The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-31

Rome Dec. 30-The immensely of the
disaster in southern Italy and Sicily can
be measured only by the fact that it IS
now estimated that 10000 people persisted
I'm Messina and Reggie alone. \ score of
other towns have been devastated and
thousands Of victims in these places must
be added to the roll. In the face of these
awful totals all Italy stands appalled,.
Nor has the fun death list yet been
reached ShiplOads of fugitives have ar
rived at Naples and other ports and the
vast majority of these are sorely injured.
other thousands remain near the ruins of
their homes or wander half-starved, half
naked, over the land.
Hope for Messina Gone.
The forces that on Monday overwhelmed
the cities also destroyed the means OF
sustenance. Geographic communication
has been established with Messina, the
apparatus having been set up i'm a rail-
way station. Messages that have come
over the line. though they have been mea-
ger IN detail, show that hope is gone:
Nothing remains of the city but a mass of
ruins that have been swept by fire. A
mere handful of survivors is being cared
Tor by the rescuing forces, but their dis
tress is great and it has been increased
by the recent icy wind that followed the
deiuge OF rain. DestitutiOn is rife and APP
paIiing. There - ffstie food and less wa
ter. OF MeSsina's $1,000 population. it-iG-
believed that f1liy 10 600 persisted Forty
thousand people died in Reggie.
King Moved to Tears.
King Victor Emmanuel and Queen Hei-
ena were in Messina today. The king ex-
plored the ruins regardless of the danger
10 which he exposed himself He was Of
ten moved to tears at the heart-rending
SeceneS he came upon at every hand. The
king was loud in his praise of the splendid
work accomplished by the Italian Rus
sian and English bluejackets. who saved
many persons who would otherwise have
persisted. The queen spent the day in the
wards Of improvised hospitals visiting thu
wounded, many of whom have lost all that
was dear to them. Her majesty did her
best 70 cheer Ihem with womanly words
Of consolation. often breaking into sobs
as she listened to their dreadful tales of
suffering. The king left for Reggie to-
night.
catania OVercrowded.
Catania. the largest city nearest to the
zone of the disaster, is crowded with ref
ugees and the continuous stream Of fugi-
uves coming IN. the sight of the wounded
and the repetition of real or imaginary
earthquakes have so alarmed the pOpull-
uon that they are becoming uncontrolla-
bic. There IS no longer any place where
the refugees NAV find shelter Cardinal
trancica Nava di Bontife. archbishop of
Catania. has employed all the money in
ms possession 10 provide bread for the flu
Sltives. but the people of Catania also are
IN great need. as the ordinary business
pursuits have been entirely interrupted.
Inquiry for Foreigners.
The government is finding difficulty in |
ascertaining the fate of the many foreign |
erS VINO were in the zone at the time Of l
the catastrophe inquiries concerning 4
whom are coming from all quarters of the
globe Admiral Makharoff, Russian com
mander of the battleship which arrived |
with tuS1tiveS at Naples today. confirms
the report of the death OF the American
consul at Messina, Arthur $ Cheney. and
ms VIE, who were buried in the ruins of
the consulate.
The number of Americans in Sicily and
southern Italy is believed 10 be small ana
several OF them are reported 10 have been
staying at Taorminia. which is on the east /
coast, about thirty miles southwest of |
Messina. According TO the latest repo<tg.