The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-12-30
TO-DAY'S ESTIMATE
OF THE DEAD IS l25,OOO
Reggie Town Site, is Subsid-
Ing and 1t is Feared That
the Place viii Drop Into
the Sea.

Rome, Dec. 30.--The estimate Of the
dead In Mondays earthquake and tidal
wave by the naval commander who is in
charge Of the relief work is $1,000. Reu-
ter's correspondents and Premier Gill
letti's correspondents say it is 100000,
while government officials say $4,000.
Some place the death list as high as
100000, but this figure is believed to
be too high.
Messages from The warships in Mes
sina say that the rescuers are utterly
swamped, and IL viii be weeks before an
adequate sytem can be arranged to aid
the thousands who, naked. starving and
wounded, are roaming the devastated
region. Pneumonia and miningitis are
sure TO iriil hundreds more before they
can be held. Identification is not being
attempted, but the helpers are gathering
the bodies and burying them in great
trenches.
Reports from Reggie state that but
few hundreds remain Of the population
Of $4,000, and the town threatens TO
sink from sight.
The streets in Rome are jammed with
people, who snatch the special editions
from the newsboys. The people are
plunged in grief, and lamentations are
heard on all side. Here and there one
asks another, when viii this awful
repetition of devastation and death in
our country end y
The hands of all nations have been ex-
tended to Italy in her aiiiiction. From
rulers have come messages of coincidence
and from the peoples spontaneous prom
ises of that aid which brings the world
closer together in times of great calam-
ity. Great Britain, France and Russia
have sent their warships, quick 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 carrying supplies and
reinforcsments to the south. Rome, Mi
Ian, Florence, Naples and other cities
are sending physicians, police and fire.
men. 81 81
AT the time Of the earthquake the tor
pedo boat Sappho was lying in the har-
Dor of Messina, and one of the officers
told of the occurrences as follows:
AT half past five In the morning the
sea suddenly became terribly agitated,
seeming literally to pick up our boat and
shake 1t. Other craft nearby were sim
iIarly treated, and the ships looked like
bits Of cork bobbing about in tempest
Almost Immediately q tidal wave Of huge
proportions swept across the strait,
mounting the coasts and carrying every
thing before it. Scores Of ships were
damaged, and the Hungarian mail boat,
Andrassy, parted her anchrs and went
crashing into other vessels. Msssina bay
was wiped out, and the sea was soon
covered with masses Of wreckagc, which
was carried off in the arms Of the reced-
ing waters"
Eight sailors from the Sappho were
landed and took up the work Of rescue.
Officers and men from Italian and Brit
ish steamers also went ashore as soon
as possible, the Britishers saving family
Of five who were imprisoned in a burning
house. Many prisoners from the iails
made their escape and looted right and
left. Hundreds engaged in the work Of
robhing the banks and business houses.
III bHG tJPlHApu vi tltt ulliGg1H Vi LAp sap
pho, half the population OF Messina per-
ished.
King and Queen Go.
King Victor Emmanuel and the queen,
who left for the scene Of the calamity,
reached Naples last night and proceeded
alone to Sicily. A large number Of peo-
pie saw their maiesties depart from
Rome, and one among number Of depu-
ties at the station observed to the king:
''The presence Of your majesty viii
Eufice to console the stricken popula-
ton
The king turned sharply upon the
speaker and said abruptly:
Don't talk nonsense
Geography Of Straits Changed.
Reports indicate that the geography Of
The straits of Messina has been so
charged as to cause apprehension Of Sc
yious commercial and strategic difficult /
ties. It is believed that navigation has
become extremely dangerous. in which
ease the Notifications on which the gov
eminent in recent years spent large
sums, viii be useless.
The famous whirlpool Of Charyblis. il +
is said, has shifted its position.