New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-10
80 WERE INJURED;
MANY WOMEN DEAD
Mothers and Children Are
Buried Under Houses
Hundreds Homeless.
KING MAY VISIT SCENE
troops Sent with Supplies to
Stricken Catania District
Pope Aids Sufferers.


Stricken Catania District
Pope Aids Sufferers.
catania. Sicily. May "a great
earthquake last evening brought de-
rruction 70 many villages near Mount
Etne The number Of dead at present
| Is officially placed at ISL. with about
| 80 injured, but large portion Of the
devastated territory has not been in
spected.
The affected zone extends from Zaf-
fsrana. the highest village on Mount
Etna tc the sea between Aci Reale on
the south and Giarre on the north. II
Includes Linera, the centre of the dis
turbance. Pisano and Santa Nenerina.
IN Linera alone 10 persons were
killed and 500 injured: in the village Of
Bongiardo 13 dead and % injured have
been taken from the ruins. At Cosen-
T tint 16 were killed and many injured.
These villages and many smaller places
we're practically levelled.
Automobiles, which mad the trip to-
day through the devastated region
we're often forced TO make long detours
owing 10 the deep assures across the
road. The enormous force Of the earth
quake was evident everywhere, and the
entire district presented spectacle OF
desolstion, ruin and death.
Ruin Is Widespread.
From the debris cries Of the injured
could be heard. Others asked that their
manned relatives be transported TO
Cstania as all train service has been
ABANDONED owing 10 the collapse of
bridges. broken tracks and obstructed
tunnels
For centuries this region has suffered
from earthquakes. owing to the activity
Of Mount Etna. Yet II is relatively
thickly populated. as the land is most
fertile. vineyards growing with little
attention.
Near the central point of the disturb
ance dozen Of bodies were observed
lying along the road. Many Of them
we're unacceptable, as they were bad
" crushed. Heartrending lamentations
rose on all sides. and the injured lay in
the open awaiting assistance, which has
been sent to them.
Where Lnera stood is a mass of
r.ruins. Those houses which did not col
lapse entirely were so broken as to en-
phasize the completeness of the dis
aster. The village consisted of about
500 inhabitants.
4 majority of the people escaped be-
cause the shock occurred when the men
and some Of the women were still
working i'm the fields. From the vine
yards they saw their houses falling,
and when they arrived at their homes
they found only wreckage, with some
Of their people buried beneath it,
Many Women Among Dead.
This accounts for the fact that most
Of the victims at Linera were women
and children. The men. In frenzy Of
terror and grief, attacked the debris
with their bare hands in an effort to
save their wives and children.
Generals Trabucchi and Moccagatta
1re in command of the work Of rescue.
which is being expeditiously performed
by soldiers, iremen. policemen and Red
Cross volunteers.
Il is expected that weeks VIII pass
before the fun extent of the disaster
can be ascertained, as il is believed
many peasants are buried under their
homes in the isolated country districts.
No news Of the disaster reached mere
last night. because the railroad tracks
we're all torn up. all the telegraph poles
were down ard the roads could not be
n used because they are not only blocked
with the heaps of debris but all the
4 bridges are broken.
n The rumblings of the earthquake
vi we're however severely felt here. the
strongest shoe. lasted six seconds.
Electric lights we're extinguished and
NE street railways were put out Of SER
VICE
Iae people rushed out OF houses,
Nops and cafes. Many OF them
!1mped into boats and others crowded
40 The squares. At the hospitals pa
1'n's ran TO the courtyards. imploring
help.
'gnor Mineryini. prefect Of Catania,
'% sleeping when the first group of
s'uVes -oused the town. Reused by
~e cries Of distress, he at once gath
ae0 all n. officials, had the soldiers OF
district called out. modified all
80 available doctors and nurses and
."Anandeered all the automobiles in
the city.
caA for help was sent to Rome.
L er Salandra telegraphed to the
S' that General Grandi, Minister |
\. var and Admiral Enrico Milo |
l sr OF Marine had given orders |
uFN .l.t~,