The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-29
Center of Disturbance in Sicily.
 - CITY OF MESsINA
 IS LEFT IN RUINS Troops Called Out to Aid in Resche
 Work.
 ~a-- 10 Add ts Disaster . Tidal wave swept Pert -ef Catania, Leaving Con- fusion hnd Damage in sts Path--other
 Cities Destroyed.

Rome, Dec. 2s-The three provinces of cosenza. Catanzaro and Reggie di calabria. comprising the Department of CaIabria, which forms the southwestern externity of Italy, or sthe Toe of the Boot" were devastated today by an earthquake, the far-reachings effects of which were felt almost throughout the entire country.
 The town of Messlna. in Sicily. was partially destroyed and catania was in l. undated.
 nj afessia,z, hundreds Of houses have. fallen and many persons have been Killed. Owing, however. to the fact that telegraphic and tetephonic communica- tions were almost completely destroyed, it Is impossible to obtain even an ap- proxirAate idea of the vast damage done.
 The fate of the entire regions within the zone of the earthquake is unknown but reports received here up to late hour tonight indicate that the havoc has been great and the destruction to z life and property more terrible than Italy has experienced in many years
 The uncertainty of the situation Tor many thousands has filled all Italians with the deepest distress, for they still have fear that the day may come when that part of the country. which seems to have been most blessed by nature, will be destroyed by the blind forces of that same nature which nearly nineteen centuries ago overwhelmed Pompeii ana HercuIanetlm.
 All reports show that the present ca- tastropha embraces astarEer area thau the earthauak1fin 1905.
 The tidal wave which followed the earth shocks on the eastern coast or si- ely, sunk vessels and inundated the lower part of Catanias 1t ia known that a number oe people were killed as fnet place. but the Enshing wAteEg CT rled svarVthfuG before them and caused such an indescFfbabla confusion that it win be impossible for some time 10 eS- ttlnate the damage and tue lives lost
 Comnaumieasi0n Cut or.
 For a period the town of Messina and the whole provinea of RegGio were completely isolated through inteFrupt- ions 10 the telegraph and telephone landsildee that obetructed the railways.
 Absolutely nothing was heard from ReEgio thfougilout the day. while the first news from Messina came in the form of a dispatch which torpedo boat, flying at full speed along the coast of the peninsula, carried from point to point, always finding the wires down, until 1t reached Nicotera, where the telegraph lines were found to be r. was sent It briefly stated that the sit- nation was desperate and after sum- marking the iEnmensity of the catas~ trophe ended with the announcement that Captain Passino, commander of the local station of torpedo boats, was buried under the debris after having with other officials. performed heroic work in trying to save others.
 The Italian Government proceeded energeIicalIy to relieve the far-spread distress concentrating at the points or greatest need, troops and engineers. Members of the Red Cross were de- spatched to various places, and camps with provisions were tmmidately pre- pared, all available railway lines and warshfps being used for their trans port.
 The city of kessina has suffered prob ably more than any other place, the latest information coming indirectly from that quarter. stating that two- thirds of the town was destroyed and several thousand persons killed
 The steamers Washington and Mon tIbelIo. which were in that harbor, later proceeded to Catania, loaded with injured. who were so stupefled by ter TOT that they seemed unable to realize what had happened. simply saying that 1t looked as though the end of the world had come.
 
 sina to assist In removing the injured from that place. who are reported to number thousands,
 People Camp fm Open,
 At Catania, the panie-stricken people, fearing new shocks, absolutely refused to re-enter their houses and are camp ing on the squares, which are free from water, and the surrounding country
 The tidal wave sunk 800 boats theres and did great damage to large num- ber of vessels and steamers, including the Austrian steamer Buda.
 Not only did Catania sufEer from the effects of tidal wave. but similar body of water inundated the handsome streets of Messina, which flank the harbor, covering them with a thick layer of mud, which rendered more difficult the succoring of the wounded, many of whom could be seen lying under the wreckage.
 It Is reported that the villages of Faro and Ganzirri, adjoining Messina, have disappeared.
 The effects of theearthquake were aggravated by fire through an explo- sion of gas, the flames which swept along several of the streets adding terror upon terror. x
 In calabrias the region around Monte Leone was most affected The vil- laRe of Stefanaconi. the inhabitants of which number 2,300. was practically destroyed only five persons were killed, but many were injured.
 Monsignor Morabito, the Bishop of Mileto. who distinguished himself in fine earthquake of 1905. did valiant work today. He rushed into places where the ruin was greatest and brought aid and encouraeement to all.
 Thousands of people abandoned their homes, although a terrific rainstorm prevailed and the air was hlled with lamentations and prayers, In some places sueh as Prizzo, Cotrone. Santa Severina and Piscopio, the priests had the courage to enter the churches al- most as they were falling, and carry away the saints. They bore these in