The Elk Mountain pilot., 1909-01-07
NUMBER OF DEAD IN ITALY AND
SICILY MAY REACH
10000.
CITIES DEPoPULATED
SEVENTY THOUSAND OUT OF
NINETY THOUSAND PEOPLE
DEAD IN MEssiNA.

ished in Reggie and Messina alone is
now the appalling belief. The minis
ter of marines estimate is that the
total loss In the calamity is 1l5,000,
but that these figures will be increased
is the opinion here.
OF the ninety thousand population OF
Messina. 10000 are believed to be dead,
While 10000 were killed or drowned
or burned in Reggie. Both cities are
obuterated. And thousands of in
Jured are dying and other thousands
starving because Reggie cannot be
reached. There is every reason to be
pess.mistic over the situation. At Pal
mi 425 bodies have already been dis
covered.
1t is said the deaths at Baguara are
1000. at Sante Eufemia 1900. and at
Seminara 400.
On account of the interruption OF
all communications no aid can be TAX.
en- TO the wounded. who will die OF
cod and injuries. Thousands are ex-
Clothing.
Orso. the prefect of Reggie. sends
The following from Geracc Marina;
AS a result OF the earthquake the
Town is almost entirely destroyed.
Many thousands were killed. The pre-
lecture and other public buildings are
in ruins. Other towns In the province
arc almost entirely destroyed. Send
nelp at once. especially food and med.
,cinc. as the town contains nothing.
The telegraph lines and railway. are
interrupted. Several hundred soldiers
We're killed. Many OF the police
were killed and wounded. Aid should
be sent by sea-
a man who escaped to Catania from
Messina declares II is impossible to dc.
scribe the spectacle presented. The
town is In ruins and reduced TO a mass
OF smoking debris.
rhe greater rart Of the population
suffered. II Is necessary at once to
send food and the means of stopping
the conflagration. Medical men are
urgently needed.
The railway station collapsed. bury
inI the rolling stock and killing the
personnel. The palaces are in ruins
and the streets so filled with debris
us not to be recognized. They are
merely alleys.
Amid the mass of destruction the
celebrated Palazzata on the hnrbor.
the university. the postoffice and all
public buildings are In ruins.
The sewage system was destroyed
and for many hours nothing could be
done to give aid. rs the authorities OF
the garrison. the police. medical men
anc citizens OF all classes are among
the victims. First assistance was rem
lered by sailors.
a dispatch from Trinchieri states
the dead number tens OF thousands
rhc wounded are dying OF hunger and
thirst. Fire destroyed all that re-
Inained spreading over the town.
rolegraphic communication has been
rcestablished at Messina and Palermo.
where the wounded are beginning to
arrive.
Professor Palermo OF the University
of Messina. who arrived in Rome
Wednesday afternoon with his wife,
lost two sons.
4 was sleeping in my bed" he said.
"wnen was thrown out OF bed. which
fell on top OF me. The ceiling col
ihpS'h. ilopI oD'h'u was
thrown into the first floor compart-
mcnt of Nine. Pernici She was
searching for sister and son, whom
VIC found dead. We remained all day
and night alone without help, keeping
the rain off with planks.
THUS we were without food or
drink. among the screams of the bu-
riei The latter ceased somewhat at
night. No one came with assistance
and we were as II in a tomb alongside
the bodies Children. wounded, were
around us. but invisible under the
ruins and weeping in despair or burst
ing into piercing cries at every sound
heard without. When we finally es.
capped from the ruins. we were taken
by sailors to the Cristoforo Colombo.
which brought us to Naples.
"Messina is entirely destroyed. |
fear 100000 are dead. Our men could
save but few. The PalaZZato on the
sea, is standing. The town hall, in
the center of the city, was burning
when we left and conflagrations were
bursting out on all sides.
We passed through the streets that
felt as though they were the bottoms
Of valleys. or climbed heights which
were all that remained of the finest
palaces Of Messina. ! never will for
set it as long as live"