Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1909-01-07
CARING FOR THE VICTIMS

Rations. Clothing, Tents and Other
: Supplies Are Pouring in and the
Hungry and Injured Are Being
Cared For.
Rome, BY Cable.-What chiefly
concerns the government and the peo
pie is the progress that is being
made towards the relief of those who
have suffered by the dreadful earth
quake in southern Italy and Sicily.
Considerable advance in this respect
has been made at Messina, where, ac-
eording to reports received here, the
supply service is beginning to work
satisfactorily. The different regions
on the coast have been allotted to
various warships and other Ships as
centres from which torpedo boats
and launches convey and distribute
rations and water to the different
villages.
The Minister of Justice has wired
from Messina to Premier Giolitt;
that large bodies of troops have ar
rived and are now occupying all parts
OF the town. The appalling extent
OF the diaster renders anything like
systematic search Of the ruins is
impossible, but persons are being
dragged out all day long and are
quickly transported to the relief ships
as soon as their wounds have recciv
ed attention.
The appalling message came on
New Year Day that the Ripari Is
lands which lie just north of Sicily
had gone down with its $4,000 inhab-
ltants, but a messenger boat sent TO
learn the facts has returned with the
news that the islands are but little in
jured. Only the cracking of build.
ings make any real damage.
Estimates of Death List.
Rome, BY Cable.-Estimates of the
death roll Of the earthquake now
cease to concern the Italian people.
1t is enough to know that the catas
trophe is overwhelming - figures
would add nothing to the grief of the
stricken nation, nor move to greater
efforts those upon whom the work of
rebef and rescue has fallen.
Every channel open to the govern
ment has been utilized to this end.
and other nations have been quick TO
come to its assistance. even before
the cry for aid went up. Shiploads
OF fugitives have been carried out of
the stricken zone to Naples, Palermo.
Catania and other ports, and accord
ing to the Minister of Marine, rescue
vessels to the number of 36 are now
centered in the Strait of Messina.
and 5000 soldiers are being landed
on the two coasts.
Most important of all now is the
question of the living. Thousands of
those who escaped the falling walls
and the sweep of the tide are starv-
ing and without clothes or shelter.
They can scarcely longer survive
their sufferings. The first thought
has been to carry food and covering
for these helpless people, and it has
now been decided by the government
to send q fleet of emigrant steamers
to transport them to other places.
Professor Ricco, director of the oh.
servatory at Mount Etna, states that
his instruments have recorded AZ dis
hnot shocks after the frst, but that
during the last IA hours they have
been almost motionless. Etna and
Stromboll are now quiet and he is
certain that the earthquake was not
Of volcanic but Of geographical orig
in, similar to that Of 1875.
The horror of the situation at Mes
sina and Reggie grows with every
fresh dispatch. One of the correspon-
dents places the death roll through
out the entire territory as high as
100000, but this appears to be ex-
treme. Others make their estimate
100000, but the official estimate as
made by the Minister of Marine still
holds to $4,000.
The tidal wave lasted much longer
than the earthquake. During all the
time vessels shivered intermittently,
as though shaken by some huge ma
rine monster.
A naval observer Of the destruc-
tion Of Messina says there were four
tidal waves, ranging in height from
IL to 80 feet. Thirty minutes elaps-
ed between the rolling in of the first
and the destructive onslaught of the
last wave.
Moving Pictures Immoral.