Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-30
P|N|ONEDUNDERRU|NS
Messina Victims Manned,
Burned and Starving.
SCENE OF UNTOLD HORROR
Hundreds Slowly Dying Amid
Wrecks of Homes.
FIRE SWEEPING OVER CITY
Water Supply Gone, Streets Impass-
able, Firemen, Soldiers and
Doctors Lacking.


Messina earthquake survivors says that
only small proportion of the total pop
ulation escaped. Thousands of persons
are still buried alive in the ruins, where
they are suffering slow death by torture.
The flames are still making their way
slowly over the devastated area in an
inexorable advance. Imprisoned and pin
toned human beings. unable to extricate
themselves, are being burned alive, others
are dying of their injuries, while many
are starving The streets are filled with
confused masses of brick and mortar,
beams, furniture, chimneys and roofs. In
many cases the streets appear as enor-
nous crevasses, twisted into fantastic
shapes. The celebrated Avenue Palazzati
which runs along the sea front from the
university to the post Office, Is quite Inn
passable. All the public monuments that
were there have entirely disappeared.
All the water pipes, sewers and gas
pipes of the city have been destroyed, and
water and filth are flooding the torn
streets. Gas explosions occur frequently
and result in the breaking out of scores
of small fires.
For several hours after the first de-
structive shock Messina was absolutely
without organized relief for the reason
that the municipal officials, the soldiers,
the police and the doctors and nurses by
the hundreds were either buried or
drowned.
The first work of rescue was performed
by volunteers from ships in the harbor
and groups of heroic survivors, who, at
great labor and personal danger extri-
ra6 nj, hon l,4
wreckage.
Messna's crying need today is for doc
tors, clothing and food and firemen to
combat the flames that still ravage the
city.
Doctors and Firemen Needed.
Doctors. nurses and firemen are being
hurried into the wrecked city, but the
lack of food and water makes the work
of rescue difficult. The Russian and
British warships at Messina have sent
crews ashore and the vessels have been
transformed into hospitals.
All the hospitals in Catania are crowd
ed. and even the schools have been con-
verified into infirmaries.
The less seriously injured of the sur
vivors of Messina are being dispatched
by the dozens to Palermo.
Minister Of Public Works Bertolini has
arrived at Messna and organized several
corps Of volunteers for rescue work.
Refugees. telling of their escape, relate
that after escaping from their ruined
houses they waited in terror for the COM
ing of light. They then made their way
over the Instructions in the streets to the
open places. They had to leave behind
them under the ruins countless Victims
who called for help in heartrending tones
1t is asserted that probably half the IA
talitfes occurred because 1t was quite i'm
possible TO the survivors to render prompt
assistance. Not the least of the suffering
was caused by the downpour of the cold
rain.
Some of the refugees from Messina
passed through San Giovanni. Palmi,
Scilla, Cannitello. Favizzana and Bag
nara. and found practically every one of
the villages destroyed.
Woman's Awful Experience.
A woman gave the following account of
her experiences:
LAS soon as l could get out of my
house l ran in the direction of the water
front. ! noticed that the greater portion
OF the main thoroughfare of the city, the
Via Garibaldi, was destroyed. thick
dust prevented me from seeing more than
three feet in any direction. From every
side heard the cries Of the wounded and
the shrieks of terrified women. l strug-
gled through water and mud up to my
knees and succeeded in gaining one of
the docks. From there l was taken on
board a cruiser in the harbor
while on my way down to the water.
cropping through the dust and darkness, a
band of about 100 persons rushed upon
me like maniacs They were fleeing up
town. They separated me from my COM
panion, whom never saw again.
Two doctors who succeeded in escaping
from Messina report that fully twO-thirds
of the city has been ruined. Entire
streets have caved in. One of the doc
tors was sleeping in a room on the third
floor when the first shock came, and
saved himself by gripping the roof of a
neiGhborng house.
A ferryboat moored at one of the docks
seemed suddenly to be thrown high into
the air. 1t landed on top of the dock and
was left hanging there by the receding
waters. This was the first intimation OF
the crew that anything had happened.
The captain said huge cloud of dust
obscured the city. With dawn there was
an overwhelming picture of devastation.
The captain and his men landed and tried
Ito make their way into the city, but the
fallen buildings and the twisted streets
made progress impossible.