Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-30
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be as great as at San Francisco, for
Messina and Reggie. the two principal
cities destroyed, were not rich or mag
nificent from the metropolitan point of
view.
Face Of Country Is Altered.
AS great cataclysm of nature, how
ever, this disaster is on far vaster
scale than the California phenomenon.
The whole face of the country and
the coast line have been changed. Even
Scilla and Charybdis have changed the
positions they have occupied since
Aeneas' legendary voyage.
The three provinces where the great
est damage was done were Messina and
Catania, in Sicily, and Reggie di Gala
bria, on the mainland. They comprise
about 4,40O square miles.
Several hundred persons perished and
much damage was done outside Of these
provinces, but within them the de-
vastation was SO complete that scarce
ly a human kabitation remains.
1t will be days yet before the story
of their destruction can be known.
All accounts now agree that the time
occupied by natures gigantic spasms
was but thirty two seconds.
Some minutes later great wave
completed the havoc in the ill fated
coast towns.
The violence of the shock seems to
have been unprecedented except by
volcanic eruptions within a limited
area.
The buildings Of Msssina were not
merely shaken down-their foundations
literally were yanked from beneath
them to one side or to the other until
they toppled from the perpendicular
and fell in ruins alongside their orig
inal sites. That was the experience Of
Messina.
No One Lives in Reggie.
That of Reggie, on the opposite side
of the strait, must have been more vio-
lent for scarcely one stone remains on
another in that aourishing city Of only
two days ago.
Mo one yet has been found to intelli-
gently recount the fate of this town
and Its inhabitants.
The ominous absence of details con-
cerning Reggie proves to be due to the
fact that not only the city itself but its
whole population with the possible ex-
ception of mere handful has disap-
peared.
warships ordered to relieve the sur
vivors have been unable to approach
the coast, owing to the changed con-
fguration of the straits of Messina.
Chaotic Rocks Replace City.
Ultimately a torpedo boat ran close
to the coast, but was unable to discover
a trace Of the city.
Where two days ago stood the homes
and works Of men and busy streets
there is nothing but chaotic rocks and
earth.
The city had vanished as completely
as Aladdinis palace under the magi-
clans spell.
1t is impossible, of course. to speak
now with certainty as to what hap
pened, but such observation as is pos
sible indicates that Reggie was COM
pletely swallowed by the eartf's col
lapsing beneath it and the yawning
site was filled by the sea which ad-
yanced in huge wave there, as at
Messina.
Five of $4,000 Survive.
Only five of the city's $4,000 inhabi-
tants have been accounted for. These
unhappy wretches reached Cattanzaro
and Palmi half demented by fright
They were scarcely able to talk in
telligibly, but their incoherent stories
were sufficient to confirm the fate of
the city.
One of them was mainly impressed
by having seen the sea cover the ca
thedral Others were deafened by THE
roar of the sea and falling houses.
which they compare to the roar Of
heavy artillery.