Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-31

Tho town Of San Giovanni, close 10
Reggie, was swept by a tidal wave
which penetrated 700 yards inland.
Tonteleone. in Calabria, is reported
lost, with 1900 dead, and Bagnara, in
Calabria, with a population of 5000,
was practically annihilated; with one
fifth Of the inhabitants reported dead.
Gazziri, Sicily, 1t is stated, lost thou
sands.
If the estimate Of 100000 dead at
Messina is correct and $4,000 dead at
Reggie the final count will go far over
10000
A score of other towns have been oe-
vastated and thousands of victims IN
these places must be added to tho
roll.
Officials do Good Work.
Government officials from Catania,
however, are on the spot and doing
their utmost.
The Catania fire brigade Also has ar
rived and is working with Russian
sailors to extinguish the fires.
An Italian battleship reached Mes
sina yesterday and landed q number of
seamen and soldiers, while troops are
on the way from Castania and Naples.
1t will take at least a year to remove
the dead from under the ruins.
The catastrophe surprised the peo-
pie while asleep, which helps to ex-
plain the immensely of the loss.
Public Buildings All Gone.
The custom house, railway station.
and all buildings and institutions have
disappeared. Not a single official or
public functionary remains.
The streets are so completely de-
stroyed that it is impossible to find
ones way about. The offices of the
Bank of Italy have been wrecked, but
the safes and strong rooms remain in
tact VITA the treasure in them.
Some few dead bodies already have
been recovered from the ruins and
buried in the public gardens.
Search for wounded and uninjured In
the debris is being vigorously prose-
cuted, and there is hope that even now
two days after the earthquake-fur-
tfer rescues may be made.
Prelate Provides Bread.
There is no longer any place where
the refugees may find shelter. Cardi-
nal F'rancica -Nava di Bontife, arch
bishop of Catania, has employed all
the money in his possession to provide
bread for the fugitives, but the people
of Catania also are in great need, as
the ordinary business pursuits have
been entirely interrupted.
The government Is finding difficulty
in ascertaining the fate of the many
foreigners who were In the earthquake
zone at the time of the catastrophe, In
quiries concerning whom are coming
from all quarters of the globe.
The commander of the Russian war;
ship Admiral Makharoff, which arrived
firms the report Of the death Of the
American consul at Messina, Arthur S.
Cheney, and his wife, who were buried
in the ruins of the consulate.
Few Americ ans Killed.
The number of Americans in Sicily
and southern italy is believed to be
small and several of them are reported
to have been staying at Taormina,
which is on the east coast. about thirty
miles southwest Of Messina. Accord
ing to the latest reports this place suf-
fered no harm from the earthquake.
All the sovereigns and the heads of
states of the foreign governments have
sent expressions of warmest sympathy
and deepest coincidence Frances mes
sage was especially warm, and she is
dispatching five warships from Toulon
to Messina, which is hailed as token
of love from a sister race.
Huge Supplies Enrouts.
The minister Of marine last nigh.
received word that the steamships
Toarmina and Campania, laden with
$4,000 beds and q large supply Of pro-
visions, had left Genoa bound for Mes
sina.
Other steamers also bountifully
stocked are on their way to the strick-
en- cities from various ports.
The dispatches from the stricken
zone say that a large army would be
required TO cope with even the press
ing needs OF the unfortunate people,
who are roaming about half clad and
starving, some of them dragging arti-
ruins to protect themselves from the
piercing winds.
Terrible suffering Is inevitable before
the much needed relief stores can
arrive.
The rescue parties, military. naval,
and civil, of different nationalities are
performing prodigies, but the task be-
fore them is almost hopeless.
Temporary hospitals are being rgged
up, but, only comparatively few can
be relieved, and the scenes Of horror
defy description.
1900 Dead at PaImi.
Late dispatches state that the city
OF Palmi contains 1900 dead and twice
as many injured. Two thirds of the
town was laid waste. All the villages
adjacent suffered as severely.
The king has telegraphed Premier
Giolitti informing him that Reggie is
in the same awful condition as Mes
sina, and announcing that a Russian
steamer with 500 injured will arrive
at Naples today.
His majesty asks that all prepar-
ations be made for their reception at
the hospitals and requests that the
ship be sent back with all the doctors
that can be mustered.
Says Sea Opened Up.
A druggist named Pulco relates
that at twenty-five minutes past 5
Monday morning he was on ferry