The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-30
MOST APPALLING.
Disaster in Sicily Has Seldom il
Ever Been Equaled.
Horror Added to Horror as Re-
ports Come In.
HALF OF THEM DEAD
Other Half OF the People in
Eastern Sicily Weeping.
Wounded in Ruins Perish for
Want OF Aid.
NUMBER OF VICTIMS
Is Estimated From 100000 Up
to 100000.
Ruined Cities Still Burning in
TOrrential Rain.
American Consul Cheney and
Wife Among the Dead.
American Consul Cheney and
Wife Among the Dead.

Rome, Dec. 3O.-The details of one
of the most appalling disa sters record
ed in the history of the world. are be-
ing unfOlded in the dispatches coming
in today from Calabria and Sicily. 1t
is a story of indescribable horror and
calamity. The earthquake of Monday
morning wrought havoc and destruc-
tion that can not be estimated. Italy
is stunned by a visitation described as
the greatest disaster in the memory of
living man. Yet the full measure of
the catastrophe has not yet been taken.
The calamity grows with the receipt
of every fresh dispatch from the
south. Ca1abria is dotted with small
towns mad villages and new localities
are reporting almost hourly casualty
lists that run from the hundreds into
the thousands 1t is still impossible
TO reach any accurate estimate of the
dead, but the total number is placed
anywhere between 10000 and 150,
600. In some quarters it is declared
that the final numbers will be as high
as 100000 persons. One-half of the
population of Calabria and eastern
Sicily apparently has perished.
Countless thousands of wounded
men, women and children. are lying
in the ruins. 1t is impossible to sue
cor all. Numberless wounded of the
survivors VINO nave maze Unelf way 10
other cities are still without medical
attention. The facilities for proper
care even in the cities that did not
suffer are inadequate. The devastated
district is still filled with half dement,
ed survivors, starving and wandering
aimlessly in the rain The ruin are
still burning. King Victor Emmanuel
and Queen Helena arrived in Messina
this morning. They both personally
went to work to aid the injured. Their
example has been a wonderful in
spira' ion to the whole country. Every
possible thing is being done to forward
the work of relief but the railroads
into the afflicted sections have been
put out of operation
Bagnara, a town of 10,OO0 people,
north of Reggie. is reported as annihi-
lated. The entire population is said
to have perished. Reggie, a city of
10000 people, has been practically
The detailed stories of the refugees
only add horror upon horror to the
calamities of the fateful day.
Fresh earth shocks were exper-
fenced last night at Pizzo. in Calbaria
and Palermo. Sicily, last evening. They
were not severe
Gable Is Broken.
Rome. Dec. 3O.-Cable communica-
miles north of Sicily, is interrupted. Il
IS evident that the line is broken, and
II is feared that the islands also have
been devastated.
Island of Lipari, and the capital town
has a population of 10000
Consul Cheney Among the Dead.
Washington. Dec. 3O.-A dispatch
received at the state department. today
from American Consul Gale, at Malta,
confirms the reported death of Consul
Cheney and his wife at Messina. The
bodies. the dispatch says, have not
been recovered.
Greatest Tragedy in History.
Chicago, Dec. SO-The Tribune today
under a Rome date says:
The earthquake which has devasta-
ted the Italian departments of Calabria
and Sicily has wrought the greatest
Christian world. It's measure cannot
Yet be calculated.
1t is known in general terms that out
of population of 100000 in the de-
vastated area. at least 125.000 perished.
Latest reports received here state that
1000 soldiers in the various barracks a
Messina were buried under the ruins.
This makes no account of a dozen
towns near the center of the disturb
ance. whence no word comes and where
there is only too good a reason to
fear that there are no survivors to
describe their fate.
The destruction of property cannot
be as great as at San Francisco, for
Messina and Reggie, the two principal
cities destroyed, were not rich or mag
l1ificent from the metropolitan point of
view.
As a great cataclysm of nature, how
ever, this disaster is on far vaster
scale than the California phenomenon.
The whole face of the country and
the coast line have been altered Even
Scylla and Charybdis have chaned the
positions they have occupied since
Aeneas' legendary voyage.
Merchants Are Worried
New York, Dec. 3O.-Impressed not
only from humanitarian reasons by
the earthquake in Italy, merchants
and importers in this city who had
relations with the stricken districts
are greatly worried at their inability
TO get into communication with cor
respondents there. 1t is estimated
that of the $50, 100000 worth of mer-
chandise imported to this country
from Italy, at least ten million dollars
worth came from the district now
practically in ruins. Messina is
great depot for olive oil and wines
and a great variety of food stuffs
comes from Calabria- The effect on
trade will evidently be far reaching.
A. "a 0a1 he q aScertained no steam