The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-01-05
CARING FOR
The LIVING
Soldiers Distributing Food to
Earthquake Survivors.
NEW SHOCKS ALARM PEOPLE

Fires In Devastated Italian Cities
Are SIN eurnins-King Emmanuel.
Working amid Ruins, Proves Him.
self ! Real Hero-Another Town.
With 4oOO Population. Found Com.
pieteIy Destroyed-Oead Estimated
at 100000.
Rome. Jan . - Although graphic
stories are coming into Rome OF the
horrors in southern Italy and Sicily.
these are but repetitions OF individual
tragedies already recorded. What
chiefly concerns the government and
the people is the progress that is he
ing made towards the relief OF those
who have suffered by the dreadful Wis
itation. Considerable advance in this
respect has been made at Mcssina.
where. according to official reports re
ceived here the supply service is be
ginnig 10 work satisfactorily
The minister of justice has wired
from Messina 10 Premier Giolitti that
large bodies OF troops have arrived
and are now occupying all parts OF the
town. The appalling extent OF the
disaster renders anything lihe sys.
tematic search OF the ruins impossi-
bic. bat persons are being dragged out
all day long and are quickly transport.
eel 10 the relief ships as soon as their
wounds have received attention
There were slight shocks f,lt in the
earthquake zone Friday. completing
the ruin OF the crumbling buildings
These shocks are contributing 10 th,,
keeping up OF the alarm OF the popu-
lation. Fires are stin burning. al.
though much rain has fallen The lat
- INVESTIGATIONS on both sides OF the
straits make il certain that many more
than half the population OF the coast
towns and villages have been killed.
Estimates Dead at 100000.
Professor Ricco. director of the oh
scr'atory at Mount Aetna. estimates
! that the victims of the earthquake ex.
ceed 100000
Hundreds OF dangerous criminals
have been arrested by the troops and
are under close guard
Public opinion IS seriously concern
ID with regard TO the safety of the
King and queen and the possible dan.
ger from tottcrine walls The king
frequently has tried to persuade the
queen TO rest or return to Rome. but
she always refused. declaring that il
would break her heart 10 abandon her
husband In his lahors for the country
in its anguish
+ King Victor Emmanuel has been in
dcfatigable. lie has shown wonderful
activity and endurance. leaving no
point in Messina unvisited. He has
supervised the entire work in the
fallen city. and the presence OF his
majesty has infused new courage and
energy into the rescuers and the sur
vivors. hungry and wounded as they
are. often he is surrounded by a
crowd of victims who. as though the
sight OF a king had restored their
strength. cheer enthusiastically and
shout: we have a king; we have
protector"
Vessels loaded with refugees con
tinue TO stream into Naples and Pal
ermo. and each day sees TIE arrival of
additional steamers in the Strait OF
Messina
So far as has been possible quick.
lime has been used on the dead: many
bodies have been burned and others
buried
Distribution Of Food Organized,
At Messina the distribution OF food
has been organized. Bakeries have
been opened and slaughter houses es.
tabiished. and IL is hoped no one need
be without food
The road between Catania and Mes.
sina is filed with refugees. There are
crowds OF them at every station OF the
railroad. and they are pouring into
the main highways from outlying VII.
lagos. hamlets and huts. Some OF them
stagger along overloaded with their
most precious possessions; others are
driving before them a donkey or a COW
weighted down with household goods.
while still others are accompanied BY
sheep OF a few goats or perhaps a
faithful dog but a vast majority Of
the survivors have saved nothing All
their possessions are on their backs
In the shape of tattered clothing scan
tily covering their nakedness. The
survivors one and all tell awful tales
of death and destruction.
Very few children have been found
alive at Messina. while at Reggie large
numbers OF children have been taken
alive from the ruins
Eight hundred soldiers are under the
wreckagc OF the Messina barracks
The corpses being recovered
throughout the city are mutilated be-
yong recognition.
Another Town Found Devastated.
Another town. Castroreale. has been
added TO the list of devastated locali-
ties. Not house escaped. The streets
are filed with despairing survivors
seeking friends and relatives and
clamOring for food and water. This
place had a population OF about 1000.
Hospitals have been improvised at
Reggie. and they are constantly sur
rounded by multitudes of almost nude
survivors beseeching bread Food sup
ply depots have been established at
other points IN the ruins. and long
lines OF people praying imploring and