The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-01-29
QUAKE VICTIMS
DRIVEN INSANE
Soldiers Worked Day and Night
to Rescue Those Alive.
Grave CHILDREN ARE SAVED
Survivors Menaced by Madmen Wan.
dsring Aimiessly Around the Ruins.
Foung Woman's Fianoe Worked All
Day to Rescue Her, but Cries Grad.
vally Became inaudible.

Day to Rescue Her, but Cries Grad.
ually Became Inaudible.
Rome. Maniacs roaming aimlessly
about, menacing the sane survivors;
half wild dogs and bands of wolves
prowling amid piles of bodies. men
tearing frantically but in vain at heaps
OF wreckage from which came the
faint and gradually weakening cries of
their loved ones, women and children
dying of starvation and exposure.
scores of old and young perishing be
meath great heaps of ruins from which
the utmost efforts of the rescuers were
unable to drag them in time-these
were some of the terrible stories from
the government officials in charge of
the relief work I'm the area devastated
by the recent earthquake.
One of the men made mad by the ca
tastrophe killed an injured survivor
who reproached him for looting a ru-
dned wine shop. Scores of men and
women, crazed by grief and hardship.
wandered about the country, danger
TO the living, for whose adequate pro-
lection even the thousands Of soldiers
on the scene were insufficient.
One of the most pitifui cases report.
ed here is that of u young man, whose
fancee. buried in the ruins. called out
TO MIN to save her II he loved her. All
day he had been digging desperately nt
the wreckage, aided by the soldiers,
who were moved to tears by his grief.
Despite their great efforts there was
no hope of saving the girl, and her
voice gradually became inaudibe. The
same young man had previously saved
himself. his mother and his sisters
from underneath the walls of his fall
en- home, but could not find his aged
father.
Strangers were not allowed to ap-
proach the towns and villnges In the
stricken area. where the work OF res
cue went on without cessation. The
task OF digging ont those alive In the
ruins and of taking care of the injured
survivors and feeding those who are
unhurt wns 40 great that attempts to
bury the thousands of bodies were
abandoned, and they were piled up In
great heaps awaiting the moment when
there were no more to save.
A royal commissioner assumed charge
the soldiers not TO dig into the ruins
unless they heard the moans or cries
Of victims. Officers were specifically
detailed to ind out the most likely
spots for excavation. In AvezZano as
q result of systematic exploration If
teen survivors were rescued. They
were all thoroughly exhausted and
badly injured. and several had to be
operated upon, crushed arms and legs
being amputnted.
The ruins are now terribly silent
The burial of the dead was hnstcned
for sanitary reasons
Various reports from the soldiers
show TINT scores of persons had the
most marvellous escapes from death In
the catastrophe. Under wrecked houses
1ittle children have been found alive,
although nearly dead from exposure
and cold. but absolutely unhurt by the
crush OF timber and masonry. The en-
aursnce of women and babies was re-
markable, for many Of them were In
need only OF food when saved after
lang ordeais. imprisoned In wreckage
and with the dead bodies Of their fam.
lliss buried I'm debris near them.
The Inhabitants of Balsorano and
RAccaviva fed In panic because of
wise the crest of Mount Pizzodettn.
$500 feet high. due TO the earthquake.
The estimate Of the number of dead
rcInains In the neighborhood OF 10000
Fifty towns and villages have been de.
Gtroyed The following list of dead In
damaged but not destroyed villages III
the Sulmona district Is now available;
Bcann0. 900; Villnlngo, %; Raiano. A.
PopOil. 8; Pentina. 1; Barrea II
The mortality In the country, where
many fnrmhouses and buildings col
aapsesl. has not been ascertained
In hvezzano three babies only slight
~ injured were taken from the ruins
-Four other children, the eldest eleven
aas0 were found Although exhausted
ehey kept shouting until they were
aaved They promised the soldiers
svAo dug them out that their father
Wsshi pay them, but he was fount
s4saa In the ruins near by. A girl wht
Was saved uniDJured from neighb0r
- building asked the soldiers wheth
>~e 4 was dawn. She said she felt tina
~aAe had slept long time. but couit
sase see the light Eight rescues wer,
- result OF an entire days work b!
1oe0O soldiers. which shows the enOr
N0lty Of the task which confronted tn,
government
AZ Is0lndelIiris the main church col
aapsed. but the statue OF 81. Resttuta
eAe towns patron saint was untouch
- and IL intact. even 10 the finger ol
- hnnd which Is raised IN blessing.
Turks Surrender For Food.
Petrograd. The russians engnge'