Evening star., 1915-01-16
DELAY IN RESCUE WORK
/ INCREASES SUFFERINGS
Trainloads of Injured Arriving In
Rome Confirm Earlier Estimates
of Loss of Life.
FLOOD MAY ADD TO HORROR
Eucino Canal, obstructed and
Damned Up by Landslide, Threat
ems to Overhow-Reports In
dicate 10000 Deaths.

ROME January 16-Famine and in
Tense cold are adding to the sufferings
OF the earthquake victims, and slowly
Increasing the already huge death roll.
Food there is in plenty, but it's trans
portation to many of the towns affected
is all but impossible because of OBJ
structed roads.
Rescue work is now going ahead
feverishly, for each hour of delay means
death by starvation OF exhaustion for
buried victims. From town after town
in the stricken section come reports
of excavation of ruins that was too
late to save lives.
Attention gradually is turning from
Avezzano, the center of the disturb
ance, and the greatest suf1erer, 10
other and smaller towns. where an az
most equally large percentage OF the
population was destroyed. In only one
case so far-that of Sora-do late re-
ports show that the effects or tne
quake were less disastrous than had
been feared. Only $50 of Sora's 1T,ooo
persons appear to have been killed
a correspondent of the Messagero.
who has been travelling through the
devastated zone, telegraphs his paper
of other villages, the number of dead
will reach $4,000. His estimate of the
total number of dead is 10000.
Earlier Death Estimates Confirmed.
While train loads of injured continue
to arrive in Rome, additional details of
the horror come in ,all tending to con-
firm earlier estimates of the tremen-
dous loss of life. Reports indicate tnat
next to Avezzano, the towns to suffer
the most are Pescina, with $500 vic
Tins: Palermo, with 1000 dead: and
Eamelino, with SO of its population of
1.S0o wiped out. All are environs of
Avezzano.
The horror Of possible flood added to
famine and suffering from cold exists
in the neighborhood of the Fucino
canal, which has been obstructed and
damned up by landslide at Montecor-
yino-Rovena. Soldiers and civilians
are working desperately to clear the
canal
Though 1t seems to be definitely es-
tablished that the present earthquake
will not rival that of Messina In 1908
In the number of dead the percentage
of casualties in proportion to the pop
ulation affected appears to be much
higher due, it seems, to the dry con-
struction of buildings that was almost
universal throughout the stricken dis
trict Messina had 76,4S3 dead and 95,-
40 injured Present reports indicate
10000 deaths and twice as many lnJu-
ries in this catastrophe. The only
buildings not leveled by this earth
quake Were the few made with REIN
forced concrete.
No Foreigners in Stricken District.
The absence of foreigners in the dis
trict now devastated is another point
of difference between this quake and
the last. Not only were the American
consul and his wife killed at Messina,
but a long list of tourists from the
United States were reported missing. in
addition to travellers from other coun-
tries. No one not an Italian has as yet
been reported as injured or missing in
the present disaster.
Up to the present time the Italian
government has declined foreign Off
cial assistance, but this has not pre-
vented unofficial aid of all kinds. Mrs.
Thomas Nelson Page, wife of the
United States ambassador, has con-
tributed $500 to fund being raised,
and other American women are follow
Ing suit. Mrs. Page also heads a COM
mittee of American women who are
working for the sufferers.
All supplies and money received will
be handled by the central relief COM
tnittee in Rome. The gratitude of the
Italians for aid rendered by the Amer
leans Is profound, and the automobiles
used by members of the embassy in
visiting the devastated area are greet
ed everywhere enthusiastically.
Duke of Abruzzi Aiding.
The Duke Of the Abruzzi is now tour
Ing the central portion of Italy, car
rying supplies where possible, and do
ing all in his power to aid the victims
Ambassador Page plans today or to-
morrow to go to Avezzano and other
towns to render assistance.
Men and women of the nobility. som.
of the latter Americans by birth, are
working in hospitals and in the field.
The name of the Italian from Amer
ica who had just arrived at Avezzant
Wednesday morning, when he met hi.
death in the collapse of the railroad
station. was ascertained today to bs
Filippo Fratucci. He came from New
York and his relatives had assembled
at the railroad station to meet hin
when the destruction of the town be-
gan.
One report from Avezzano says tina
sixty bodies of girls have been found II
the ruins of the girls college.