Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1915 — QUAKE VICTIMS PUT AT 50,000; KING VICTOR AIDS [ARTICLE]

QUAKE VICTIMS PUT AT 50,000; KING VICTOR AIDS

Emmanuel Helps in Rescue a| Avezzano. TOWN’S TOLL ,IS 12,000 Second Shock Causes Damaged Build* Ings to Collapse and Many Rescuers Die—May Be Worse Than Messina Disaster. , ■— Rome, Jan. 15.—Estimates of the dead and Injured in the earthquake are placed at 50,000.

Hundreds of thousands of people are homeless. Towns and entire clties have been destroyed. Communications are cut and railroads are unable to reach the devastated districts. The Italian government is bringing every resource ipto play to alleviate the suffering and care for the injured. King Victor Emmanuel left international questions to his cabinet members and hastened to Avezzano in the Aquila province, there to superintend personally the relief work. Thousands Are Buried.

Thousands of dead lie beneath the mounds of debris, which once were dwellings, churches and public institutions which crumbled under the earth’s vibrations. The estimates are from 25,000 to 50,000 dead and injured, and yet there are several sections, which undoubtedly felt the earthquake in full measure, from which no estimates can be obtained. In the ancient territory of Marsi, which includes Avezzano, the victims are placed at 20,000, of whom 15,000 perished. Deputy Siparl, who represents Avezzano in the chamber of deputies, has asked for 25,000 soldiers and material for huts. Fifteen other towns In the Marsi have been destroyed and others damaged. 12,000 Victims In Avezzano. Avezzano suffered the worst damage, 12,000 people being killed or injured and the entire city destroyed. Fresh earthquake shocks added to the damage and created panic anew among the residents of Rome, Sora, 60 miles northeast in tlie province of Caserta, and at other points. In Rome buildings already damaged by the first shock collapsed. Besides Avezzano, the towns of Cappello, Magliano, Marse, Massadalbe, Collarmele, Cerchio, Celano, Lelll, Paterno, San Capistrello, Antrosano and Castronovme have been practicably destroyed. The disaster Is second only to that of Messina In 1908. Troops have been sent Into every part of the stricken country to aid In the work of relief. Quake Belt 300 Miles Long.

The earthquake belt is estimated to be about three hundred miles long, extending practically from one side of Italy to the other. The northernmost point affected is Poppi, near Florence, and the most southern point Paterno in Sicily. The worst damage was caused in Abruzzi, Latium and Campania.

King Victor Emmanuel, despite protests of government officials, early departed for Avezzano and arrived there during the afternoon. He inspected the ruins and watched the work of rescue. While making the rounds of the ruins he reached a spot where workmen, aided by soldiers, were endeavoring to extricate a child burled in the debris. The king mounted a pile of fallen masonry and superintended the .rescue. Queen Helena, still 111, since the birth of a daughter, has expressed the keenest regret that she could not go to the scenes of devastation as she did at Messina. Property Loss Great. The full extent of the property loss has not yet been determined. Here in Rome priceless statues, century-old buildings and structures that for years have been the Mecca of all visitors, have been destroyed or injured. Though, the loss of life, and possibly the damage, may be less than it was in 1908, the area of the disturbance greatly exceeds the Messina earthquake. The most disastrous disturbance, from all reports, seems to have centered in the vicinity of the town of Avezzano. Thus far 200 bodies and 160 injured persons have been taken out of the ruins there. Troops Aid Rescue. Troops are arriving in Avezzano constantly to assist in the work of rescue. The survi’ ors are in a pitia-< ble condition. Hardly one is without relatives in the ruins of tike .town,

ouried under the wreckage or their homes' The streets of the city are nothing more than huge piles of stone and brick. 1 Through this the rescuers are digging everywhere they have reason to believe they may find survivors Their work is enormously difficult. Jt is estimated that 4,000 persons were buried alive under the wreckage at Avezzano. Throughout the night shouts for help could be heard, In one instance a building collapsed, burying 200 children, many of are still alive. It is stated that 400 soldiers were tn the barracks at Avezzano when it collapsed, and that'only four of them es«Chped. ■ At Sora, 60 miles northeast of Rome, in the province of Caserta, another shock occurred. The residents, panic Stricken, fled from their homes. The town, which has a population of some 20,000, was almost destroyed. ■ ; 7, Among the victims in . Sora are tnany of the town authorities and persons of note in the district. Cicero Tower Collapses. News received here from Arpino, 30 miles south of Avezzano, says that ■4O persons were killed there and 110 [wounded. The Cicero tower at Arplno, in memory of the great Roman orator born there, collapsed as a resfilt ofthe earth-shock. * The under prefect of Sora, 25 miles south of Avezzano, telegraphs that half the town has been razed. He taplords assistance. Naples reports a strong tidal wave yesterday in the Gulf of Gaeta, accompanied by seismic disturbances on shore. 1

The ..director of the observatory at Rome declared that the earthquake was the most severe that ever had been recorded on his instruments. No fewer than 150' large panes of glass in St. Peter’s, 46 of which are in the dome, were broken. Slight Damage at Naples. Naples felt the shock severely, but suffered only slight damage. Sulmona and Aquila, in the province of-Abruz-zi, and other towns in that region report much damage and some, loss of life. - !

No .one was killed in Rome; but there is great material damage. Several of Rome’s historical structures were damaged, but it is hoped not irredeemably so. > Pope Offers Aid. Pope Benedict is awaiting a report from Monsignor Sagni, archbishop of Aquila, on the gravity of the situation and the probable loss of life. He has . expressed a desire to go to the spot if his presence is necessary to encourage and comfort the distressed. The greatest injury occurred in the village around the" extinguished volcano Vulture. ‘ Director Friedlander of the International Volcanological institute at Naples says the c rigin of the earthquake is geological and rot volcanic, with its epicentrurii in the valley of the Garigliano riv,er.

Vesuvius Not Active. Mount A'csuvius.'hcecrding to the observers in that district, has shown no signs of unusual activity. Immense damage was done at Nagliano and Capelie. Caserta province in Campania likewise suffered heavily; There are ten dead and 150 wounded at Siola Del Lirilnany and others, at Cassino and Pescas Olida. The Ceccano cathedral in the Roman province crumbled to dust, and at Monte Rotondo, where the duke of Aosta has gone to render assistance, the sixteenth century tower of the town hall, 150 feet high, crashed down, killing a professor and two collegians. The domes of the principal churches of Zagarola and, Pagliano, in the Alban hills; have fallen, and a similar fate has overtaken the prefecture at Frosinone. Torre Cajetani and Cittaducale are almost-wholly destroyed.