The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-12-29

He-s-s-e-s--s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s- s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-eV
ROME, Dec. 29.-The Tribuna esti-
mates the number OF dead from the
earthquake. tidal waves and IRE In
southern Italy at $4,000. The news
paper bases this estimate upon tho
latest reports from the section OF the
terrible devastation. A special tele-
gram received from Palermo. Sicily
says that the dead at Messina are es-
timated at 10000, while hundreds are
buried alive under the ruins OF the
city.
Owing to the pandemonium that
prevails IL Is impossible to give an
exact number of the dead and injured.
or to estimate the property loss. Ia
add to the extreme seriousness oil
the situation, thousands will perish
from exposure unless immediate aid
is extended. King Victor Emmanuel
has chartered a special train to take
| him to the stricken districts. He
will supervise the work OF rescue and
direct the distribution OF relief to the
victims.
The city OF Messina, In which 10000
persons were killed by an earthquake
| in 1883, was completely destroyed BY.
fire following the latest earthquake.
Pope Plus has been notified that the
entire religious communities OF Mes
sina and Reggie, including bishops,
priests, monks and nuns. have been
killed by the earthquakes.
Mount Aetna, which has dealt death
to thousands OF persons by Its hery
volumes OF lava. is active again to-
day. Detonations from the volcano
can be heard In Catania. Volumes Oh
smoke are rolling out or the crater'
| and the people in the vicinity are
panic stricken. The director OF the To-
cal observatory says, however, that
great eruption is not possible.
The towns of Palmi and Bargnara
have been entirely destroyed. The
dead at Palmi number one thousand.
and there are large numbers OF dead
at Bagnara. Only few thousands
out of the $4,000 population OF Reg.
gio have escaped death or injury. All
hooters and robbers are being shot.
The region that has been swept by
earthquake, tidal waves and hre. 10
subject to earthquakes. Probably
250. 900 persons have been killed by
these phenomena In Sicily and GAIA
bra in the last three centuries.
The pope was greatly distressed at
hearing of the scourge that had at
ficted the loyal population In the
south. He could hardly credit the
truth of the dispatches describing
the devastation and fatalities as 10
times greater than In 1905.
After kneeling fervently In prayer,
his holiness arose and said, as he
said three years ago. mat ne
felt his place was amidst Ills sur
fering children. It was his hrm IN
tention TO order that Instructions Do
given for beginning the journey. but
his physicians and those In attend
ance upon him insisted mat IL "ouid
he impossible for him TO undertake
such fatiguing expedition In the
present condition OF his health.
An Investigation was commenced
this morning 20 ascertain the ex.
tent OF The devastation Gre
7 atod by the earthquake and tidal
waves of yesterday when whole cit
les were destroyed and thousands lost
= their lives The catastrophe, which
[ swept over southern Italy. leaving des'
q olation and ruin in its wake, Is known
from the general reports TO be the
worst in modern history. II is feared
that even the radical estimates or
death and damage may prove conserv-
alive In the face of the reports which
are coming in from the provinces OF
Calabria and Sicily.
Unofficial estimates today place the
81 lumber nf dead at between $4,000
and 100 900. but when IL Is considered
that whole towns and villages were
. swept away ia the face o. the calam-
Iity and that hamlet after hamlet
; along the coast was inundated, IL can
be seen that an exast estimat els be-
yond the question.
The seismic disturbances have been
forc-heralded for some time, scient-
lists claim. For months past volcanoes
have been active; slight quakes have
been felt in the mountains and dire
rumblings have been heard in the
bowels OF the smoking craters In the
mountainous regions.
! 10 is known now that the earth
, quake of 1905 when SO many lives
were lost, has been eclipsed. The
city Of Catania was one Of the worst
sufferers
The violence of the shocks caused
J great edihces To tumble: stately col
umns OF granite. secure from ordinary
, earthly disturbances fell al though
!. they we're supports of mud. The
shocks extends through Italy from the
southerumost extremity to the Alps
,Coutinued ON raEe seven.)
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