The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-29

tHe casualties VIII redch a total OF d0,-
600 persons. This report has not been
substantiate6.
The King VIII Go.
J Naples, Dec. 29.-King Victor En-
manuel will proceed to Calabria and
Sicily and do all in his power to fur
| ther the work of rescue.
He has ordered a special train to be
prepared and this will take him as near
/ as possible to the scene of the disaster.
| From this point his majesty will make
use of any transportation facilities
available to get into Reggie and Mes
| sina.
1t is reported here that the prefect of
| Reggio was killed in the earthquake
and that an inspector general from the
1 home office in Rome, has been sent to
| replace him. The prefect of Reggie Is
| the head of the province, and the post
| corresponds to a governor of state in
America.
Mount Etna Is Active.
Catania, Sicily, Dec. 29.-Mount Etna
! is this morning showing considerable
! activity and the detonations, which can
| be plainly heard in this city, together
| with the volume of smoke rolling out
of the crater, have added to the panic
of the people. According to the direc-
tor of the local observatory this activi-
| ty is directly connected with the earth
| quakes of yesterday which wrought
such havoc in Calabria and Sicily, but
| a great eruption is not expected. Such
! phenomena seldom accompany violent
| seismic disturbances.
: Only Small Percentage Escaped.
London, Dec. ga special dispatch
received here from Canzaro says that
| only few thousands out of the entire
population of Reggie. have escaped
death or injury
Lieutenant General Ferrerio De Cos
satto has ordered that all looters and
robbers be shot on sight.
Martial law will he instituted in the
earthquake zone. The population of
Reggie is placed at about $4,000 persons
by the authorities. The city is eight
miles south of Messina.
Washington Knew About 1t.
Washington, Dec. 29.-The Ameri-
can National Red Cross today sent
out telegraphic requests to all of its
branches for relief funds to be ap-
piled to the sufferers from the earth
quake is southern Italy. The
italian REQ Cross society being so
fully organized it will not be neces-
sary for the American society to do
more than send money contributions,
which will be done as promptly as
possible.
News of the devastation wrought by |
earthquake in Italy was received with |
profound interest. The tremorS were |
recorded in seismograph instruments |
of both the weather bureau and the |
coast and geodetic survey and the |
weather bureau officials had figured |
out almost with mathematical pre- |
cision the section of the globe where |
the great force of the shock was felt, |
but there was nothing to indicate the |
tremendous violence of the disturb
ance as brought out by later press re-
ports. showing the enormous loss of
life and property damage
The italian embassy was without
official advices of the earthquake up
to a late hour this morning. AM
bassador Mayor Des Planchez is in )
Canada and is not expected back in
Washin gton until tomorrow night. Any
adyices received meantime by the en-
IDe,es -esY-TlT1 17eaT0f
probably will be forwarded to him
and it is probable that he will get into
touch with his government imme-
diately either directly or through the
other members of the mbassy staff
Fire Followed Quake.
Rome, Dec. 29.-Premier Giolitti
has received telegram from Deputy
Felice, at Messina. confirming pre-
ton of Messina by fire following the
earthquake. The deputy says that the
dead at Messina will be counted by the
tens of thousands.
Tourists Perish in Hotels.
Rome. Dec 29.-The minister of
from Messina saying that the bodies
of seventy English travellers and 80
Germans were buried beneath the
ruins of the hotels Trinacria, Victoria
and Bellevue at Messina.
The Queen Goes Too.
Rome, Dec 29.-Queen Helena has
refused to allow her husband, the
king, to go alone to the scene of the
disaster. She said she would not give
up her privilege of sharing her hus-'
bands dangers, and consequently both
king and queen left Rome this after
noon for the south.
The royal couple arrived earlier in
the day from Naples. The queen ex-
planned to a member of her encourage
that she considered it her duty to do
all in her power to comfort and help
-,
queen left the railroad station here at
half past /. A number of ministers,
senators and deputies together with
the mayor of Rome were at the station
to bid them farewell.
1t was announced here this forenoon
that the pope will inaugurate the
establishment of an international COM
mittee of Roman Catholics the world
over. to assist survivors of the catas-
trophe. The pope heads the subscrip
ton list with 100000 lire ($2O0,0OO). {
1t is understood that King Victor
Emmanuel will give 100000 lire for
the relief of the victims.
A Victims Story.
Catania Dec. 29-The following
graphic story of the earthquake is told !
by a woman who arrived here from
Messina this morning, badly injured:
Internal is the only word that
will adequately describe the fearful
and terrifying scene,'' she said. when
the first shock came most of the city !
was fast asleep. I was awakened by !
the rocking of the house. Windows
swayed and ratified and crockery and :
glass crashed to the floor. The next
I was violently thrown out of {
my bed to the floor 1 was half stun !
ned, but knew that the only thing to '
90 was to make my way outdoors. The
streets were filled. All had rushed
out in their night clothes. needless of
rain falling in torrents Terrified
shrieks arose from all sides and we
heard heartrending appeals for help {
from the unfortunates pinned beneath {
the runis. |
walls were tottering all around US