Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-12-31
The Southwestern Extremity of
Italy Devastated by Tremen-
drous Disaster.
CATANIA IS INUNDATED
Town of Messina Partially Destroyed
LOSS Of life IL Large hut Cnn-
not he Estjmatcd--Imposs;b
to Get TidinSs from
Reggie.

Rome Dec 2e.--The three provinces of
Cosenza Catanzaro and Reggie ri
Calabria comprising the department of
Calabria which forms the southwestern
extremity of italy, or "the toe Of the
boot" were devastated yesterday by an
earthquake. the far reaching effects Of
which were felt almost throughout tho
entire country. The town Of Mes ina, 4.
Sicily was partially destroyed ami Cat
ania was Inundated. In Messina humid
reds Of houses have fallen and man.
persons have been killed. Owing. how
oyer, 20 the fact that telcRraphic and
telephone communications were almost
completely destroyed, It Is Impossible to
obtain even an approximate idea of the
vast damage dono.
The fate of entire regions within the
zone Of the earthquake Is unknown but
reports received here up to late hour
to-righ. indicate that the havoc has boon
great and the destruction to life md
property moro terrible than italy has
experienced in many years The uncer-
tainty Of the situation has illed all
Italians with the deepest distress. for
thot stil' have feaI that the dav may
come wher that part OF tho countrr
by nature, will be destroyed by the
blind forces Of that same nature which
nearly 10 centuries ago overw helmcC
PornneN and Herculaneurl.
All reports show that tho present
catastrophe embraces a larger area than
the earthquake in 1907 The tidal wave
which followed the earth ehocks on the
eastern coast OF Sicily sunk vessels and
inundated the lower part Of Catnnia. If
is known thar n number of people were
killed In that place. Tho rushing waters
carried everything before them and caused
an lndescrihable confusion.
NEWS BROUGHT Ply TORPEDO BOAT.
For period the town of Messina ana
the whole province Of Reggie were com
pletely isolated through Interruptions 20
the telegraph and telephone and land
slides that INSTRUCTED the railways.
Absolutely nothing was heard from
Reggie throughout tho Gay while the first
news from Messina came in the form Of
a despatch. which n torpedo boat, flying
at full speed along the coast Of tho
peninsula. carried from point to point,
always finding the wires down until It
reached Ncotera, where the telegraph
lines were found to be intact. From this
point the despatch was sent It briefly
stated that the situation was desperate
and added that Captain PASSING, COM
mander 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 has proceeded
energeticaly to concentrate Mt tho points
Of greatest need troors and engineers
Members Of the Red Cross were
despatched to various places and camps
and provisions were Immediately pre-
pared all available railway lines and war
ships hoinC used for their transport.
SEVERAL. THOUSANDS KILLED.
The city of Messina has suffered
probably more than any other place,
the latest information coming indi-
rec'l- from that quarter stating that
two-thirds of thu town was destroyed
and several thousand persons killed.
The steamers Washington and Monte
bello, which were in that harbor, later
proceeded to Catanis loaded with in
jurcd who were so stupetied by terror
INA. thes seemed unable to realize
what hai happened. simply saying
that It looked as though the end of the
world had come. Five steamers left
Cantania for Messina to assist in re-
moving tina injured from that place
who are reported to number thousands
At Catania the panic-strclten pco-
pie fearing new shocks absolutely re-
fused TO rc-entcr thoir houses and are
camping in the squares. which are free
from wate.. and thu surrounding
country. The tidal wave sunk five
hundred boats there and did great
damage to several largo vessels and
steamers Including the austrian steam
or Bude.
STREETS COVERED WITH MUD.
Not only did Catania suffer from the
effects of a tidal wave, but a similar
body Of water Inundated the handsome
streets OF Messina which flank the har-
Dor. covering them with n thick layer
of mud which rendered difficult the sue
corins Of the wounded. many OF WHOM!
could be seen lying under the Wrcckagc.
1t is reported that Ito ,illagcs Of Faro
and Ganzirr alio'uinf Messina hayo
disappeared, Tho effects q the earth
quake were agGravat by fire from an
explosion Of gas, the flames. which swept
along several Of the streets adding ter
ror upon terror.
In Calabria, the region around Monte
cone was most affected The village Of
Stefanaconi. the Inhabitants OF which
Number 1900. was practically destroyed,
Only five persons We're killed but many
we're injured. Mgr Morabito, the bishop
OF Mileto, who distinguished himself IN
the earthquake Of 1905 did valiant worl,
again to-day. He rushed into places
where the ruin was the greatest and
brought aid and encouragement to all,
THOUSANDS ABANDON HOMES.
Thousands of people abandoned their
homes. although n terrific rainstorn
prevailed and Allied the air with lamen-
cations and prayers. In some places
such as Prizzo, Cotrone, Santa Severina
and Piscopio, the people had the cour-
| age to enter the churches almost while
| they were falling and carry out the
Iaints, They bore these In procession
through the open country, invoking the
| mercy OF God, In the moutanous reg
ions inland the population has taken re-