The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-01-18
EARTHQUAKE DEAD
LIST INCREASED
BYLATEREP0RTS
Fully $4,000 Believed to Have
PeTished in Abruzzi
COLD ADDS TO SUFFERING
Survivors in Isolated Districts at the
point of Death for Want of Food
and Shelter.

Rome, Jan. 1S.-Detailed reports
regarding ltaly's stupendous earth
quake disaster increase rather than
diminish the appalling list of dead
and the enormous property loss The
| Messaggero, after making careful
compilation of all the figures it has
been able to gather from the districts
and villages hitherto isolated, an
nounces that the number OF dead and
injured in the Abruzzi alone is 10000.
without including the Sora district.
Frantic appeals for help have been
received from Petrellalri, $500 feet
up on Mt Arungo, eight miles from
Tagliacozzo. The village was al
most destroyed and the survivors say
they are perishing of cold and hung
err In the highway near OTtucchio
the earth has opened causing an i'm
mense pit filed With water. the depth
OF which is unknown.
The terrific force of the earthquake
cracked the mountains near Luco.
Huge pieces of rock, eacE of which
weighed several tons, rolled down the
hillside. buying the cottages of peas
ap.s killing cattle ana obstructing
the roads. Mt Pikzodeta, case feet
high. between Balsorano 5nl ltoca
cerro, was cut into two parts by an
immense fissure which is visible at
great distance
The duke Of the Abruzz, is ccntlnu.
ing The distribution of rehef n the
car,nCpake zone. He goes from place
to mace without escort. refusing even
1, allow his friends TO know whore lie
is In many places he organized the
rescue work and left without the sur
yiyors having any idea who he was.
The government has appropriated
$1,000,000 to relieve suffering
Severe winter weather has added
TO the misery of the survivors, many
of whom are without shelter of any
kind Urgent appeals for food are
coming from many places.
Reports have been received at
Rome of the excellent work done by
relief expedition organized by the
American Baptist church and led by
DR. Whiting Hill. Help was sent to
remote spots which were difficult to
reach. A large quantity OF prov.s
ions was distributed at Celano, where
the population was destitute
Capt Pisani Vettori. who has
charge of the relief work at Avez-
zano. estimates there are $4,000 dead
in Avezzano, Cappelle, Magliano and
the villages in the immediate district
Up to midnight Saturday only 500
bodies had been taken from the ruins.
They were laid ont irregularly in
open spaces all over the city.
Supplies are now pouring into
Avezzano On Saturday there were
received 25.OOO cans of preserved
meat. $50 quintaIs "a quintal is about
220 pounds) of rice. eight quintals of
coffee. IA quintals of sugar and 10
quintals OF salt Whole trainloads of
timber also arrived as well as tents
for 10000 people and materials for
illumination.
4 dozen bodies ready for burial are
lying in the square of Torlonia. in
this square, said Capt Vettori, 81
saw a father place the bodies of his
wife, three sons and three. daughters.
/ think that was the saddest incident |
| have seen One little boy stood
beside the father as he arranged T.
bodies. The child seemed not to
realize what had happened. This
man so terribly afflicted stares vacant |
ly at those who speak to him. He |
has not eaten for two days
Scores of survivors were half
starving Saturday before food arrived |
from outside although under the |
walls OF Prince Torlonia's granary |
there were 100000 bushels of wheat
Churches with massive walls, the |
ancient castle OF Orsini, new structur
al steel and brick business blocks,
all were levelled by the earthquake,
which lasted only 81 seconds. Or
A railway carriage has been trans |
formed into a residence and office for !
the authorities, who wish to leave all
available tents for the survivors.
Another car is used as telegraph |
office Valuables already removed |
from the ruins are estimated to be
worth $400O,OOO and it is expected
that much more will be found as the
excavation continues, for several inn
portant banks have branches at Avez-
zano.