The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-12-30

France and Russia have sent their
warships quick as the flash Of the
telegraph c uld carry the orders t0I
lend assistance to the stricken cities.
Relief funds have already been started
and hundred ships and trains are on
their way carrying supplies and rein-I
forcemenls TO The south. Rome, Mi
Ian Florence, Naples and other cities
are sending physicians, police and fire
men.
The bourses and theatres have been
closed throughout Italy and dispatches
Of sympathy continue to p-ur in from
all quarters Of the globe.
At the time Of the earthquake the
torpedo boat Sappho was lying in the
narbor at Messina and one of the of
icers told Of the ccu.rence as iol
lows:
"At half past five IN The morning the
sea suddenly became terribly agitated
seemingly literally TO pick mp our boat
md shake IT, Other craft near by we're
/ similarly treated and toe ships looked
/ Ike bits Of cork bobbing about ~ a.
/ tempest Almost Immediately a tidal
wave Of huge prop rtions swept across
The trail striking the coasts and car
rying everything before It. Scores OF
ships were damaged and the Hun
garian mail boat Andrassy parted nel
| ,nchors and went crashing into other
| vessels Messina bay was wiped on.
and the sea was soon covered witt
MASSES OF wreckage which was car
rieu OF in the arms n the recedlng
waters"
Eight sailors from tie Sappho were
anded and took up the work of res
cue. Officers and men from Italian
aud British steamers also went ashore
as soon as possible, the Britishers saw
ing family OF five who we're i'm
grls ned in a burning house. Many
| prisoners from the jails made their
escape and looted right and left. Hun
ireds engaged in the work of rDbbing
he banks and business houses IN tht
jpinOn OF The officers OF the Sappla
half The populatl-n Of Mcssina per.
shed
! Reports Indicate that the geography
lf the straits Of Messna has been so
hanged as TO cause apprehension OF
serious commercial aud strategic diff
,ulties. II Is believed that navigation
has become extremely dangerous, In
which case the Notifications n walci
he government in recent years spent
large sums, win be Use .ess. The fam
)us whirlpool of Charybdls, II Is said
has shifted It's position
Desperate calls have been made from.
iOme 10 Messina but these remain uu
answered and fears are entertained
hat Fort Spurla. near Messina, has
jeen destroyed, as the wireless station
Installed there Is one ( the most pow
rful In Italy and Is evidently not
working. The catastrophe has excited
he superstitions OF the entire popu
lace who are running about the coun
! Try calling upon all the saints and i'm
| ploring the mercy OF heaven. Theii
| superstition has been increased by the
-umor that in the general destruction
| Z Messina the statue Of Saint Rose
! remained uninjured.
The work OF rescue at Messna. a
,ording to the meager details received
lere, presented narrowing scenes Hun
lreds OF people We're pinned undel
walls and rafters alive, but terribly ip
| lured. for thirty hosrs One OF the
'escuers found in the ruins OF a house
| five children alive but unable to speak
| Nhh6 ihb W lht fOAp9e - lheli iuotHti
N scme cases heroic rescuers me-
ieath in the falling debris. In one
house twenty persons suspended on the
ifth floor and unable TO reach tse
Itreet because the lower floors had
)een torn away, were rescued by rope
~ sail-r Six criminals were killed
while attempting to loot the bank G
Sicily, whore cash amounting to half
/ million dollars lay in plain view
Refugees from Reggie who reached
catanZaro said that they could sec
luge columns Of smoke rising fr m the
uins OF Messina. They affirmed that
Reggie, Cannitello and I.azzaro were
destroyed a tidal wave demolished
he railroad between l.azzaro and Reg
10 and a small army Of men are work
ing desperately 10 re-es.ablish com
nunicati-n with the latter place, for
which train with Troops and telC
Taphers mas started.
Messlna and Catania. I'm Sicily. are
he two largest cities that have suf
cred In this earthquake Messina has
population of about 100000, while
1atania has about 100000 people
Hessina is on the west side OF the
trait of Messina near the narrowest
)art Catania Is south of Messina on
he east C asst OF the island Reggie
! is the capital OF the province Of Reggie
adj CalabrIa and the population is about
10000. This city Is ON the outside OF
the strait. not far from Messina