The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-12-31
THOUSANDS DEAD
IN EARTHQUAKE
Three Provinces in Southern
Italy Devastated.
HUNDREDS OF HOUSES FALL

Seismic Disturbances Were Followed
BY Tidal Wave, Which Inundated
j City and Wrecked 500 eoats-The
injured Are Stupefed With Terror
and Thought End Of the World Had
Come-Thousands Are Homeless.
Rome. Dec. 29.-The three provinces
Of COsenzia. Catania and Reggie di
Calabria. comprising the department
Of Calabria. which forms the south
western extremity OF Italy, or the toe
OF the boot" were devastated by an
earthquake. the far reaching effects OF
which were felt almost throughout the
entire country. The town OF Messina.
in Sicily, with more than 10000 inhab-
itants. was partially destroyed and
Cstania was inundated. In Messina
hundreds OF houses have fallen and
many persons have been killed. Owing
TO the fact thai telegraphic and tele.
phonic communications were almost
completely destroyed. il 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 unknown.
but reports received here Indicate that
the havoc has been great and the de
struction to lie AMI proper rty more
terrible than Italy has experienced ia
many years
All reports show that the present
catastrophe embraces larger ares
than the earthquake in 1905 The tidal
wave which followed the earth shocks
ON the eastern coast OF Sicily sunk yes
sells and inundated the lower part ol
Catania. II is known that number oi
people were Killed AT that place. but
the rushing waters carried everything
before them and caused such an indie
scribable confusion that IL will be- i'm
possible for some time TO estimate the
damage and the lives lost
Several Thousand Killed.
The city or Messina has suffered
probably more than any other place.
the latest Information stating that
two-thirds of the town was destroyed
and that several thousand persons
were killed. The steamers Washington
and Montebello. which were in that
harbor. later proceeded TO Catania
loaded with injured. who were so stu
pefed by terror that they seemed un-
able TO realize what had happened.
simply saying that II looked as though
the end OF the world had come. The
injured numbered thousands.
At Catania the panic stricken peo-
Pile. fearing new shocks. absolutely re-
fused 10 re-enter their houses and are
camping on the squares. which are
free from water. and the surrounding
country. The tidal wave sunk 500
boats there and did great damage 60
several large vessels and steamers,
includiug the Austrian steamer Buda.
Not oniy did Catania suffer from the
effects of tidai wave. but a similar
body OF water inundated the hand
some streets OF Messina which flank
the harbor. covering them with thick
layer of mud. which rendered more
difficult me succoring OF the wounded
many OF whom could be seen lying IN
der the wreckage. II is reported that
the villages OF Faro and Ganzirri. ad-
Joining Messina. have disappeared. The
effects of the earthquake were aggra-
waited by FIRE through an explosion OF
gas. the names. which swept along
several of the streets, adding terror
upcn terror
Carried Saints From Churches.
In some places. such as Prizzs Co
trone. Santa Severina and Piscopio.
the people had the courage to enter
the churches Almost while they were
falling and carry out the saints. They
bore these in procession through the
open country, invoking the mercy Of
God. In the mountainous regions in
land the population has taken refuge
in grottos and caves. where peasants
and priests. soldiers and persons Of
gentle birth are living in common.
Their bed is the gr3und. and fires are
kept burning 10 keeh of wild snimals
In Abb alone 20O0 people are home
less
Extraordinary scents are reported
at Catania- Following la violent earth
shock the sea rose in\ tremendous
wave. which wrecked many smacks. II
ten suddenly retired from the shore
and returned as quicklyA causing fur
ther great damage and wreckage.
Awakened by the shock. Gthe inhabit
ants fed panic stricken from their
homes into the streets and squares
Professions were organized and soon
all the churches were filled with weep
ing crowds imploring divine mercy