Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-12-31
Life and Death Struggles by Famished
Refugees for Dry Bone or Crust
of Bread
MILITARY FIGHTING PESTnENCE AND HUNGER IN SICILY
Entire Regiment of Soldiers Drowned by Tidal Wave at
Pami-.Awful Suffering of Men, Women
and Children

Messina, Dec. 31.-A frightful scene
occurred here today amid the ruins
of the custom house. Bands OF fam
ished individuals were cropping among
the debris in the hope OF discovering
food. The first of the searchers VINO
were successful were attacked by otn-
ers with revolvers and knives, ana
were obliged to divide their findings.
The struggle was fierce. The fam
ished men threw themselves upon
each other like wolves and several
fell disemboweled in defending hand-
full of dry bones or a few ounces OIL
flour. One OF the unfortunates was
pinned to plank by knife, Whlle
clinying to his hand was a little child
for whom he had sought food.
Americans Among the Perished.
PARTS. Dec. 31.--A special dispatch
from Rome says that 96 guests includ-
ing Americans, English and French
travellers, were staying at the Hotei
Trinaeria at Messna when the CITY
was destroyed. They all perished
Fighting Pestience.
Reggie, Calabria, Dec. al-As d
.nrecaution against the outbreak OF
nestilence. the persons killed in the
earthouake are being burned ana
strong disinfectants are being strew-
ed among the ruins OF the city. Inc
+roons nave set ND field kitchens and
are making bread in the stree's. s
strong guards have been placed over
clothing and provision stores, 10 pre-
vent pillage.
Entire Regiment Drowned.
Reggie. Dec. 31.-There IS rea-
son to believe that an ehtlre resr
ment Of infantry was drowned py 'he
tidal wave at Palmi. Three huhdreo
of the soldiers bodies have Deeh re-
covered
Ghasty Desolation.
~ Dec ALTO the terrifying
a,ootao1a Of death caused by Mon-
davis earthquake, are now pelhs "uu
a. =, tha horrors Of starvation and lhs
fear Of pestilence. In the runs =. -
Moss;na Reggie and the Various
towns Of Sicily and Calabrla lie poules
,rbicb IT is impossible to eAeiica'e'
mile everywhere thousands OF a nome
,oss throng litter the thoroughiar,e.S'
words are inadequate to express Wy
horror Of the ruin and the desoia'io, !,
+hat has overwhelmed Calaprla anu
u;o;,v I where the earth's trempilhs
and fire and water combined to chahse =
the smiling. verdant country NV ! !
,asort Messina exists no longer anu
at least thirty years will be necessary
to repair the ruin that mature ru ;ro
lence wrought there. It IS as y. - -
nossible to obtain news OF the la'e -
tba little villages along the coast
80, u u which are believed to nave
been entirely wiped out. There IL -
many cases where entire puliu,nse
have heen swept into the sea ana ho
ltrace Of them remains. Flourlshlhs
villages have been wiped Out q q
istence. In some Of the smaller towha'
s,ch a. Palmi the suddenness ana
comnletenes Of the catastropne Waa
s5 ovorwh a1ming. OF the 10000 people
Of Palmi, only about a score i've W
dav Yesterday, 2,20O corpses were
,..,;oa ~ tho cemetery there. The
survivors Of Palmi, reinforced py re-
crnits from other points, are perform
,ng prodigies Of valor. The flrst sur
v;yors from Reggie to reach Cantan-
,azaro were SO broken by the shock OF
their experience that it was Almost
impossible for them to give a cieai
account Of the destruction OF the CITY.
They speak disconnectedly OF Whoie
districts being swept away IN a mo-
ment and entire families annlhllateo'
Reggie remains isolated. in ghostly
desolation. The railroads and foot
maths have been utterly DESTROYED,
4 while the survivors lack food, water
and medical supplies.
Royalty Among the Ruins
Rome. Dec 31.-The visits of the
y king and the queen to Messina and
Reggie have aroused widespread en-
thusiasm. They spent several hours
4 at both places and their visit impaired
fresh vigor to the rescuers The wa
J tiers in Messina strait are covered
with floating bodies Of men and all
kinds Of wreckage. The shore pre-
sents complete transformation IN
appearance. The lighthouses on the
haadlands have disappeared.
Fleeing from the Stricken District.
London Dec. 31-A special from
Palermo today says that It is esti.