The state herald., 1909-01-29

over calamity Hardened as ! was TO catastro-
phes, the pteous sights which met my gaze at
Messina Reggie and other cities more than once
drew tears to my eyes.
II my good fortune TO be one OF the mem
hers of the party OF King Victor Emmanuel and
Queen Helena, when the ruler visited the stricken
district, and many times both the monarch and
his consort broke down completely upon viewing
the awful sights which followed the earthquakes
fires and tidal wave.
Survivors were ravng maniacs and they roved
the brick-strewn streets, In many instances nude
The stories told by unfortunate refugees who
retained their senses almost unbelievable,
soldier named Emilio de Castro was In the
military hospital. He was awakened by tre-
mendous roaring sound. He felt himself falling
and thought he was In the grip OF a nightmare.
II seemed to him that he had awakened in hell.
for the air filled with terrifying shrieks. He
soon realized however, what was happening. His
bed struck the floor below, and he was stili on IT,
II paused moment and was again precipitated
He struck the next floor hut this gave way at
once. and thus the man and bed came down from
the ifth floor OF the hospital TO the ground The
soldier was not Injured.
A druggist named Pulco relates that at 25
minutes past Ave Monday morning he was on n
ferryboat In the port of Messina going to Reggie
Suddenly gale OF wind arose bringing heavy
with It. Then great chasm seemed to open
In the water and the boat went down and struck
the ferryboat noated safely on top OF the sue
ceeding wave Most OF the people board.
however. were swept on and drowned, The boat
was badly wrecked but II hoated ashore. Pulco
was still on board. After the first panic he landed
and found Reggie like a city OF the dead No
body was moving In the streets and the silence
was broken only by the moans and groans and
shrieks OF the wounded. Pulco and several com
panons tried TO extricate some wounded from the
wrcckage. but this was almost impossible be-
cause of the crumbling ruins. In one OF the
squares Puco found group OF people all com
plcely naked One old man was carrying little
Girl In his arms The child wns covered with
blood. "Is that your chiid7' he was asked. NO"
he replied. Yesterday found her ON the pave
mcnt In Messina picked her up and cared for
her. No one claimed her and | could not abandon
her. ! have had her In my arms ever since"
with this touching explanation the old man be-
came obllvioun to his auestioncr and everything
around him.
The serapIn brought into the port OF Naples rec.
ordu OF numbcrlesH tragedies Families separated;
mothers moaning and crying for their dead chill
drcn: husbands and wives lost To each other. or
a sole survivor wishing that he had not been
Hparod There was one girl on board the steamer.
her clothing tnttcrcd and torn who had saved n
canary bird, She was music hall singer aud
had eung 10 her pet throughout the terrible
scenes OF devastation. The bird was the only
happy thing on board the vessel.
one OF the Mosnna doctors was sleeping In
room ON the third floor when The nrsi shock came,
and saved himself by gripping the roof OF
noighborinE house
A ferryboa, moorcd at one OF the docks seemed
suddenly 10 be thrown bigh Into tho air II landed
on top of the dock safely,
Tho nerves Of N. unfoftunateb were In such
condition that at the least noise they were promo
10 rush screaming from their rooms, Heekin. the
open streets signor Birot the mayor OF Brcscia.