Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-05


the dead.
The radius Of ruin and death eX-
tends back with decreasing intensity
for 40 miles on the main land ana for
80 miles in Sicily.
Approaching the Sunlit Straits OF
Mcssina Friday morning on board the
steamer Lombardia, dispatched from
the north with troops and supplies, the
first signs Of DISSOLUTION We're tn" RUNS
of several picturcsqu"ly situated VII
lagos on either side of the headlandS
OF Scyl!a and Charybdis. which TANKS
the entrance to the harbor OF Messlna.
The landscape already bore the nrat
desolatn faint of death
The first sights minimiZed the mag
nitudc of the catastrophe. The hSht-
house and the ancient citadel upon +he
point encircling the southern half Of
the bay, in which the WarshipS ana
the other vessels engaged in reliet
work were anchored were still stand
ing, and although one glance toward
the shore revealed q scattered mass Oh
ruins. where once stood a shining city
with churches nestled under the rocky
height of Mount Pelori, entire blocks
Of bindings seemed to be still intact.
Especially striking was the fact othat
along the Waterfront there still STOOD
an imposing line of columned facades.
But the nearer the steamer aD-
proachcd the greater appeared the de-
yastation and once ashore it was seen
| that these cracked and shattered
facades were only a screen conccallhs
utter ruin behind The shattered walls
stjll standing were mere empty SheuS
| through which roofs and flOorS n'h
crashed to the foundations, burylns
the inmates under masses of debris ~
| or 80 feet deep. As most OF the walls
fell outward. the streets We're mous-
| tainS of ruins.
| Eight thousand soldiers and Sall"rS
| were in this charncl house still search
! ing for those who had been trapped
| alive beneath the Wreckage.
| The scenes for n distance along the
| Waterfront made the StouteSt nei'ft
ouail. Little groups of men, women
and children. half clothed. slept mud
d,ed together craZcd and numbed with
grief and terror They were awaiting
boats TO take them away. Where they
! won't they cared not: their only d"Sir"
Twas to leave this spot where ih'N II L"
| lost their loved ones and their homes.
No family was complete
| Men were without their wives, many
| of TN. women were widows ana 'h't
dren had lost their parents Nh'h III
| terrogated these unfortunate creatures
! could only lift dumb eyes that ma"
| gone dry in weeping and call on the
| saints to save them.
| R.,ind this line of refuge and there
were a number of lmproVlSeo h'Si''"'
st.tions where the injured. as fast as
they were brought from the RUNS on
ctrctchcrs. were given first AID before
being embarked on steamers Tor trains
narration to Naples, Leghorh. 'a'a'''a'
syracuse or Palmi While inc cores
| nondrnt fingered for an hour near "''''
| Of these stations II Wouhueo Weie
| brought in. They We're almost i''h'o,
their bodies covered with blood anu
! dirt and they could hardly be reeos-
nized as human beings.
| Tho last was an Italian soldier, VINO
bad distinguished himself In the WORN
If rescuc. He had fallen from a helsn'
| of three stories while trying 10 eN'ii-
cate an old woman imprisoned IN an d.
I've and he was mortally hurt. MS MN
wandered, and he talked OF ms s"e.'
beart and tried to sing a song vi NV
| ,a.,nIe before he lost CONSCIOUSNESS. al
| tho,c,, il is confused and without s!S-
| ton, tho work of rescue has Deeh CA
,;ed on bravely by night as we'll as ny
d,y Searchlights on the warships l.ooo
the ruins with their rays ana give is"'
to the salvage parties.
The King and Queen of Italy Oh
hoard the battleship Regina Elena
have given noble example of oeeo-
t;,n The King with some of his minis.
tnrs az his side has been directing ano
snneryising the relief work. yet he mas
tourd time to visit the field hospitals
and speak words of encoura genhen, -
his stricken subjects. The queen naS
| -, .oandino Il hours day amid tht