eminent, $4,000 for the immediate relief
of the victims will very likely prove suffi-
cient to meet all necessary expenditure.
The American Ambassador has con-
veyed to the Marquis San Glulano the
heartfelt sympathy of the American Gov
eminent and people.
II will take years to rebuild the villages
and years to repair the damage in fields.
orchards and groves Widespread desti-
tuition will follow as the result of the
edftnuudhe, anu lnt stTubBle TOT Ire OF
the peasants will be much harder despite
the relief distributed. But In ten years
the earthquake OF May s, 1914. will be
remembered only as the last of long
series. provided no other earthquakes will
have occurred In the meantime.
Etna is still showing shgns Of activity
and on calm nights the reddish glare OF
fire Eliminates the sky above It's crater.
VIII the earthquake in which about a
hundred peasants were killed and 200
injured be merely a premonition of a COM
ing eruption or just an isolated shock
periodically felt In the neighborhood?
Seismologists and volcanologists have no
reply 10 the question. and as for the
peasants, they merely pray their patron
saints for protection against another
earthquake and hope that II II comes 1t
will not be at night