The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-19
$4,000 HOMELESS
AS MOLTEN LAVA
WIPES OUT TOWNS
American Tourists Terrified
Witnesses Of Mount Etna'S
Violent Eruption

CATANIA, scicily. June 1s.-Thirty
thousand persons are homeless and
four villages wiped out following the
eruption of Mount Etna Sunday,
which hurled monster sheets OF
molten lava skyward.
Monday night the volcanoes red
crest was still roaring into tho sky
in mighty holocaust. Government
troops. dispatched by Premier Mus
solini of Italy, were aiding the refu-
gees in removing cattle and furnt-
ture, while relief trains were being
rushed from Rome.
American tourists at the famous
resort of Taormina, on the eastern
slopes of the mountain, were terri
e. fled witnesses of the catastrophe.
At 30 a. M, Sunday, tremen-
dous explosion, followed by a rain
of small stones, volcanic mud and
ashes. awakened the population OF
nearby towns.
A thick cloud OF black smoke OBJ
secured the summit of the volcano.
Terror stricken people rushed into
the streets, clad in night clothes, and
rushed to churches praying for aid.
About their heads. gust of wind
swept the smoke plume from tho
mountain top, disclosing a vivid halo
of red fire. Five volcanic mouths had
opened on the sides of the cone, vom-
iting torrents of lava that raced
towards the villages of Linguaglossa
ana CaSt1RlOne.
O O o
Fire Belched Forth.
Throughout the morning the vol
cano belched fire, hurting thousands
of tons of lava into the sky from
the main crater as the five minor
cones continued their flow of molten
flaming stone.
laundering like massed guns of
an artillery barrage, walls of white
hot Stag poured down the mountain
IN of lN1 aS fur
mace cauldrons. They lowered 80 to
40 feet into the air, sweeping trees,
walls and houses before them.
In kissing angry floods. the lava
poured along the dry beds of rivers.
throwing off jets of smoke and
steam.
The flow increased. Vineyards.
orange and lemon groves and farms
were destroyed as the lava streams
gained impetus.
and moving 800 feet an hour, a wall
of sulphurous fire and molten stone
overwhelmed the railroad station at
Castiglione, and flattened out the IA
nous pine grove at Linguaglossa as
a scythe mows down wheat. Flaming
and roaring. the torrent swept on
across the irrigation canals OF tho
lemon groves to the village OF Lin
guaglossa proper.
With the torrent slowly embedding
the fire-oharred depot at Castiglione,
the populace fled. Gayly painted two
wheeled Sicilian jaunting cars led the
refugee horde that milled through
binding smoke towards tho sea. At
midnight a shattering earthquake
shock swept tho foothills as crater
mouth opened at Monte Nero. from
which new flow spread.
Bishop Acireale arrived at Angua-
glossa shortly after midnight. COM
forting the refugees as they fled.
The towns of Picciolo, PallAmellata
and Ferro were destroyed.
Late Monday the stream moving on
hnguaglossa split into several
branches less than a mile from the
town. 1t was hoped that thus tho
flood might spill over hill slopes and
spare the populace.
Military motor trucks and private
automobiles were Communicated hero
and at Messina and rushed toward
the devastated regions to assist in
evacuating the inhabitants.