The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-23
REGGIO AND MESSINA AS 1 KNEW THEM.
From the Scarlet Topples Sweet Mignonetes and Vio let's of Happy Southern Italy to the Black Ruin and Desolation that Followed the Earthquake.
Exclusive Service Charities and The
 Commons Press Bureau.)

Exclusive Service Charities and The
 Commons Press Bureau.)
 (Mr. Mangano is native of Italy and has but recently returned from that country where he spent some time Iii the earthquake district. AS he con- cludes "It seems unthinkable that so much that was beautiful has been de- stroyed.'C
 The awful disaster which has fallen upon two of the most important cities of southern Italy and numerous adJa- cent towns. in a region celebrated for it's natural beauty. can only be 1ma- sined by most of us. Those who have been fortunate enough to visit thlS lo- cslity will remember the indescribable charm and fascination of that entire section The towering mountains of CaIabria and Sicily face each other like giant sentinels across the strait and give abundant evidence of their union in ages gone by. At their feet. each close to the waters edge. lie Reggio on the Calabrian and Messina on the Sicilian shore.
 These are ancient sites of human abode with history reaching back in to the eighth century B. c. Both have passed through frightful ordeals; wars, pestilence and earthquakes, have laid JQcS0 ClCl6S LOW time dIlQ dkdlu. HC last terrible calamity which visited these towns was in 17S3 when they were nearly plotted out by violent earthquake. But in spite of all these disasters. Reggio and Messina have been industfiously rebuilt by their ln- habitants.
 Regxio, ancient Rhegium, is the capi- tai city oe the province of the same name. The better part of the town has been built within the last fifty years Consequently. in this section ? the streets were broad and straight Few of the buildings were over two stories in height the danger from high buildings have been learned from pre- vious earthquakes. Nearly all the houses were constructed of light color ed stone or finished with a cream color ed stucco. so that looking at the city from a distance it had the appearance of a light haze rising from the sea and breaking the dense green of the sur rounding orange and lemon groves. The wide main street ran parallel to the waterfront. and was the chief business quarter. From it other well paved streets extended by broad. easy steps up the slopes of the hillside upon which a portion of Reggie was built. Following one of these streets we came to fine boulevard la Strada Reggie campi, an excellent drive on the heights overlooking the town. There you might see Reggie spread out be- low. with chain of little towns ex- . tending along the coast on either side, and high above them villas of the wealthy and the white-washed peasant huts dotting the fertile fields.
 The district affected seriously by the earthquake extends north of Reggio for thirty miles up the west coast of Italy as far as Palmi. The newspaper re- ports tell us that nearly all the towns in this area were destroyed and most of their inhabitants killed. This IS probable even in the small towns. The streets were narrow alleys or rough stone stairways leading irregularly up the mountain sides. The stone hutS were built so closely to one another,- back to back,--the lower story of the one being on level with the second story of the house below it.. There were no open squares save the one or two little piazzas. so that in case of an earthquake there was no way of escape. except flight to the open fields.-and when earthquakes come during the hours of the night the people are gen. erally caught and escape is cut off. Towns further north. even as far north as Cosenza. felt the shock and some slight damage was done.
 From Villa San Giovanni and Reggie there were two lines of ferry-boats which cross the strait to Messina; on one were transported all the through express trains from Berlin and Rome to Palermo. so that the ordinary tour ist saw little of either Reggie or Mes sina.
 As one approached the Sicilian shore low-lying Messina was seen. At some distance it seemed as thought part Of the buildings were below the water level, but as the boat neared the shore, the water line fell and the buildings rose. The splendid harbor was always scene of activity. Ships and small craft of every description crowded one another for landing places along the Marina (Corso Vittorio Emanuelle.) The substantial row of buildings fac ing the harbor was used for stores and offices It was in one of these buildings that our American consulate had it's quarters Just above the Marina were he beautiful public gardens. while be- ,-ond these was the section of the shore 4'lat was reserved for bathing pavil- ions.
 Messina was at all times a prosper otis city.-more 50 than Reggie. Her records show that in spite of the fact that hundreds of emigrants left her port every year. her population was steadily increasing. mainly by immi- grafton from other parts of Italy. This was probably due to a great extent to her large and excellent harbor and her commanding position on the strait. which made her the connecting link between Sicily and the mainland. All through trains for Palermo or Syra- cuee must pass through Messina. The city was we'll built and modern look ing. On pleasant evenings-and Mes sina has many of them.-the streets and the brilliantly lighted cafes were filled with well-dressed and happy peo- pie. Walking through the city you came occasionally upon little piazzas which were ornamented with palms and flowers and perhaps fountain in the center.
 The city had been through so many disasters that it contained fewer monu- Inants of the past than most Italian C'+ies. Its most ancient building was the cathedral. Norman structure of the- eleventh century. which had been demolished and restored so many times that little of the original building re- 1glained.
 The splendid drive from Messina to Faro is one never to be forgotten On the one side Tie the blue waters of the strait which come close to the edge of the road.-on the other the towering 1nfy.1ntains rise abruptly into the air from the roadway with 8 continuous line of little houses clinging to their feet Everywhere are hugh cactuses,- fichi a. India.-a delicious fruit: here lemons sell for sixty cents thousand. These same railroad tracks have on either side hedges of giant geraniums