New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-17
40 Girls Perish.

was a small crowd OF weeping NoWtN' .
some who tramped ten or fifteen miles .
the snow across the mountains
to come to the city Of deSolatiou. A.
the school were their daughters, liO
girls. When the shock occurred not one
escaped. For hours afterward cries and
shrieks were heard, but they gradually
died away. When the troops arrived
on Wednesday evening and began the
work of rescue one girl alone was eN-
tracted alive. She died soon after.
Of the girls we're frozen.
I'm the barracks were seventy soldiers
cleaning accOutremeuts. Seven managed
70 rush to the open and safety.
No time is wasted now nm trying 10
excavate for the dead. as the possible
living demand every attention. Wneh
I arrived last evening dusk was fall
ing. but despite the cold and darkness
engineers were carrying on the work
OF mercy by the ftful glare Of petrol
torches. I tramped through the still
ness Of the night across the ruins. At
each pile | stopped. The officer m
charge tapped on The mass Of masonry
with his iroushod STAFF, calling
"Nessuno?" The call was repeated
several times. Sometimes a faint re
Spouse was heard. Then the soldiers
set 70 work with pickaXes. ropes and
spades 10 make an opening for the poor
wretch below. After hours Of work,
hindered by sliding masonry and bad
light, the labor was crowned with sue
cess and deformed. half crushed
body was dragged to the surface.
The abnegatiOn and valOr OF the
Italian soldery in the work of rescue
cannot be overestimated. Al one place
u. 3
man inside the ruins and Gardiner
volunteered his services and his COM
rades held his heels and thus head
foremost he was lowered into the
abyss where. after cropping around
with his hands. he succeeded in finding
two sisters Just alive. Thus they were
dragged back TO life. I'm another pile
of ruins ! saw an engineer lowered
through a tiny aperture into a hole
twenty feet below. The slightest shock
would have sent rescued and rescuer
TO death down the hole. A man with
both legs broken was found. After
refreshing him the engineer got him
below the aperture and, taking the
lifeline from around his own waist,
fixed il under the shoulders Of the in
iured man. Pushed below and hauled
above. he was brought TO the surface
and later the rescuer reappeared also.
First Aid Stations.
There are no hospitals here. Some
railway cars sidetracked outside the
station represent first aid stations.
There famous surgeons from Rome
hospitals perform emergency opera
tionS. The patients are placed on
waiting trains and rushed to Rome.
temporarily re-eStablished in the shed
of the railway. but Marconi is fixing
a wireless apparatus. Relief for this
devastated district IS difficult Avez-
zano is situated on the eastern slope
of Montebovio, but the roads are
blocked with snow drifts and the rail
way track is insufficient for rushing
supplies 10 a population Of eight thou
sand people.
II is not only Avezzauo that needs /.
help. Pescina has 1000 dead. and the .
work Of relief has not yet begun /
Cappele mourns ! 300 out OF l.5OO .
Ortucchio. GiOrdimarsi San Benedetto
and score Of other cOmmunes SUI +
fered on the same scale All these /
are situated away from railway. The F.
roads are frozen and the passes
blocked by snow. Hundreds Of tons I
Of bread. timed meats and medicines,
besides tents and nuts. must be rushed /
to a hundred localities.
A fresh disaster threatens Conca
Fucino. which was. basin-like. drained
in the last century The outlet which .
passes through the mountains has
been blocked by a statue Of the Ma
donna which Tollonla placed there 20
appease the curious and superstitious
inhabitants. The Madonna has slid
partly down the outlet and the waters
Of the river Giovnco. which are car
ried off here. are collecting. Unless
the channel is quickly cleared, new
lake will be formed. carrying further
death and destruction in the most .
fertile property in Italy. /
Every effort is being made by the +
Government 20 cope with the disaster. .
Thirty thousand troops were sent into
tho district. not only to rescue suryi- .
vors. but 20 build temporary shelters .
for those who escaped. The local au-
have been superseded by the .
commissioner, who Will be .
The chief director Of the work Con F
.crints who we're recently called from .
The ruined districts have been released .
from service TO return 10 their homes .
Yafaffveg