Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-01-01
A TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE.
One Hundred Thousand Lives Believed
to Have Been Lost

What may prove to be the most appall-
ing tragedy that has ever befallen the
Christian world occurred in Italy on Mon
day last, when according to reports so far
received fully one hundred thousand lives
and millions of dollars worth of property
were destroyed by earthquake and tidal
wave.
The three provinces where the greatest
damage was done are Messina and Cata-
mia. in Sicily. and Reggie d Calabria, on
the mainland, comprising about 4,4O0
square miles. Several hundred persons
persisted and much damage was done out
side these provinces, but within them the
devastation was so complete that scarcely
human habitation remains,
The death list in Messina RANGES from
10000 to $4,000; that of Reggie. which,
with its adjacent villages, numbered So
600 people, includes almost the entire
population.
At Palmi 1000 are reported dead at
Cassano, 1000; at Cosenza, 500, and half
of the population of Bagbara, about 1000.
The Monteleone region has been devas-
tated, and Riposto, Seminara San Clio
vanni. Scilla, Lazzaro and Cannitella and
all other communes and villages border
ing on the straits are in ruins
The destruction of property cannot be as
great as at San Francisco, for Messina and
Reggie, the two principal cities destroyed
were not rich or magnificent from metro
politan point of view AS a great cata-
clysm of nature, however, this disaster is
on a far vaster scale than the California
phenomenon. The whole face of the coun-
try and the coast line have been altered.
Even Scylla and Charybdis have changed
the positions they occupied since Aeneas
Legendary voyage.
The buildings in Messina were not mere
ly shaken down. Their foundations were
literally torn from beneath them. To one
side or the other they toppled from the
perpendicular, and fell in ruins alongside
their original sites. There were $50 guests
at the Hotel Trinacria. Messina, 80 of
whom were English and American All of
them persisted.
Great anxiety is felt for the safety of Dr.
Arthur Sanford Cheney, United States Con
sui at Messina. and his wife His father
DR.. Benjamin Cheney, and his brother, Dr.
Austin Cheney. have repeatedly tried to
cable to him or about him, but have not
succeeded in getting reply.
The shock at Reggio, on the opposite side
of the strait. must have been more violent
for scarcely one stone remains on another
of what was fourishing city only two
days ago.
Ii is impossible as yet TO speak certainly
of all that happened, but such observation as
is possible indicates that Reggie was com
pletely swallowed by the earth collapsine
beneath it, and the yawning site was filled
by the sea, which advanced in huge wave
there as at Messina.
Only five of the city's $4,000 inhabitants
have yet been accounted for. These I'M
happy wretches reached Catanzaro and
Palmi half demented by fright. They were
scarcely able to talk intelligibly. but their
incoherent stories are sufficient to confirm
the horrible fate of the city.
One of them was mainly impressed by
having seen the sea cover the cathedral
The Others were deafened by the roar of
the sea and the falling houses. which they
compare with the roar of heavy artil-
lery.
All accounts now agree that the time oc-
pied by this terrific earthquake was but 80
seconds, and the violence of the shock
seems to have been unprecedented, 1t was
some minutes later that great wave came
TO complete the havoc in the Inflated coast
towns.
Messina is not expected to rise again
from her ruins and ashes. This last over
whelming calamity will alter the future his
tory of Sicily and southern Italy. 1t may
be regarded as certain that a considerable
portion of the population of this fair land
will seek homes elsewhere.
Next to Italy itself. America win feel the
effect of this calamity more than any other
country, for it is said that a large proper
ton of the stricken population will seek
refuge here as soon as the means of flight
can be secured.