Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-02-06
Entire Population of Many Towns
Buried in Ruins of Their
Homes-Horror Grows
With Fresh News.
CATASTROPHE sTUNS NATION
Disaster Covers Wide Area Which
Extends Over Central and
Southern Territory.

devastated by a terrific earthquake
whose tremors began on the after
noon OF January 10 and continued
Internationally until the night of jan
uary IA. About 1000 persons were
killed and more than 100000 were
hurt. Some towns were buried.
others were ieveIIed. Many historic
buildings and numerous art treas
ures were destroyed. UncountabIe
property damage was wrought.
So great was the force of the
quake than practically all lines of
communication to the stricken dis
tricts were cut. News of the CAL
amity-except brief bulletins which
only limited at the magnitude of the
disaster-did not reach the outside
world for three days. Then 1t was
learned that the catastrophe was
havoc beyond description.
In the wrecked communities the
dead lay everywhere. Cries of the
wounded pinned under debris har-
ried the Would-be rescuers, who had
no implements for releasing them.
Refugees began to suffer from cold
and hunger. Then came disease.
The situation was extremely critical
before fifty thousand soldiers and
the Italian Red Cross could afford
relief.
Motor cars offered about the only
means of transportation, for tracks
had been twisted and railway
bridges wrecked by the quake. King
Victor Emmanuel led the organiza-
ton of rescue and remained on the
scene of trouble several days. The
Italian government declined help
from other nations-President VIII
son offered aid at once-and made
an initial appropriation of one mil
lion dollars for relief of the stricken
people.
What caused the quake is mere
speculation. One eminent scientist
and geologist believes it may have
been caused by vibrations from
heavy cannonading in Europe. Santa
Barbara, Calf, felt heavy quake
shocks at the time the Italian dis
aster occurred. The quake played
fantastic tricks-fit for the GODS
One huge mountain was split from
top to bottom. At another place a
large, deep lake was formed in what
had been a high tableiand.
Rome, jan 19.-Detailed reports re-
ceived in the capital regarding Italy's
stupendous earthquake disaster in
crease rather than diminish the appall-
ing list of dead and the enormous prop
erty loss. The Messaggero, after max
ing a careful computation of all the
figures it has been able to gather from
the districts and villages hitherto iso-
hot he r,f
dead and injured in the Abruzzi alone
the Sora district
Die of Cold and Hunger.
San Atolio has 200 dead and 500 in
jured; Morino, 1900 dead; Canistro,
600 injured: Cervavo, 300 victims;
Borgo fifty dead. and valleroveto,
1900. In Civitella Roveto almost the
entire population escaped because they
were working in the field when the
shock occurred
Frantic appeals for help have been
received from Petrellallri, $500 feet
above sea level on Mount Arrange,
eight miles from Tagliacozzo The vii
lage was almost destroyed and the
survivors say they are perishing OF
cold and hunger.
Earth Opened Up.
In the highway near Ortucchio the
earth was opened. causing an immense
pit filed with water, the depth OF
which is unknown.
The terrific force of the earthquake
cracked the mountains near Luco
Huge pieces of rock, each of which
weighed several tons, rolled down the
hillside, burying the cottages of peas
ants, killing cattle and obstructing the
roads. Mount Pizzodeta, $3.50 feet
high, between Balsorano and Rocacer
70. was cut into two parts by an i'm
mense assure which is visible at Q
great distance.
Many Alive Under Debris