The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-31
NESSINA A HUGE FURNACE
Survivors Suffering Cruelty Spectacle Horrifying Peo- pie Uncontrollably Fix cited Rulers Bring
 Encourage
 ment.

Rome. Dee. 30 The immensity of the disaster in southern Italy and Sic fly can only be measured by the fact that it is now estimated that lio00o reope perished in Mossna and Reg elo alone A score of other towns have been devastated and thousands of vic tins in these places must be added to the roll In the face of this awful to- tai. all Italy stands appalled,,
 Nor has the full death list yet been reached Shiploads of fugitiyes haze arrived at Naples and other ports and the vast majority of these are sorely injured Other thousands remain near the ruins of their homes. or wan der half starving, half-naked, over the land The forces that on Monday overwhelmed cities also destroyed the means of subsistence. Photographic communication has been established with Messina, the apparatus having been installed in a railway van Mes sages, which have come over the line though they have been meagre in de- tail show that there hope Is gone. No thing remains of the city but a mass of ruins that have been swept by fire. A mere handful of survivors are being cared for by the rescuing forces but their distress Is great, and 1t has been increased by the violent icy wind that X followed the deluge of rain Destitutlon 'fisNeverywhere and appalling. There is TttIs food and less water. Of Mess mas aO,0OO population, 1t Is believed that fully 10000 perished. Forty thous- and people died in Reggio
 Dispatches from Catania describe rTirssiila as appearing iihu frusr ir- candescent furnace. The fire spread ' to the buildings that had not yet fall en, completing the work of destruc- ton. The strait of Messlna is now choked with corpses of men and ani- mals. At the present time there are < twelve warships at Messina, four Ital- ian, four British and four Russian, as well as number of destroyers and steamers, the latter belonging to the Italian general navigation company. The injured are being carried aboard the steamers and will be reomved to Naples.
 The relief work now is well begun but hundreds of persons are wander ing about the ruins like madmen. They are being given food and cloth ing as fast as it is possible.
 King and Queen Bring Aid.
 King Victor Emmanuel and Queen Elena were in Messina to-day. The king explored the ruins, regardless of the danger to which he exposed himself He was often moved to tears at the heartrending scenes he came upon at every turn. The king was loud in his praise of the splendid work accomplished by the Italian. Russian and English bluejackets who saved many who otherwise would have inevitably perished. The queen spent the day in the wards of impro- vised hospitals visiting the wounded, many of whom have lost all that was dear to them Her majesty did her best to cheer them with womanly words of consolation, often breaking into sobs as she listened to their dreadful tales of suffering. The king left for Reggie tonight
 Population Uncomfortable.
 Catania, the largest city nearest 10 the zone of the disaster. Is crowded with refugees, and the continuous streams of fugitves coming in. the sight of the wounded and repetition of real or imaginary earth shocks have so alarmed the population that they are becoming uucontrollahle There is no longer place there where the refugees may find shelter. Car dinal Francisca Maya diBontife, arch bishop of Catania. has employed all the money in his possession to provide 7 bread for the fugitives, but the people of Catania also are in great need as the ordinary business pursuits have been entirely interrupted
 Foreigners May be Safe.
 The government Is finding difficulty in ascertaining the fate of the many foreigners who were in the earth quake zone at the time of the catas- trophe, inquiries concerning whom are coming from all quarters of the globe The commander of the batteship Ad- miral Makharoff, which arrived with fugitives at Naples to-day, confirms the report of the death of the Ameri- can consul at Messna, Arthur &. Cheney and his wife, who were buried in the ruins of the consulate The number of Americans in Sicily and t1.1 l.
 and several of them are reported to have been staying at Taormna, which is onI the east coast about thirty miles Yonthwest of MessIna Accord ing toN the latest reports this place (Cpntinued on Fifth Page)