The Earthquake in Italy.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 15, 19 January 1915, Page 5

The Earthquake in Italy.

THE WORK OF RESCUE AMID SCENES OF HORROR. [By BtICTBIO I«L*GRAPfI— OOPTBXCHti i United Press Association. Rom<\. January 18., ' The King has donated £12,000 to the orphans of the earthquake victims. Restoration of communication reveals ' in mountain towns. Many-of'the injured died from lacn 'of medical treatment, and hundreds 1 succumlied to exposure.

Soldiers are clearing the rums of a church at Ortuchio, endeavouring to rescue a hundred buried women, whose cries can be heard.

Several cruel articles have appeared in Austrian newspapers, pointing out that the European war is more fatal than the earthquakes and thei’efoie Europe cannot do more than express condolence, adding that ‘ ‘ltaly is in the enviable position of being well looked after.” NINETY-EIGHT SHOCKS IN 24 HOURS. London, January 18. Lloyd’s. News correspondent reports that the earthquake entirely destroyed eighteen Italian towns and-villages, in thirteen others scarcely a building is intact, and a dozen others were damaged. During twenty-four hours ninetyeight shocks were experienced. The correspondent states that the Italian Government* has announced that in view of the international up heaval no relief contributions can be expected from foreign countries, neutral or otherwise.

NEARLY 200 SHOCKS. i 60 TOWNS DESTROYED IN HALF A MINUTE. FRIGHTFUL FIGHTS- FOR FOOD. .Rome, January 18. The shocks continue, 185 having been registered since the disaster. The earthquake rent Alonnt Pizzodeta (6000 ft.) in two. The gap can be seen miles away. Sixty towns were destroyed in half a minute.

Of five hundred taken from the ruins of Avezzano, half have since died. Alany of the survivors have lost their reason, and wander among the ruins, calling the names of their loved ones.

Fifty thousand soldiers are engaged in rescue work in the district, with small result.

The terrified refugees are huddled in hastily-constructed shelters along the roads and caves in the hillsides. There were frightful scenes when the first cart-load of food arrived in Sora, the crowd fighting until it was empty.

Sora was destroyed, but the loss of life there was small, because the townspeople are early risers, mostly .agidculturigtit.—A-- priest was’ ■ conducting the funeral of a child at Caseilliri. Twenty children were kneeling around the coffin. Suddenly the earth shook, and with a deafening crash the church collapsed, crushing the congregation,including the children. A sergeant of Carbineers at Avezzano, hearing moans in the ruins,, ordered a hole to be excavated. Alen lowered him head downwards, and he walked until he released a girl, whose body was entangled in the beams of the cellar. Holding the girl by the waist, the men hoisted both safely. Attempts to rescue tile 1-10 schoolgirls have thus far been a failure.

PRISONERS KILLED IN GAOL. ANGUISHED CRIES FOR MERCY DURING THE MASS. • (Received 8.0 a.m.) Loudon, January 18. The collapse of the gaols hilled many of the prisoners. The Bishop of Sora celebrated Mass at an improvised altar amid the ruins of a church, 10,000 of the survivors kneeling, when there was andther shock during the Mass. The Bishop lifted the Chalice, imploring God’s mercy, and the communicants responded with anguished cries. Forty additional lighter shocks have been recorded, but they did little dam. age.