The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-05-10
SECTION HAS SEVERAL
TIMES SUFFERED 'QUAkES

The vicinity Of Catania. the scene of
| last nights earthquake has probably
suffered more than any other section
in the world from volcanic ernptions
and earthquakes. Catania itself is
built on a bed of lava at the foot of
the volcano Of Etna and most of It's
streets are paved with lava.
Catania has population Of 100000
and is the largest city in Sicily. J. lies
to tho south of Messina on the east
coast. Ever since its foundation in 3.
G., T29 it has been visited frequently
by earthquakes In 12l A. d. it was
partly destroyed by an eruption on
Mount Etna- In 1859 it suffered Sc
verely from an earthquake. In 1869
during an eruption of Etna. great
stream Of lava flowed toward Catan-~
but in the nick of time its course was
| diverted and the town saved In 1898,
when the whole of the island of Sicily
was affected by a nearthquake. Cata-
MIA was destroyed.
IN the earthquake and tidal wave =
Messina and Calabria on December Is,
1908 official figures gave the num-
Der of deaths at T7,2S3 but it was UNI
officially estimated that from 10000
to 200. geo lost their lives. The damage
to public and private property amount
ed to about a billion dollars. The [ nj
ted States took a prominent part in
the relief work and with the funds
placed at their disposal by the Amer
lean public sailors from the United
States fleet erected large numbers of
houses.
Project Ninerstani of Catania and all
the officials under his superintendence
was called together before daybreak
this morning and received orders to do
their utmost to aid the afflicted IN
Isa bi ants. They have since been
working indefatigably.
The soldiers IN the district are aid
ing in the endeav to rescue those
still alive beneath the ruins and to
eXtriCate dead from the debris.
All available nurses were mobilized
today and are assisting in gathering
the homeless and the children VINO
have lost their parents Temporary
shelter is being provided here for the
refugees.
Along the principal highways in the
stricken district the scene OF desolu
ton was heart-rending this morning.
Groups Of refugees were frequently
/ encountered. Many OF these were bur
dened with improVised filters, made of
branches of trees and bushes, on
| which they We're carrying injured and
| dying relatives to the temporary sur
gica1 stations. esta bHshed by the sur
geons and nurses In the neighbour
| hood of Santa Eenerina the number of
critics have conlmandered all available
! automobiles to assist in the work Of
| rescue.
For several days earthquake shocks
have been felt at frequent intervals
accompanied by eruptions Of Mount
Etna. No particular attention, how
ever. was paid to them as the shocks
were not exceptionally violent.
The first severe shock was felt at
: o'clock last evening but the extent
of the catastrophe was not realized
until this morning when terror
stricken groups of refugees began
streaming into town.
The center OF the. disturbance was
at the village Of Afinera- Here the
proportion of dead and injured was
very heavy. The victims were mostly
women and children. The property
loss at Minera was also extrem ely
heavy. The work OF rescue was rem
dered difficult by the great accumu-
| lation of debris.
The property damage was very great
in many other villages. Churches ana
public buildings were destroyed and
hundreds Of houses fell TO the ground
Nevertheless it was believed by
those ia eAagge Of the work Of rescue