The Mena weekly star., 1908-12-31
DEATH LIST 10000
THE MOST APPALLING DISASTER IN HISTORY DEvAsTATEs
 SOUTHERN ITALY.
MOUNT ETNA SAID TO BE THE CAUSE
A Wireless Places the Number of Deao in Messins at ,ooo-Hundreds Arc Dying In the Ruins--Tidal Wavd Went Inland 2,50o Feet-Nations Ara Sending War Ships to the Rescue.


 Rome. Dec. 30.-The disaster in the province of Calabria and the island of Sicily Monday assumed staggering proportions. Each successive report received from the stricken region makes it more apparent that the first stories of the widespread destruction, bad as they were, did not tell the full story.
 The minister of marine received a wireless dispatch at five o'clock Tues. day afternoon. estimating the dead at Messina at 50,000. No news has yet been received from Reggie.
 What is declared to be conserva- tive estimate places the number of dead at 70,000.
 Premier Giolitti has received a tele. gram from Deputy Felice at Messina confirming previous reports of the complete destruction of Messina bs lire following the earthquake. The deputy says that the dead at Messina will be counted by the tens of thou sands.
 
 ruins of that city. owing to the in. adequacy of the means of rescue at hand it will be impossible to reach these people and bring them out alive Other dispatches received here place the dead at Messina at even more appalling figures. The Rome Tribuna publishes telegram saying the casualties will reach a total of 75,000 persons. This report has not been substantiated
 The pope has been notified that the entire religious communities of Mes sina and Reggie, including bishops, priests, monks and nuns, have been wiped out by the earthquake and fire The town of Palmi has been,prac- tically destroyed as has also Bagnara. The dead at Palmi number 000 and 1t is impossible to estimate the mum. Der of the injured. Large numbers were killed also at Bagnara, and the list of wounded there also will hl- heavy. Details are lacking. The tidal wave inundated villa at San Giovanni. 2,500 feet back from the shore line
 Reports have just been received from two other towns in Calabria Cassano and Cosenza. Cassano is said 10 have suffered 1000 dead. while the wounded number 500 At Cosenza 800 dead already have been taken from the ruins.
 Cassano has 6,700 people, while Cosenza is the center Of community with population of 2i,000.
 Palmi has 10000 inhabitants, while Bagnara contains 7,500 persons
 A dispatch received from Canzaro says that only few thousand out of the entire population of Reggia have escaped death or injury.
 Lieutenant General Fierera Di Cos satto has ordered that all looters and robbers be shot on sight.
 Martial law will be instituted in the earthquake zone.
 The population of Reggie is placed at about 50.000 persons by the author. ities The city Is eight miles south of Messina.
 Mount Etna was Monday showing considerable activity and the detona- tions, which can be plainly heard in Catania, together with the volume of smoke rolling out of the crater, have added to the panic of the people.
 According to the director of the Ca tania observatory, this activity is di- rectly connected with the earthquakes of Monday, but a great eruption is not expected. Such phenomena sel dom accompany violent seismic dis. turbances.
 Vandalism of the worst kind has broken out, and the government has adopted the most energetic and se we're measures for it's repression.
 Robbers and looters are shot on sight
 The prison at Messina collapsed Some of the prisoners were killed, but the survivors made their escape and joined the thieves who were footing the city. Such confusion reigned that the robbers met with nc resistance.
 The local chief of police lies dead in The ruins of his office. The barracks at Messna were demolished. The com mauder of the troops was killed out right and there are many victims among the enlisted men.
 The robbers pillaged the ruins ol shattered buildings, and even stole clothing and valuables from the corpses of the victims. They were mol deterred by the flames that broke ou ID several sections of the city, Du took advantage of the light for then vandalism. The night in Messina Wa' one of horror ndescribable--flre, ron bery, dead and dying on every side the city in the utmost confusion ai' the people panic stricken and under spell of terror.
 Troops began to pour Into Messlh' Monday night and Tuesday morning number of steamers arrived from tn' peninsula with soldiers on board. fa trolls were at once organized, and q forts made to bring some order my Inc situation. Bands Of citizens NsF' formed and helped heroieally n lh' work Of rescue
 Many courageous acts were pe. 'ormea by soldiers ana citizens al'As