The sun., 1909-01-01

clouds Of choking dust while the ground
was shaken by an extraordinary double
NOV ement OF rising and falling. which
produced the effect OF making me imagine
] had been seized by sudden illness.
-For a moment was dazed. Then the
thunder Of the falling stones from the
crumbling walls made me see that IL
were to escape with my life there was not
a moment to be lost. The feeling that
must act came back to me. l rushed
into the room where my mother and sis
ter slept and a wax ened them. succeeded
with the help Of a strong cord In rescu-
ing not only them but thirty-six other
persons In the building. who had given
themselves up for lost.
Then with the help Of some passing z
soldiers | dragged out several women
and children from under the tottsring
walls Of half destroyed palaces. which
socn after came down with a crash and
are now heaps Of ruins.
Both in the streets and the squares
where sought refuge for the trembling
party In charge Of which had put myself
there were scenes OF horror. 1t was diffi-
cult 70 see In the dust laden half darkness,
but at every turn one could not help noting
the ghastly spectacle OF human limbs
sticking out from the mass Of ruins. Fren-
zied relatives with bleeding hands sought
TO dig out dear ones from I q fallen
masonry. although often walls which had
not altogether collapsed previously came
down suddenly and buried them in the
common grave.
"All the while shrieks and imprecations
were heard from the miserable raving
fugtives. who rushed half naked and
bleeding through the streets. appearing
like speotres in the hrid atmosphere.
which began to be lit up by the fires thst
had started. The water pipes being
broken, our sufferings were intensified
by lack OF drinking water and we were
driven To- assuage our thirst by washing
our mouths with sea water, with which
We washed even our wounds
I'VE found a grocers shop only half
ruined and we rushed in to get food and
water. We found two welcome boxes Of
mineral waters. All this time a furious
rainstorm like waterspout was deluging
the ruins and even threatening the un-
fortunate fugitives with drowning In
the land left by the receding SEQ.
FINALLY we succeeded in reaching
the English steamer Ebro. where we
found safety. As the vessel was pre-
pairing to leave l saw on land crowd of
fugitives who had been maddened into
savages. They we're Of every age and every
rank, Some were naked or half clothed,
spattered with mud from head to foot,
bleeding and demented They broke
into the custom house searching for food,
drink and clothing. Then came revolver
shots as they fought together
From the ship scenes OF anguish and
horror met the eye on every side. Streaks
of fame shooting up in the darkness
showed where the fire was completing
what the earthquake began. Skeletons
of houses here and there were all that re-
mained Of the beautiful prosperous town.
As the Ebro passed along | saw what
many former villages on the neighboring
coast now no longer existed or we're heaps
of shapeless ruins. with occasional jets
of fame showing here and there"
LONDON. Jan. 1.-The Rome corre-
spondent OF the Chronicle. describing
the results of the privations at Messina.
says
Hunger and thirst have driven the
people mad with the animal desire to
satisfy their cravings that stops at
nothing At every point looting aud
struggles for scraps OF food and bits Of
fuel aud clothing proceed. Revolver
shots are exchanged at every street
corner, brother fighting with brother,
over some bit Of garbags. A fearful
struggle over some casks OF biscuits.
preserves. raisins and other foo-sturs
took place at the custom house. A regular
battle with knives took place among the
survivors resulting in several deaths.
one man falling with his throat cut in
defe nding a few crackers