The Washington herald., 1909-01-01

The United States government has come
boldly 10 the front in aiding the sufferers
in the stricken cities Of Southern Italy
and Sicily.
Monday. it IS said. the President will
send a special message 10 Congress. urg-
ing the appropriation Of money to allay
tie suffering Of the injured and homeless
survivors,, and il is not unlikely that the
American battle ship fleet, now steaming
th-cush the Red Sea, viii he ordered 10
Messma TO do whatever Il can 10 aid in
tne relief work
Miss Mabel Bcardmsn. secretary Of the
Red Cross Society. reported last night
that she had in donations S+0.0oo, besides
the S7e.ooO she yesterday morning for
war6ed to the sufferers. The S70,ooO in
cluded an advance Of S20c00 by Dr.
Louis KIopsch, editor OF the Christian
Herald. The full amount was sent 10 the
Italian Red Cross for proper distribu-
ton.
Many Other Contributions.
Other contributions are being received
from charity organizations throughout
the country. and the fund from America
probably viii reach a mark into the hun
dreds OF thousands. Wealthy business
men and citizens In private life have
contributed generously TO the fund. Pres
ident Roosevelt contributed S5e9 John D.
Rockefeller gave S1o.0o0. and the An
heuser-Busch Brewing Company gave 81
O0a-
The American feet is due at the north
end end Of The Suez Canal Monday. and
after few days spent In coaling and
Teplenishing provisions and supplies. IL is
thought. il viii proceed 20 the stricken
district. The distance from the fleet 10
Messina Monday viii be about 100 miles
and can be reached in about three days.
In view OF the fact that their presence
may not be required in Sicilian waters by
the time they would-be able 10 reach
there, no orders have been issued.
II was said at the State Department
yesterday that the sending Of the feet 20
aid the sufferers would depend entirely
upon the attitude Of the Italian authOTi-
ties The Italian foreign Office is said 10
be cOguiZsIt OF the fact that the United
States is willing 10 lend this assistance
IN the meantime, the Navy Department
has taken the necessary steps 10 change
the itinerary Of the feet in case such
action IS regarded As advisable.
The gunboat Scorpion. the station ship
AT COnstantinOple, already has been or
dered 10 Messina to render assistance.
She probably VIII arrive there Monday
or Tuesday
Thanks Government.
Baron Mayor des PIanches. the Italian
Ambassador 10 the United States. called
on Secretary Of State Root yesterday TO
express his qualification az the cabIegram
OF sympathy sent BY President Roosevelt
several days ago to The King Of Italy and
10 thank the government and the people
Of the United States for their generous
aid in contributing 10 the Red Cross fund.
for the relief Of the earthquake sufferers.
The Ambassador said the question Of
sending the battle-shiD feet TO Messiua
had not been mentioned. He had received
no information regarding the extent Of
the disaster
1t probably is the worst catastrophe
OF its kind that ever befeH the white
race" he said. In Inosa and Japan there
have been such cataclysms Of nature
which have wiped out as many, II not
more, people than the present earthquake.
We VIII never know, except by an ap-
pToximatiOn. which viii be many thou
sands out Of the way, how NAM. people
lost their lives in this disaster
Inquiries continued &c reach the State
Department yesterday regarding the
Whereabouts Of American tourists who
are supposed 10 have been within the
zone cf the disaster. The department
has been unable 10 get into communica-
ZION with either the consul at Messina
or at Palermo. because the cables con-
Meeting Sicily with the cutter world are
broken 4 cablegram was received at
the department from the American Con
sui at Naples saying that cable communi-
cation with Sicily had not been restored.
Bishop SeSsums safe.
The Right Rev Davis Sessums. Protest
ant Episcopal Bishop OF Louisiana. who
was supposed 70 have been in Sicily. IS
safe in Rome. according to a cablegram
received yesterday BY Senator Foster. Of
Louisiana.
Norman dapgood. editor OF Golfers
Weekly, has requested the department &c
locate Mr. and Mrs Charles 4 Haugood
Of New York Dr. J. Ralph Jacobs OF
New York, has requested information as
20 the whereabouts OF Mrs. Alfred Har-
ris. Of New York, and her daughter, Ro-
sale, who left Naples for Sicily Deem
Der 3 Z A. Garrett. OF New York has
made an inquiry regarding Mr. and Mrs
Edmund H Garrett, OF New York. and
their son Julian
The department has also been asked
for information OF the following persons.
the list being additional 70 the one pub
lished yesterday morning:
Miss Francs n BrOckius ard sister. Miss Eliza
beth G. BTocius. q Philzdeiphia
Miss Emily CTOGsdsle, q Phisdei7lhiz-
Miss Katherine Davis. II Mourt Kiso y Y
Miss Estele Fagzn. Of Philadelphia
M and Ms. Edmund n. Garrett and sou I71lizn
q New ToTk.
M and Mrs Charles Il. HapZood. Of New York
Mrs. Alfred Harris and daughter Resale. of New
YORK
J A. Ksin Of Ashtabals Ohio
The Misses Lansing. Of WateTtoEn, y Y
Miss Anne Lee. Ct Boston
Miss Mar Moss. G Philadelphia
Thomas Robinson. Of Asltabula Harbo- Ohio
William Elliott Smith, wife and two DAUGHTERS.
Of Alton. IL
Mr.. and Ms Samuel Z. Stokes and Miss Florence
Stokes o. Germantown, PhIsdelph5s.
Miss Eleanor Wood CT Philadelphia
Mrs Alice Z. Bates. q Chicago.
Nj. and Mrs Frederick s. Bates, Of Cleveland.
APPEALS FOR FUNDS.
PaPaI Delegate Would Aid The