It is possible now for every body to go everywhere, in the places
where the conflagration has passed in all its most varied and terrible
forms. The Circumvesuviana and all those great men who are its very
soul, strength, and organism accomplish real miracles, from Giuseppe
Sirignano, to Emmanuele Rocco and its director Ingaranni, all deserve
the deepest sympathy and gratitude. It is owing to them and their
abnegation that the Circumvesuviana has been able to resume its
work, rendering thus both a great service to the work of help and
to the help organizers. But for them no one could have got to Torre
Annunziata, Boscotrecase, Ottaiano, San Giuseppe, or Somma Vesuviana,
for the lava, the burning stones, lapillus and ashes have passed every
where. Now one may go over there, not only by rail but to certain
points by auto, and to some others by carriages. The roads are open.
They certainly are not pleasure or excursion roads, you do not go there
as you would go to a pic-nic, but whoever has a charitable heart, may
go now and see, this most terrible catastrophe of the Vesuvian comunes.
It is a pilgrimage of piety which certainly will bear its good fruits.
So many people need to see in order to believe, so many people need
to let the truth of human troubles descend from their eyes into their
hearts. The roads are opened for trains, automobiles, carriages, even
bicycles, and for those who have to go on foot, many roads are quite
practicable. Let every person of good will know it. The misery of the
people there is great, help must be great. The crowd, the crowd must
go with the 5000 lire, of the modest giver and the 50000 of the richer
one. The roads are open, the pilgrimage can be made, without spending
much, without asking too much, without taking too much trouble, without
losing much time. And those who go will realize how great this calamity
is, and how great the remedy must be.
April 23th 1906.