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Show LAVA FLOWS LEjvJil I fiiiLLU Seventy-nine New Fissures Fis-sures in Mt. Etna-aiiroad Etna-aiiroad Threatened Catania, Sicily, SepL 13. The eruption erup-tion of Mount Etna Is assuming the proportlono of a real disaster. Tho lava stream, whose path crosses the railway line cii cling tho volcano, Is approa'chlng the railway stations to the north and especially threatening tho depots at Molo and Alcantara, which wore abandoned today. Squads of laborers were at work today to-day taking up the railroad tracks and removing all transportable material to places of safety The entire crest of Mount Etna appears ap-pears to bo in a state of ebullition. An oxact count of tho number of fissures fis-sures Is Impossible because of the smoke which shrouds the whole mountain, moun-tain, but there seemed to bo more than thirty openings, all 'belching smoke and lava. This nftornoon it was reported that a total of 79 new fissures had opened In tho volcano since the disturbance began. The river of lava, which Is moving slowly northward, has in- creased In volume and extends eight miles from its source. The houses of several peasants have boon overwhelmed. over-whelmed. Tho earthquakes continue, terrifying tho peoplo for miles abouL At Zaffrana, on the north coast of Sicily, fifty shocks were recorded during dur-ing 24 hours. The gravltv of the eruption of Mount Etna is increased by the abandonment of tho railway stations at Molo and Alcantara to tho north of the volcano. Alcantara marked the limit of the lava flow m tho eruption of 1879 Molo was threatened at that time, but escaped. The eruption means great suffering for the peasantry. The slopes of Etna with an area of more than -100 squaro miles, support a population more dense than that of any other portion of Sicily or Italy. There are sixty-five sixty-five cities find villlages in the entire area and the number of Inhabitants which obtain an excellent agricultural agricultur-al liviug from the fertile lava beds total more than 30,000. |