The sun., 1908-12-29
speeta casle ps,paleAes o TaE sua.


RoME, Dec. 2s. 10 p. M.-The lated
news received here indicates that tie
earthquake which shocked al! the south
ern provinces Of Italy and the eastern
hslf OF the island Of Sicily has ca,fseH
one of the greatest disasters Of modsra
times.
1t is reported that the city Of Me-.
sina. with $1,000 inhabitants. Is alhnodt
entirely destroyed.
The estimates of the number Of VIC
TINS vary widely. One late report Eaxa
that 10000 persons persisted In the cofa-
mune OF Messina. Some estimate thaf
the mortality may even equal that ef tk1
earthquake Of i7ss. when 10000 penpls
perished. One OF the victims wac Nexe1
Commander PASSING. who had faike3 8
rescue party ashore Immediately afle
the first shock.
The Calabrian ,townS Of Palmi. fls4ti6.
sclla and Bagnara rereported 10 have
been destroyed completely, being row
merely masses Of ruins. Many hun
dreds were killed or injured.
Numerous villages scattered oyr /
wide expanse of territory are damaeed
or destroyed. Some Of these are ox@
tremely inaccessible and II may be week
before the full extent Of the calamity
can be computed. 1t is certain that cha
ruin b complete aud broadcast
TIE EARTHoUAKE SHOCK.
The shocks began at o'clock in th6
morning, and in the outer radius the main
disturbance lasted for about thlrty-t1o
seconds. The range OF the disaster.
from the point Of view Of serious dannaea.
is about 200 miles in diameter. Tha
western end Of Sicily escaped with
slight shocks. The disturbances extendsd
through the toe Of Italy for about f50
miles toward Naples.
Following the earthquake came tfd&'
wave thirty feet high, which badly. dam
aged the shipping inalmost all the SiciIIan
ports. According to the latest repofts.
which are not however as yet conilrna-
able as to details, the most disastrous
part Of Messina's experiences was caused
by this terrific wave, which. following the
earthquake, edgulfed half Of tho city,
sweeping away houses and scattsrina
ruin and death.
ALI communication has been destroyad
eastern Sicily, where the
damage is the greatest, and the Only
definite information received by the
from Messiua. by wireios=
from warship in the harbor. ia that that
city is almost destroyed.
Mount Etna seems 10 have been tho
centre OF the disturbance, and the surs
portion Of the island within 4
radius Of forty miles seems to have ben,
laid in waste. It is not knosn
whether the volcano is in action. ss that
region is completely cut oH from the
world. Even the railroads In the entire
eastern half Of Sicily are destroyed.
Concurrently with the FIRST shock ne
ses rose abnormally at cstania. carrying
several fishing boats and other small
vessels ashore. Soon afterward II sud.
denly retreated and again az suddensy
returned. drowning al least four persona,
the merchandise on the qvags.
wrecking many small vessels and darssf
ng three steamers. which narrowly
escaped foundering.
WALL OF wArEB.
The cruiser Piemonts reached catsnis
his evening, bringing 500 injured from
Messina. They describe the rise Of fbs
yea ss a gigantic wall Of water. It lifted
hips in the hArbor and dropped them fan
nshore az 1t fell roaring upon the city.
when II retreated the survivors saw the
Marine Palace, a number OF oommefcisl
and smaller houses piIsd g
,haotio ruin. The quays were wrecAst
rhe streets were covered with layer q
TaE aEABOARD FLoRlDA LYmfFfa
through 70 Jncisqnville. 81. Aug0stln1. Pats