The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-29
MESSINA IN RUINS
Earthquakes Victims Numbered
by Tens OF Thousands.
Hundreds of Persons Drowned
by Huge Tidal Wave.
The Town of Reggie Is One Vast
Sepulchre.
ALIVE UNDER RUINS.
Many Persons Are Still Buried
Beneath Fallen Buildings.
Total Casualties in Disturbed
Territory Placed at $4,000.
Number of Dead at MesSina Esti-
mated at $4,000.
ALIVE UNDER RUINS.
Many Persons Are Still Buried
Beneath Fallen Buildings.
Number of Dead at MesSina Esti-
mated at $4,000.

Rome. Dec. 29.-South Italy and the
island of Sicily have been visited by an
appalling calamity, the extent of which
can not yet be grasped. An earthquake
yesterday morning wrecked city after
city and obliterated smaller towns and
villages without number Then a tidal
wave swept along the Strait of Mes
sina and added to the horror, drowning
the people in their helplessness and
panic Fire came to complete the work
of destruction. Flames broke out in
the devastated cities and countless
numbers of wounded men, women and
children were burned to death.
Any adequate estimate of the total
causalties is as yet quite impossible,
but the Rome Tribuna places the num-
ber at between 10000 and 10000.
The horror and destructiveness of the
situation probably will exceed that of
any earthquake in Italy since 1873, when
1000 persons perished at Messina alone.
Reports of heavy loss of life are COM
ing in every hour from city and town
and nearly every village in the stricken
zone. and the story in its detail has
only begun to be told. The horror
grows as further reports come in.
Messina has been fire swept. The
dead there alone will run into the tens
of thousands Reggie is a sepulcher of
the dead. Catania suffers heavily.
Mt. Etna, the volcano on the island
Of Sicily is active The detonations are
reverberating over Catania. and add to
the terror. Volumes of smoke are pour
ing from the crater. The work of res
cue is being pushed forward with every
possible energy. Troops are being pour
ed into the zone but the Efforts at Sue
cor are yet utterly inadequate. France,
Great Britain and Russia are hurry
ing Warships to the scene. King Victor
emmanuel and Queen Helena have left
FOR he y "a 9ik1cf
superintend in person the work of re-
lief The queen refusing to let her hus-
band go alone, insisted upon sharing
his dangers.
The pope has made appeal to Rom
an Catholics the world over for help.
He has headed the relief subscription
list with a donation of $2O0.000.
There is CONSERVATION in Rome. The
telegraph and newspaper offices are
besieged by weeping crowds demanding
news. Every fresh telegram tells the
same story of death, destruction and
desOlation.
Ambassador Griscom has telegraphed
to Messina and Palermo inquiring as
to the fate of Arthur S Cheney OF
Connecticut, the American consul,
and Joseph H. Pierce, the American
vice consul at Messina. Up to o'clock
this afternoon no answer had been re-
ceived
The minister of marine at o'clock
this afternoon received a wireless dis
patch estimating the dead at Messina
at 10000. No news has yet been re-
ceived from Reggie
Messina Destroyed.
Palermo, Dec. 29-Railroad COM
munication with Messina has been re-
stored. A train load of refugees came
in here this morning, but they are all
maddened with terror and no one is
ca pable fo giving connected account
Messina has been destroyed and that
the victims will be counted by tens
of thousands. The Trinacria hotel,
with 80 guests, was demolished. The
city hall, the bourse, the telegraph Of
fees and the barracks also were de
strOyed. A tidal wave 80 feet high
swept up the streets of the city in the
height of the confusion following the
shock Hundreds of half dressed men,
women and children who had fed
from their houses to the streets were
caught in the onrush of waters and
drowned or injured.
A trainload Of doctors. nurses and
hospital equipment has been sent out
from here for Messina and the steam /
er Marguerite, loaded to the guards /
with persons who had relatives in the |
doomed city and others who will join |
in the work of relief also has left.
TIE refugees declare that the entire
country around MesSina has been de- /
vastated and that several villages have /
disa ppeared Telegra phic reports have
been received here from all parts of
the island of Sicily. They say the in /
babitants everywhere are terror |
stricken and praying in the streets /
and churches.
Reggie is described as nothing but |
a vast sepulcher.
The captain of the steamer Wash |
ineton. which was in the straits of /
MesSina at the time of the earthquake /
says his vessel shuddered as if she I
had run aground. thick fog pre- /
vailed at the time and it was impos- !
sible for him to see the Messina light /
house or the Calabrian coast. The
Washington was soon surrounded with /
boats appealing for aid. The people |
were taken aboard The sea was lit !
tered with wreckage in every direc-
tion. Among those who lost their lives |
at Messina are Commandant PASSING /
and all the members of his family J.
The Russian warships that were at i
Syracuse also have left for Messina to |
aid in the work of rescue.
Alive Under Ruins.
Rome Dec. ga special dispatch re-
ceived here from Palermo, Sicily, says |
that the dead at Messina as the result |
of the earthquake and tidal wave of yes !
terday are estimated at 1900. Scores |
still are alive beneath ruins of the city |
Owing to the inadequacy of the means
of rescue at hand. it will be impossi-
BILE to reach these people and bring |
them out alive. Other dispatches re- /
ceived here place the dead at Messina |
3t even more appalling figures. Thel