Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-01-06
SHOCKS ATv. FGCIO
Quake at Noon Causes of
Damaged Walls to F. =
CITY Is ALMOST ABAND, Z r
Few Persons Remain Except Troops
and British Marines.
FEVER FOLLOWS THE FAMINE
Typhoid Threatens to Become Epi-
demic at Messina.
FEW FOREIGNERS ARE KILLED
Nearly All the Victims Are Italians
Escape of United states Vice
Consul LuDfon Almost
miraculous.



REGGIO. Jan. 5.-Earthquakes have oc-
Cured here today at intervals of twenty
minutes At noon earthquake stronger
than the others caused a number OF the
standing walls to collapse and created a
condition of panic among the survivors.
IT is not thought there were any
casualties.
ROME. Jan 5-The prompt dispatch Of
a part of the American battleships with
the fleet commander Rear Admiral Sperry,
to offer aid in the earthquake relief work
has added 70 the public feeling of apprecia-
ton and gratitude. Word has come that
Admiral Sperry has opened fund for
the sufferers and that the men Of the
fleet are contributing generously.
Dispatches received today from Messina
and Reggie indicate that although the
situation is In some respect better, fresh
complications have arisen. Typhoid fever
has broken out at Messina. The lack of
pure water and the increasing pollution Of
the air causes the physicians in charge OF
the Red Cross work to fear an epidemic.
The medical administration, In conference
with the government authorities, are con-
sidering the compulsory removal Of all
the living in the destroyed cities. The
work Of searching under the ruins had al
most ceased because there Is no expecta-
ticn Of finding any one alive. The earth
tremors continue. causing fresh apprehen-
sions among the already painfully affected
survivors and the workers from outside.
Few Foreigners Are Killed.
The catastrophe is almost wholly Italian,
few foreigners being among the dead. The
American embassy and Americans who
have gone to the scene, either volun-
H., ~,tI, arlro M Aa1fa
have not found any further Americans
frong the victims.
signor Rava, the Italian minister Of pub
lie instruction, has received a telegram
from Messina saying that the university
there has been completely destroyed. The
Library. famous for its collection OF manu-
scripts, may be recovered. but the authori-
rtieg have not thought " proper to make
any attempt in that direction while human
suffering remains unrelieved. The cele-
brated Museum OF Natural History is lost.
Reggie Almost Abandoned.
Reggie has been practically evacuated
except for the troops, and the marines from
two British warships are causing the
populace 20 evacuate villa San Giovanni.
which is considered to have been the CEN
ter OF the earthquake. The bay of Reggie
stlll is strewn with broken boats and other
debris.
Numerous persons still living, were taken
today from beneath the ruins. while the
voices of others could be distinctly heard
appealing for aid. Within a few days the
rescue work at Reggie will have ceased.
Then the tottering buildings will be razed
and the bodies that have not been buried
will be burned.
Ruin at Messina.
The Associated Press had the first cor
respondent on the scene at Messina He
found condition Of utter confusion exist
Ing The first shock OF earthquake virtu-
ally had thrown down the entire CITY
The Italian soldiers were overwhelmed.
and in a state OF bewilderment wandered
over the ruins In squads. numbering from
three to fifty men. Little work was done
until the arrival OF the crews from the
Russian and British warshlps, which
worked valiantly. especially was this true
of the Russians
Large numbers OF the survivors were
erazed by grief, and panic seemed to have
laid hold OF all. In the camp OF the
retuges plteous scenes were enacted
Many persons threw themselves upon their
knees begging for bread. while five minutes
walk beyond were orange groves rich with
ripe fruit The fear for their safety seemed
to hold them petrfied in this small haven
Of refuge.
Escape of Vice Consul Lupton.
stuart X. Lupton, the American vice
consul was In his room at the Hotel Wit
toria when that building was demolished
His escape was miraculous Wearing only
his trousers and carrying his shoes and
his overcoat In. his hands. he groped his
way along the quay, knee deep in water,
toward the American consulate On the
way ne met a woman and a man, both
quite naked. and lnstinctiyely Iaid his
oVercoat over tho shoulders OF the woman.
Chmhering over the ruins OF the consul
late he became conscious OF the fact that
his feet were bruised and bleeding. Then
lie wondered why he had carried his shoes
IN MS hand. He continued I'm a state or
bewildermcnt until he established hirnself
ON a British ship in the harbor. Later he
again came ashore Bnc raised the Ameri-
can flag over the new consulate IN q
damaged condition. but Cne of the few
remaining htnldings In the outskirts OF the
city Then MI Lupton began an indus
trious search for Americans. All OF the
Americans who have not been heard from,
may be considered safe Probably all are
in the south of Sicily Those who ara
known to have suffered from the earth
qtake have been reported. The telegraph
and telephone wires have been placed at
the service OF the government and personal
messages will be delayed indefinitely
~ The Associated Press correspondent found
amid the ruins OF the Hotel Victoria. the
blackboard with the full list OF the guests
or the hotel clearly written upon il on the
night OF the disaster. II bore besides the
name Of Mr.. Lupton, one two other Eng
lsh names.
PORT SAID. Jan. 5--The American
scout cruiser Yankton left here this morn
hng for Messina with medical supplies and
provisions on board for the earthquake SUIT
ferers, II carries also a number OF dec
tors. The Connecticut. the flagship OF
Rear Admiral sperry; the Vermont the
Kansas snd the Minnesota arrived here