Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-01-08

d refugee who made his way to Monte
leone, In Calabria. This man says the
entire countryside is crowded with VIC
Tins and desolation. Many hundreds
Of living persons are still beneath the
ruins in Calabrian towns. blu 1t Is
quite impossible to relieve them.
At Riposto the tidal wave was ter
rife. At first it receded for a great
distance from shore, then 1t swept for
ward with tremendous violence, the
water advancing in a huge wave swept
before 1t every house and building for
a thousand feet from the shore line.
The waters rushed through the streets
TO a depth of from 10 to 20 feet.
Sunk 500 Boats.
At Catania the panic stricken people,
f caring new shocks, absolutely refused
to ~re-enter their houses, n are camp
ing on the squares which are free from
water and the surrouning country. The
tidal wave sunk 500 boats there n Sid
great damage to several large vessels
and steamers, including the Austrian
steamer Buda.
Not only did Catania suffer from the
effects of "A tidal wave, but a similar
body of water inundated the handsome
streets of Messina which flank the har-
Dor, covering them with a thick layer
of mud which rendered more difficult
the succoring of the wounded, many OF
whom could be seen lying under the
wreckage.
1t is understood tina the villages OF
Faro and Ganzirri, adjoining Messina,
have disappeared. The effects OF the
earthquake were aggravated by fire
through an explosion of gas, the flames
of which swept along several of the
streets. adding to the terror,
Al Calabria the region around Mon
telone was most affected. The village
of Stefaconi, the inhabitants OF which
number 1900. was practically de-
stroyed. Only five persons were killed.
but many were injured. Monsigner
Morabite, the bishop Of Mfleto, who
distinguished himself in the earth
quake of 1906. did valiant work again
today. He rushed into places where
the ruin was greatest and brought aid
and encouragement to all.
People Pray in Streets.
Thousands of people abandoned
their homes, although a terrific rain
storm prevailed and filed the air with
lamentations and prayers. In some
places, sue as PrizZo, Cotrone, Santa
Severina and Piscopio. the people en-
tered the churches almost while the
latter were falling and carried out the
saints. They bore these in procession
through the open country invoking the
mercy of God. In the mountainous
regions inland the population a
taken refuge in grottoes and caves
where peasants and priests, soldiers
and persons Of gentle birth are living
in common. They sleep on the ground
and fires burn to keep off wild animals
In Abb alone 5000 persons are home
less.
Extraordinary scenes are reported
at Catania. Following a violent earth
shock at 500 the sea rose in a reinen
douS wave. which wrecked many small
boats. 1t then suddenly retired and
returned as quickly, causing further
great damage and wreckage. Awak-
cned by the shock, the Inhabitants fled
panic stricken from their homes into
the streets and squares. PROFESSIONS
were organized and soon all the
churches were filled with weeping
crowds imploring divine mercy.
Garry Saints Body.
Cardinal Nava, archbishop OF Cata-
ria, exhorted the people to be calm.
He promised that the body of st.
Agatha should be carried round in a
procession.
st. Agatha is -egarded as a special
deliverer from all scourges. and ac-
cording to history the pious inhab-
itanrs of Catani2 diverted the course
of the lava stream in 1869, when a
fearful eruption of Mt. Aetna too
place, by extending the veil of st.
Agatha towards it, thus saving the city,
as the lava was turned aside near the
Benedictine monastery and descended
into the sea.
While the number OF deaths at that
place is not believed now to be large.
there were several tragic occurrences.
Among the children swept away by
the wave was "A 15-months-old hey.
who was torn from the arms Of his
- nh ,N,nflA. 200 .rn nxynr-
come by the force OF the water and
lost consciousness. but her body was
caught by a railing and remained
there until she was rescued.
Government Gives Aid.
The Italian government proceeded
energetically to relieve the widespread
distress, concentrating at the points
Of greatest need, troops and engineers.
Members of the Red Cross were dis
patched to various places, and camps
with provisions were Immediately
prepared. all available railway lines
and warships being used for their
transport. The city Of Messina has
suffered probably more than any other
place, the latest information coming
indirectly from that quarter stating
that two-thirds of the town was de-
stroyed and several thousand persons
killed. The steamers Washington n
MOnteDellO, WnlCn were III lndt mar
Dor. later proceeded to Catania loaded
with injured, who were so stupefied
by terror that they seemed unable to
realize what had happened, simply
saying that it looked as though the
end OF the world had come. Five
steamers left Catania for Messina to
assist in removing the injured from
that place, who are reported TO num-
Der thousands.
Pope Prays for Victims.
The pope was greatly distressed at
hearing of the scourge that had af-
fiicted the loyal population in the
south. He could hardly credit the
truth of the dispatches, describing the
devastation and fatalities as 10 times
| greater than in 1905.
After kneeling ~tervently In prayer
the pope arose and said. as he said
three years ago, that he felt his place
was amidst his suffering children. II
was his firm intention to order that In
structions be given for beginning the
journey, but his physician and those
in attendance upon him insisted that
ii would be impossible for him to IN
der take such a fatiguing expedition In
the present condition of his health.
Messina, next to Palermo, the chief
commercial town of Sicily, with more
than 10000 inhabitants. is situated on
the Strait OF Messina. and Is overshad-
owed by a range OF rugged, rocky
peaks. Messina has been the scene
of MANY battles and sieges, and has