Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-29
Whole Towns Wiped Out by
Earthquake, Fire and
Tidal Flood.
TOTAL LOSS OF LIFE
MAY REACH 100000
Dead at Messina Alone Num-
Der $4,000.
FATE OF REGGIE UNKNOWN
Belief That Big City Has Been En-
tirely Destroyed.
KING HURRIES TO THE SCENE
CONSERVATION in Rome of Extent
of Disaster, But Prompt Steps
Are Being Taken to Aid
Victims.
KING HURRIES TO THE SCENE

ROME, December 29-South Italy and
the Island of Sicily have been visited by
an appalling calamity, the extent of which
cannot yet be grasped An earthquake
yesterday morning wrecked city after
city and obliterated smaller towns and
villages without number. Then a tidal
wave swept along the Strait of Messina
and added to the horror. drowning the
people in their helplessness and panic.
Fire came to complete the work of de-
vastated cities, and countless numbers
of wounded men. women and children
were burned to death.
Any adequate estimate of the total cas-
ualties is as yet quite impossible, but the
Rome Tribune places the number at be-
tween 10000 and 10000.
The horror and destructiveness of this
visitation probably will exceed that OF
any earthquake in Italy since 1883, when
10000 persons perished at Messina alone.
Reports of heavy loss of life are COM
ing in every hour from city and town
and nearly every village in the stricken
begun to be told The horror grows as
further reports come in.
Messina has been fre-swept The
dead there alone will run into the tens
of thousands. Reggie is sepulchre of
the dead. Catania suffered heavily.
Mount Etna, the volcano on the Is
land of Sicily, is active. The detona-
tions are reverberating over CatanIa and
add to the terror. Volumes of smoke are
pouring from the crater.
Troops Hurried Forward.
The work OF rescue is being pushed
forward with every possible energy.
Troops are being poured into the zone,
but the efforts at succor are as yet utter
ly inadequate. France, Great Britain and
Russia are hurrying warships to the
scene.
King Victor Emmanuel and Queen
Helena have left Rome for the south
His majesty will superintend in person
the work of relief The queen, refusing to
let her husband go alone, insisted upon
sharing his dangers.
The pope has made an appeal to Roman
Catholics the world over for help. He
has headed the relief subscription list
with donation of s2ooOOO
There is CONSERVATION in Rome. The
telegraph and newspaper Offices are be-
sieEed by weeping crowds demanding
news. Every fresh telegram tells the
same story of death. destruction and
desoiation.
Ambassador Griscom has telegram phed
TO Messina and Palermo inauiring as to
the fate of Arthur S. Cheney of Connecti,
cut. the American consul, and Joseph H.
Peirce, the American vice consul at Mes
sina. Up to o'clock this afternoon no
answer had been received
$4,000 Dead at Messina.
The minister of marine a, ) o'clock this
afternoon received wireless dispatch
estimating the dead at Messina at $4,000
No news has been received from Reggie
Reports have just been received from
two other towns in Calabria. tassano and
Cosenza. Cassano is said TO have suf-
fered 1000 dead, while the wounded
number 800 At Cosenza 500 dead people
already have been taken from the ruins
Cassano has 600 people. while Cosenza
is the center OF commune with a popu-
lation of 21,O0.
The prison at Messina collapsed Some
Of the prisoners were killed. but the sur
viHors made their escape and Joined the
Hooligans, who were sacking the city.
Such confusion reigned that the robbers
of police lies dead in the ruins of his
Office.
The barracks at Messina were demol-
ished. The commander of the troops
was killed outright. and there are many
victims among the enlisted men.
The government last night sent Gen
mander. to take full charge of the troops
in the devast ated territory. One of his
first measures will be TO declare martial
law
Robbers Pillage Ruins.
The robbers pilaged the ruins of shat
tered buildings and even stole clothing
and valuables from the corpses of the vic
tins. They were not deferred by the