Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-12-31
ITALIAN DISASTER
THE THREE SOUTHWESTERN PRO
vINcEs pEvAsTATED BY
AN EARTHQUAKE.
THE WORST IN MANY YEARS
In MessIna, Sicily, Hundreds Of Houses
Have Fallen and Many
Persons Have Been
Killed.

Killed.
Rome, Dec. 29.-The three provinces
Of Cosena, Cantanzaro and Reggie d
Calabria, comprising the department
Of Calabria, which forms the south
western extremity Of Italy or "The
Toe of the Boot" were devastated
Monday by an earthquake, the Tar
reaching effects Of which were felt
almost throughout the entire country.
The town of Messina, in Sicily, was
partially destroyed and Catania was
inundated. In Messina hundreds OF
houses have fallen and many persons
have been killed. Owing, however, to
the fact that telegraphic and telephon-
10 communication were almost COM
pletely destroyed, It is impossible to
obtain even an approximate idea OF
the vast damage done.
The fate Of entire regions within
the zone of the earthquake is I'M
known, but reports received here up
to a late hour Monday night indicate
that the havoc has been great and
the destruction to life and property
more terrible than Italy has expert
enced In many years. The uncertain
ty Of the situation for many thousands
has filed all Italians with the deepest
distress for they still have fear that
the day may come when that part oil
the country, which seems to have been
most blessed by nature, will be de-
stroyed by the blind forces Of that
same nature which nearly 10 centuries
ago overwhelmed Pompeii and Her
culaneum.
All reports show that the present
catastrophy embraces a larger area
than the earthquake in 1905. The
tidal wave which followed the earth
shocks on the eastern coast Of Sicily
sunk vessels and inundated the lower
part of CatanIa. 1t Is known that a
number of people we're killed at that
place, but the rushing waters carried
everything before them and caused
such an indescribable confusion thai
1t will be impossible for some time tC
estimate the damage and the lives
lost.
For a period the town OF Messinf
and the whole province Of Reggie
were completely Isolated through IN
terruption to the telegraph and tele
phone and land slides that obstructet
the railways. Absolutely nothing wal
heard from Reggie throughout the
day, while the first news from Mes
sina came in the form Of dispatch
which torpedo boat. flying at full
speed along the coast of the peninsula
carried from point to point, always
finding the wires down, until ]
reached Nicotera, where the tele
graph lines were found to be intact
From this point the dispatch was sent
1t briefly stated that the situation wal
desperate and after summarizing the
immensely OF the catastrophe. ended
with the announcement that Capt
PASSING, commander OF the local sta
ton Of torpedo boats, was buried I'm
der the debris after having with othel
officials performed heroic work In try
ing to save others.
The italian government proceeded
theoretically to relieve the wide
spread distress. concentrating at th'
points OF greatest need troops and en-
gineers.
The city Of Messina has suffered
probably more than any other place
the latest information coming indirect
ly from that quarter stating that two
thirds Of the town was destroyed ana
several thousand persons killed.
At Catania the panic-stricken PEG
pie, fearing new shocks absolutely re
fused to re-enter their houses and are
camping on the squares which are free
from water and the surrounding coun
try. The tidal wave sunk FIVE hundred
boats there and did great damage IA
several large vessels and steamers in
GLIDING the Australian steamer. Buda
Not only did Catania suffer from the
effects OF a tidal wave. but similar
body OF water inundated the hand
some STREETS OF Messina which hanl
the harbor. governing them with Q
thick layer OF mud which rendered
more difficult the succoriIng Of the
wounded. many Of whom could BE-
seen lying under the wreckage II
is reported that the villages Of Faro
and Canzirri adjoining Messina. have
disappeared. The effects of the earth
quake we're aggravated by hre through
an explosion Of gas. the flames which
swept along several Of the streets
adding terror upon terror