Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30


cd beyond recognition. The ports and
villages on both the continent and
Sicilian sides were wrecked or 1nundat-
were swallowed up. Navigation now is
dangerous and in some places impos-
sible In the Calabrian district which is
only beginning to recover from :he ef-
fects of the earthquake of 1905. Reg
gio was the center of the eartn'S up
heaVal. The seaport OF Reggie is re-
ported as no longer existing and the
city proper is in ruins The loss of life
on both sides of the strait and in east
cir Sicily was enormous. one of the
refugees from Reggie who was the
first to bring the news of the city's de
struction tried to make his way to
Sicily in Il sail boat, but was compelled
to return and finally found safety at
peninsular port. In describing his
experience, he said:
The sea was strangely, mySt eriouSly
agitated and the heavens were ablaze
Nearing Sicily, the clearing smoke reveal
ed the mystery; Messna Was in flames.
In the frenzy Of despair | turned my
boat back to Calabria.'
Starving, bleeding from injuries and al
most insane from their terrifying expert
ences, Messina'S $ survivors are fleeing in
all directions. The spectacle presented
by the ruined seaport is described as ter
rifyng. Crumbling buildings both killed
and mutlated. while hundreds Of the in
jured imprisoned IN the wreckage were
abandoned to their fate Iy the fleeing
populace. One of those who escaped said
THE earth seemed suddenly to drop
and then turn violently on its axis. The
whole population, who practically We're
precipitated from the houses rent In
twain, were spun round like tops as they
ran through the streets. Many fell crush
Cd t. death. and others beWldored took
refu"n for breath beside the tottering
"aiis, wicle they soon net the fate of
their companions
Already British and Russian souadrons
have arrived at Messina. Sailors and ma
rines have been disembarked and they
have performed courageous acts in resc,,-
ing the injured and removing the wound
ed. a large number of survivors have
been transferred to the Warshps, which
are transformed into great floating hos
pitfalls. 1t is imperative that the dead DO
removed from the ruins in order to avoid
u pestilence. Steamers with doctors,
druggists fremen and workmen have ar
rived at Messina from Catana and other
places.
| Special dispatches received here from
Calabria confirm the destruction of Reg
! gio They report that the situation there
| is as bad, if not worse. than at Messina
| The streets of Rome are iammed with
| people. who snatch special editions from
| the newshoys. The people are plunged
| in grief and lamentations are heard on
| all sides. Here and there one asks an
other when will this awful repetition of
| devastation and death in our country
end?'
| The hands of all the nations have been
extended to Italy in her affiiction. From
| rulers have como messages of coincidence
and from the people spontaneous promise
of that aid which brings the world closer
| together in times Of great calamity.
| Great Britain, France and Russia have
sent their warships quick as the fash of
| the telegraph could carry the orders, TO
| lend assistance to the stricken cities. Re-
| lief funds have already been started AMI
n hundred ships and trains are on thei"
| way carrying supplies and reinforcemen;f
| to the south. Rome. Milan. Florence,
| Naples and other cities are sending ply
| sicians police and firemen. Today~all the
| AMBASSADORS and ministers expressed
sympathy with M. Tttoni. minister of
| foreign affairs, whose emotion was pro-
| found.
| The bourses and theatres have been
closed throughout Italy and dispatches of
sympathy continue to pour in from all
quarters of the globe.
At the time of the earthquake the tor
pedo boat Sappho was lying in the har-
nor at Messina and ono Of the officers
told of the occurrences as follows:
| "At $50 in the morning the sea sud-
rdenly became agitated. seeming literally
to pick up our boat and shake 1T. Other