The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-01-15
OVER TEN THOUSAND
DEAD IN ONE CITY
CONTINUED from pago -

anticipation OF Italy entering the war.
BY orders of the king all OF THESE
supplies have been made Immediately
available.
AS fast as possible the injured who
can be moved, are being rushed 70
Rome. The military engineers have
taken over the operation Of trains.
Regular schedules have been sus-
pended. Temporary bridges have
been constructed across IcuiVerts
where roads have been wrecked.
Where train service is impossible,
chain Of military automobiles is be-
ing operated.
Temporary hospitals have been es'
tablished at the various ruined or
damaged towns in which the serious
ly hurt are being cared for. All OF the
Italian Red Cross nurses already are
in action and they are being added 10
iby volunteers in whose ranks are
represented the best known families
in Italy.
The queen having been forbidden
by her physicians to leave the palace
as she has not yet recovered following
the birth of her baby, has directed
that she be put in touch with the
stricken district by telegraph. She Is
making arrangement for sending nee
essary clothing to the women anu
girl victims and has already obtained
the opening of thousands OF private
houses for refugees. Always the idol
OF Roman people, her praises are De-
ing chanted by every one, as 1t ls
realized that in taking the steps she
has, she has actually endangered her
own health. The pope also is leading IN
the work OF relief He visited such
of the injured late yesterday as are
being cared for in Saint Martha's
vatican hospital and after talking with
them. gave them the papal blessing.
Following the pope's visit the report
rapidly spread through Rome that ne
had actually left the vatican. While
this was not so, strictly speaking, as
the hospital Is considered part OF
the vatican, the visit was regarded as
epoch making, as no pope has Vislt-
ed st. Martha's since 1870. 1t was
| believed to indicate the time is not
| far distant when his holiness Will re-
| fuse to continue to be the prisoner
OF the vatican
Under his direction every available
priest is assisting in the work OF re-
lief, granting absolution to the wound
ed and blessing to the dead.
| 1t is now declared that not less
than 100 cities, towns and villages
suffered from the earthquake. Inc
number of persons who are in need OF
at least temporary relief will reach
half a million and it will require sew
eral months to restore the wrecked
district.
The chief reason for, the very large
loss of life was the construction OF
the houses which were of stone, TOT
the most part piled on each otner
without mortar to hold them together.
When the quake came these houses
collapsed.
Many of the victims were buried
alive in the ruins of their homes. Re-
ports from the stricken section say
the soldiers are taking many persons
out alive but for the most pert ser
fously hurt. Twenty Of the 1bO girls
who were penned in the ruins of the
girls seminary at Avezzano were
taken out alive All Of the others
persisted. Only one city oficial here
was unhurt. This was Signor OF
Etavi, project OF police, and 1t was due
to his efforts that about 900 people
we're rescued in the city.
The mountain springs which sup
piled Avezzano with water, were dried
I'D by the quake, and the soldiers have
been compelled to install water
system from the lake.
! All of the foreign diplomatic officials
have rendered their services in the
work of relief. The American am
tbassador, Thomas Nelson Page, hsS
thrown open the Palazzo Del Frago
his official residence, for the use o;
refugees and he and all OF the EN-
bassy staff are aiding wherever pos
sible.
; The minister OF public works reach
ed Avezzano today and is now in
complete charge Of relief work IN thai
: section. He Is keeping in constant
touch with Premier Salandra VINO re
mains in Rome in general charge OF
;, the relief.
Fragmentary stories reaching here
tell of hundreds of cases Of heroism
Mothers sacrificed their lives for theil
babies. Fathers died that their chill
dren might live. Men dug frantical
" into the ruins under totterins
: walls in response to groans and ap
peals for help from buried victims
So far as is yet known, at no point
was there any cowardice or any brut
atty of the strong against the weak
Many of the survivors went temper
arily insane as a result OF their e1
periences. Men who found their en-
tire families crushed to death In tho
ruins of their homes; women VINO