New-York tribune., 1908-12-31

the Strait Of Messina which also is the centre
of the volcanic zone whose highest peak Etna,
is now silent. From this base the tellurlc dis
turbance extended, abating little by little,
northerly as far as Cape Vaticano and southeriy
as far as the Bay of Catania ravaging the west
ern region of Calabria and the eastern coast of
Sicily for a distance of nearly one hundred
miles
1t is impossible accurately TO ascertain the
extent Of the movement east and west IN the
inland regions. but it is certain that the beauty
of one of the most charming sections Of South
eastern Italy has been despoiled. Vineyards are
no more; waving rows of lemon, orange and
olive trees have been torn up and the enchaht-
ing coastline with it's soft and fragrant foliage
has been converted into hdeOus desert Reg
gio whose gay aspect set off the severity Of the
mountains. and Palmi. perChed jauntily amid
orange and olive trees have become mere blots.
The fact that wounded and dying persons have
TO be brought such distance for medical at
tention shows the immensely of the disaster and
the inadequacy of the relief measures at present
possible.
The steamer Therapie is lying off this port
crowded with refugees from Messina-bereaved
men, starving women and weeping chdren-all
with the stamp Of great fear still on their
faces. One of the refugees man employed
with German cotton firm in the lost city. said
Messina is utterly destroyed. Nothing re-
mained when | left there, except a part or the
citadel few soldiers are the only survivors
Of the whole garrison. l was asleep when the
first shock awoke me. | lit my lamp, but all
was quiet and l turned to sleep again Sud
denly fresh shocks occurred, violent and terri
flying. / arose quickly, but the house was
swaying and my door jammed. l tore the
sheets from the bed and made rope. and low
cred myself from the window TO the street. An
Italian family of five persons escaped from the
house by the aid of my rope
No sooner were in the street than the
house collapsed. l tried to assist in the work
of rescue. but it was useless. The horror and
confusion indescribable. All day l
dered in the wrecked streets. No food could be
procured | had only a few nuts to eat. The
head OF my firm lost. and his brother had
to go through the streets begging for bread for
his wife and children There organiza
ton in the work Of rescue.
The prison destroyed and the warders were
killed, but most of the convicts escaped. They
prowled about the ruins robhing and numbering
They cut off the fingers of the dead and wound
ed to get the rings. Some Of them singing
songs of liberty as they used their knives.
A Russian vessel lying in the harbor was
thrown into the street by the tidal wave other
vessels foundered. Railway lines We're swal-
lower up. The square known the Campo
Santo collapsed and sank only the SUBMITS of
a few ruined buildings still emerge from the
wreck What remained of the population when
I left the city camping the har5or.
According to other refugees. not a single hotel
remained standing. a fissure sixty feet deep
opened near the Church of Santa Maria and
houses fell bodily into it.
The Therapie brought thirty German and six
hundred other fugtives. During the voyage T.,