South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-15

are filled with snow.
| ROME, Jan. 15.-The toll of death
| claimed by the earthquake in central
Italy was steadily increased today as
troops penetrated the stricken dis
trict and sought to free thousands still
| buried alive in the ruins of their
homes. Up to a. m. today Premier
Salandra had received reports off,
cially listing as dead 11,139 men,
women and children in 16 towns
Shortly before 10 o'clock he re-
celved an official dispatch stating that
rescue forces from Sulmona and Tivoli
had penetrated to CapeUe, Pescina
and San Benedetto and found the
three towns in ruins. The total loss
of life in these towns was $500, in-
creasing to ,439 the number known
TO be dead At San Benedetto more
than loo persons buried alive were
/ rescued.
After careful investigation. said
the dispatch received by the premier,
the original reports of the destruc-
tion of Capelle, Pescina and San Ben
edettO have been confirmed"
The casualties at Capelle we're
800 out of 1900 inhabitants Pes
Gina was almost ra2ed to the ground,
the dead being estimated at 1000.
San BenedettO was totally destroyed
with 5000 losses. At San Benedetto
more than 100 were rescued after be-
ing entombed for many hours. They
had suffered intensely and some were
so badly injured that they will die" 8"
Third of Towns Heard From.
With about One-third of the towns
in the earthquake zone heard from
Premier Saiandra fears that the dead
alone will be more than $4,000 This
| is the highest estimate that has been
made at any time. If it is borne out
by subsequent reports the number of
injured may go above 125,00O.
Unofficial estimates of the damage
run as high as 10O,000.00O In some
places, particularly Rome. where
serious loss was caused to famous
buildings. the damage can never be
repaired. 1t is being further increased
by tremors more or less severe than
have been felt ever since the main
earthquake shock Nearly 200 Of
such tremOrs have been recorded in
the last as hours.
5000 Wounded i'm Rome.
There are already 5000 wounded in
Rome and private homes and public
buildings have been thrown open for
their care Thirty thousand Italian
soldiers are conducting the rescue
work in the stricken district. All
yesterday afternoon and last night
they dug for the dead and living in
the ruins Of AveZzano and SOra, where
the loss Of life was heaviest Their
work last night was facilitated as far
as possible by searchlights that had
been sent from Rome on one of the
! trains carrying nurses. physicians and
medicine.
King Victor Emmanuel went to
Sora from Avezzano early today and
took charge Of the work in the ruins
in the former beautiful town of 20. 600
inhabitants. The king wept when he
saw the desolation wrought by the
earthquake. There was a heavy fall
Of snow in central Italy last night
This increased the suffering of tens Of
thousands OF homeless. Hundreds
have been stricken with pneumonia
and il is feared that the deaths caused
directly by the earthquake will be
greatly increased by disease.
Ten Per Cent Escape.
Refugees from the district of Avez-
zano say that not more than 10 per
cent of the population escaped. They
are unanimous in declaring that the
disaster was greater than that which
overwhelmed Messina 10 years ago.
The destruction of Avezzano was
only a matter Of seconds said one
refugee. In less than a minute il
was changed from a beautiful. peace
ful, prosperous city into a vast Gem
etery. where piles Of wrecked houses
ard uptorn earth rose in a monument
TO the wreath and power OF nature.
over the wreckage wandered hun
dreds Of stupefied survivors searching
for their dead or for entombed rela-
tives who, they hoped, might be still
living"