The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-02-21
IS GROWING FASTER
THAN BOOM TOWN
Population Reaches 5000 After Being
Reduced from $4,000 to 1900;
New City is Fashioned After
Western World Models
BY HENRY WOOD,
Omitted Press Staff correspondent.l

Omitted Press Staff correspondent.)
AvEzzANo, Italy, Feb. 1.-(By
Mail Thanks largely to Italian
Americans, Ayezzano, which just a
year ago today suffered one Of the
worst earthquake disasters in the his
tory Of the world, is today almost
a completely restored city.
IN just one year as much has been
done towards rebuilding this city as
has been accomplished at Messina in
the ten years that have elapsed since
it suffered a similar disaster IN both
instances America played large part
in the work OF restoration, but at
Avezzano American spirit and Ameri-
can influences accomplished miracles
which just plain American dollars
coulu not 90 at Messina.
When year ago the earthquake re-
duced Ayezzano to a mere mass Of
ruins. from which only l,s0O people
out OF total population OF 1900 es.
capped. the news struck responsive
chord in the hearts OF a particular
class Of people in America. These
were the Italians who themselves IA
years past had lived in and emigrated
from Ayezzano ore,he country immed-
lately around It. Thousands OF these
persons still had relatives there, and
the cali OF blood as well as the call
OF the city of their nativity proved
stronger than the call Of success they
were meeting with in their new homes
IN America
Almost without exception these form
er residents Of Ayezzano abandoned
their prospects in America and re-
turned to succor their relatives and
help build up the city OF their birth.
hut in coming hack to Italy they
brought with them more than the few
hundred or few thousand dollars that
the Italian immigrant accumulates N
America before returning home. They
brought with them also the American
spirit. American hustle and American
tradition. They brought with them es-
pecially the remembrance OF how san
Francisco had risen from its ruins
hnnreds OF them themselves had gone
through the Frisco Guake-and they
set about doing at Ayezzano what they
had seen Americans do at Frisco The
results have amazed al Italy, and es-
pecially Messina which ten years after
its disaster, hardly has begun to be its
old self
Avezzano. whose population was re-
duced from 5000 to 200 by the quake
today has 5000 inhabitants. Aside from
possibly i,G00 Of the survivors who re-
main here, the great bulk Of the re-
mainder are returned Italian-Ameri
cans. That is why Avezzano is grow
ing faster than boom town in Ameri-
ca.
The government extended the same
helm to Avezzano that was extended TO
Messina but without the Itallar-Amer-
leans the results would hardly be what
they are today These enterprising
hyphenates Of which both Italy ana
America have cause to be proud have
carried out the demolition of $500
partially wrecked houses, braced up s.
ZOO tottering walls, constructed bar
racks and temporary houses that con-
tain 1880 rooms, while others CON
tanning 1000 more rooms are being
constructed and have repaired $500
Of the houses not entirely destroyed.
They have got the water works and
the electric light plant IN full opera
ton. made It possible for the schools
10 resume sessions. and are laying out
new additions to Avezzano with
straight streets and regular square
clocks. quite after the American fash
ion of town building and quite con-
trarv to Italian customs. where irregu.
lar wanderings street blocks are the
rule. !.
The Italian-Americans are facing all
the civic problems that confront every
community in America, and are md