The Winchester news. [volume] (Winchester, Ky.) 1908-19??, 1908-12-29
THOUSANDS DIE
IN EARTHQUAKE
Southern Portion of Italy is Devast-
ed and Two Villages Dis
appear. :

Rome. Dec. 20. = The three Prov
inces Of Cosenza, Catanzaro and Reg
gio Di Calabria, comprising the de-
partment of Calabria, which forms
the southwestern extremity of Italy,
OF "the toe of the boot" were devas9
tated by an earthquake, the farreach-
ing effects of which were fe,t almost I
throughout the entire country The
town of Messina. in Sicily, was par
tally destroyed. and C2tania was in
undated. In Messina hundreds OF
houses have fallen and many persons
have been killed. Owing. however to
the, fact that telegraphic and tele-
phonic communications were almost
| completely destroyed, it is impossible
to obtain even an approximate idea
of the vast damage done.
The fate of entire regions within
the zone Of the earthquake is I'M
known, but reports received here up
to late hour indicate that the havoc
has been great and the destruction
to life and property more terrible
than Italy has experienced in many
years. The uncertainty of the situa-
ton for many thousands has filed all
Italians with the deepest distress, for
they still have bear that the day may
come when that part of the country,
which seems to have been most
blessed by nature, will be destroyed
by the blind forces Of that same ma
ture, which nearly nineteen centuries
ago overwhelmed Pompe-i and Hercu-
laneum
All reports show that the present
catastrophe embraces larger area
than the earthquake in 1905. The
tidal wave which followed the earth
shocks on the eastern coast of Slc..y
sunk vessels and inundated the lower
part of Catania. 1t is known that
number of people were killed at that
place, but the rushing waters carried
everything before them and caused
such an indescribable confusion that
Il VIII be impossible for some time to
estimate the damage and the lives
lost
The italian government proceeded
energetically to relieve the wide
spread distress, concentrating at the
points of greatest need troops an
engineers. Members of the Red
Cross were dispatched to various
places, and camps with provisions
were Immediately established, ali
available railway lines and. warships
being used for their transport.
The city of Messina has suffred
probably more than any other place,
the latest information coming indi-
rectly from that quarter stating that
two-thirds of the town was destroyed
and. several thousand persons killed.
The steamers Washington and Mon
tebello, which were in that harbor,
later proceeded to Catania, loaded
with injured. who were so stupefied
by terror that they seemed unable to
realize what had happened, simply
saying that it looked as though the
end of the world had come.
! At Catania, the panic-stricken peo-
pie, fearing new shocks, absolutely
refused to re-enter their houses, and
are camping on the squares which
] are free from water and the sur
rounding country. The tidal wave
| sunk five hundred boats there and
did great damage to several large
vessels and steamers, including the
Austrian steamer Buda.
Not only did Catanina suffer from
the effects of tidal wave, but sim
liar body of water inundated the
handsome streets of Messlna which
flank the water, covering them with
| a thick layer Of mud, which rendered
more difficult the succoring Of the
wounded, many Of whom could be
seen lying under the wrecKage. 1t Is
reported that the villages of Faro
and Ganzirri, adjoining Messina, have
l disappeared. The effects Of the
earthquake were aggravated by fire.
through an explosion OF gas, the
flames sweeping along several Of
the streets adding terror upon terror.
Thousands Of people abandoned
their homes, although terrific rain
storm prevailed, and flied the air
with lamentations and prayers. In
some places, such as Prizzo. Cotrone.
Santa Severina and Piscopio, the peo-
pie had the courage to enter the
churches almost while they were fall
ing and carry out the saints. They
bore these in procession through tho
open country, invoking the mercy Of
God.
The pope was greatly distressed at
hearing of the scourge that had
afflicted the loyal population In he
south. He could hardly credit the
truth of the dispatches describing tho
devastation and fatalities - ten
times greater than in 1905.
i Dozen Firms Burned OUT
/ Bracebridge, Ont, Dec. z9.-F1ro
l 49, Inn