Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-16
VICTIMS FOUND
BURIED IN RUINS
OF MANY TOWNS
List of Fatalities in Italy's
Earthquake Disaster May
Be Reduced.
OFFICIAL ESTIMATES
STILL STAND AT 10000
Panic of Fear Holds People of
Stricken Districts in
Grasp.
DISEASE ADDS TO HORRORS
Pneumonia Strikes Down Hundreds
OF Refugees Driven From
Homes.
DISEASE ADDS TO HORRORS
Pneumonia Strikes Down Hundreds
OF Refugees Driven From
Homes.

ROME. January 15-Omcial and
semioflicial reports to Premier Salan-
dra from twcnty-fomr towns and viii
lagos i'm the 3O0-milo belt stricken hv
the earthquake OF Wednesday,, and tho
subsequent tremors which have wrought
no little additional havoc. indicate ap-
proXimately 27.S00 dead. Forty-four
towns have not yet hecn heard from
with reports of casualties. Premier
Salandra counscls conservatism. say
ing this number likely will be reduced
considerably. as hundreds of those
buried alive and given up for dead arc
being rescued, and the semioincial estl-
mates are based on deductions com
puted from the number found alive
among the total population. These
figures. he explains, are subject to re-
vision downward because hundreds os
the survivors fled FROM the .devastated
.Eohesiu the first panic Following Tthc4
initial shock.
Making all due allowances and taking
the reliable figures at hand as "A basis
II is officially estimated that the dead
Will not number more than 10000.
Premier Salandrn states that this figure
even may exaGgcrate the total loss of
life. while King Victor Emmanuel. who
has Just returned from Il visit to Avcz-
zano and Sora, expressed the belief
that the casualties would bc much less
than the reports to Premier Salandra
indicated
ct,f
the Interior says.
shown by the necessarily fragmcntary
reports will be greatly reduced"
LATER SHOCKS SLIGHT
AND SCARCELY FELT
Since Wednesday,. tho sesmo graph
here has recorded 100 shocks Except
for the first OF the disturbances, which
was responsible for the major portion
Of the damage. the shocks were slight
and scarcely felt.
The property loss will amount to
several hundred million dollars
II was announced to day that in view
OF the international situation, the
Italian government will refuse all offers
OF help from foreign countries with
out exception.
a new peril now confronts the ponu
lation OF the stricken valley below
Avczzano. Debris from the earthquake
has damned Lake Fucino, and unless
the engineers now graphing with the
task are able to provide an outflow
for the fast-rslng waters 1t Is feared
break VIII come and the valley will
be deluged Pneumonia has struck
down hundreds OF refugees forced to
camp in the snow in the open places
without proper shelter Panic fear
still holds the inhabitants of tho
smaller villages in it's grip. and terror
reiEns even among the larger towns,
where the troops have been able TO
cope with the extraordinary situation
to better advantage.
SOLDIERS ARE ENGAGED
IN WORK OF RTIIEI'
Thirty thousand soldiers mohilizcd
against the chance of Italy entering
the international conflict, are now en-
gagged as rescuers and relief workers.
and the thousands of tons OF equip
mcnt and commissary stores assembled
for use in that contingency have been
applied TO the relief OF the sufferers
Romc's hospitals are filled. and coo
refugees. who arrived to-day from
4\vczZano, were sent on TO Naples be
cause even the temporary havens Of
fered in the hotels had been crowded
to overfiowing
Reports of the fatalities received
from official and unofficial sources hy
the Premier to-day gave the following
estimates of dead
Avozzano, 10.40O: Poscina (csti-
matcd, 1000; Maglianomarsi. (esti-
mated), 1900; San Benedetto (esti.
500; Sora. 500: CapeIle. 100:
Isolatiri go: Capstrello, 80: Sulmoba.
so; Tore CaJetani. 5OnTogllacohzo, 40:
cese. 30 Arpino, 80: Villalago, 90;
Cocculo, 8; Antrosano. Z: Bussi, 6; Pes-
cenza. 6; Sanssa. 3; Monte Rotondo 2;
Topill. 9: Rome. /.
heartrending stories continue TO
from Avczzano where hun
dreds OF men. women and children were
buried alive, Only by the heroic efr
forts of the rescucrs were any of them
saved from the dust-sealed tombs.
Late this evening there came from
AveZzano report that cries OF seven
girls. entombcd in the wreckage OF tho
normal school, could be heard Ap-
parently. they had been trapped In one
room of the dormitory. and were pinnod
k64lE1t1asr beneath the wreckage. Deg
gforts Immediately were made