The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-12-31

death. and others. bewildered. took
refuge for breath beside the totter-
ing walls. where they met the fate
of their companions.
Already British and Russian squad
rons have arrived at Messina. Sail
ors and marines have been disem-
barked and they have performed
courageous acts in rescuing the in
jured and removing the wounded. A
large number of survivors have been
transferred to the warships. which
are transformed into great floating
hospitals Steamers with doctors,
druggists. gremen and workmen have
arrived at Messina from Satanic and
other places.
The hands of all the nations have
been extended to Italy i'll her afflic-
ton. l'rom rulers have come mes
sages of coincidence, and from the
people spontaneous promises of that
aid which brings the world closer to-
gether in time of great calamity.
/ Great Britain. France and Russia
/ have sent their warships as quickly
as the flash of the telegraph could
carry the orders to lend assistance to
the stricken cities. Relief funds have
already been started. and hundred
ships and trains are on their way car
rying supplies and achievements to
the south. Rome. Milan, Florence,
/ Naples and other cities are sending
physicians, police and firemen.
i The bourses and theaters have been
closed throughout Italy. and dis
patches of sympathy continue to
pour in from all quarters of the
globe.
AT the time OF the earthquake the
torpedo boat Sappho was lying in the
harbor at Messna and one of the Of
ficers told of the occurrence as fol-
lows:
AT 5:30 in the morning the sea
suddenly became terribly agitated,
seeming literally to pick up our boat
and shake il. Other craft nearby
were similarly treated and the ships
looked like bits of cork bobbing about
in a tempest. Almost Immediately
tidal wave of huge proportions swept
across the strait, mounting the coasts
and carrying everything before it.
Scores OF ships were damaged and the
Hungarian mail boat Andrassy part
ed her anchors and went crashing
into other vessels. Messina bay was
+ wiped OUT. anu TIE Std was SOOn CON-
cred with masses of wreckage which
was carried off in the arms of the re-
ceding waters.
Eight sailors from the Sappho
were landed and took up the work of
rescue. Officers and men from ltal-
ian and British steamers also went
ashore as soon as possible. the Brit
ishers saving family of five who
were imprisoned in a burning build
ing. Many prisoners from the iails
made their escape and looted right
and left. Hundreds engaged in the
work OF robbing the banks and bust
ness houses. In the opinion of the
officers of the Sappho. half the pop
ulation of Messina persisted.
King Victor Emmanuel and the
queen. who left for the scene of the
calamity, proceeded at once to Sicily.
A large number of people saw their
naie5ties depart from Rome ard one
among number OF deputies ut the
station observed to the king:
me presence of your majesty
will suffice to console the stricken
people,
The king turned sharply upon the
speaker and SAID abruptly:
Don't talk nonsense
The catastrophe has aroused the
superstitions of the entire populace,
who are running about the country
calling upon all the saints and inn
ploring their mercy.
The work of rescue at Messina. ac-
cording to the meager details receiy-
ed here. presented narrowing scenes
Hundreds of people were pinned I'M
der walls and rafters alive. but ter
ribly injured. for so hours. One of
the rescuers found under the ruins
, of house five children alive, but
unable TO speak. lying around the
corpse of their mother. In some
cases heroic rescuers met death in
the falling debris. In one house 20
persons suspended on the fifth floor
and unable to reach the street be-
cause the lower floor had been torn
away, were rescued with rope by
sailor. Six criminals were killed
while attempting to loot the bank of
Sicily, where cash amounting to half
million dollars lay in plain view.
/ Refugees are pouring in by trains,
steamers and automobiles. They are
! half naked and stupefied with terror
Some of them appear almost insane
/ from the horrors through which they
| have gone. In the beginning they
! could only babble "Messina has been
devastated: the city has been ami
Inflated"
Little by little some idea of the
Understandable horror in Messina was
obtained from these unfortunates.
They declare that thousands of de-
mented survivors are still wandering
about the ruins of the city. a wound
ed soldier said:
THE spectacle was terrifying be-
yond words. Dante's Inferno gives
you but faint idea as to what hap
pened at Messina. The first shock
came before the sun had risen. 1t
shook the city to its very foundation.
Immediately the houses began to
crumble. Those of us who were not
killed at once made our way over I'M
dulating floors to the street. The
ceilings were crashing down through
the rooms. and stairs were rendered
unsafe. found the streets blocked
by falling houses.
"Chimneys, bell towers, entire