The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-15
Red Cross in Italy

The people of the United States have
contributed S1.S00 626.02 to the earth
quake sufferers of Italy. Three times
a. much as any other nation, and near
ly as much as all Europe combined.
The appropriation of $500 900 made by
congress has been expended; 100000
for food supplies. which were on their
way to the battleship fleet at the time
of the earthquake, and were diverted
to Messina. and $500. 900 for portable
houses and extra lumber, tools and
hardware. for their transportation to
Sicily and for the employment Of labor
to set up the houses on the scenet OF
destruction.
The Red Cross society has sent-a to-
tai Of S916.0O0 and has balance of SS4,-
626.O2 on hand. remaining from total
subscription of 81 .000. 626.02 up to and
including Feb. 10. There may be ad-
tional sums in the hands of local
treasurcrs throughout the United states
to be reported later
Almost All Cash.
The Red Cross money has been sent
TO Italy in cash. with the exception Of
SlO5000 expended in this country for
lumber and portable houses and char
tering a steamer to transport them to
Sicily.
Between $4,000 and $1,000 was spent
for forty-nine porta BILE houses such as
are used extensively in the mining re-
gions of the west and down ON the
canal zone in Panama. They can be
taken apart and put together very east
ly with the simplest tools.
The Red Cross committee was not
able to obtain any more of them, but
bought 800 frame houses, ready 10 be
-1-s f1rr=
windows. floors, partitions. roofs and
everything else matched and numbered
They were made in the southern part
of Mississippi of pine lumber and viii
last for several years.
These houses were shipped to Mes
sina on a chartered steamer from New
Orleans. and will be erected by local
labor under the direction Of master
carpenters. who were sent with them
with supplies of tools and builders
hardware.
Mr.. BicknCH. national director of the
Red Cross. who did such thorough
work in san Francisco, has gone to
Sicily and viii have general command
The steamer carrying the kfd troSs
houses should arrive at Messina about
the middle Of March.
United States Bought Houses.
The government of the United states
invested s5O0.000 of the relief appro-
priaticn made by congress in 2,JVO sim
liar houses. and extra lumber. tools
builders hardware and other necessary
supplies. which have been shipped in
three chartered steamers. One steamer
has already arrived in Sicily, the other
two are on Their way.
Lieutenant Commander Belknap' ma
val attache at Rome. was at Messina
o nd -
/ tend the erection Of the houses. The
/ United states government pays for
putting them up. and will hire local
/ labor under the direction of the keu
/ Cross master carpenters.
This will give employment TO several
thousand poor people of Sicily, who lost
everything in the earthquake and have
not been able to earn anything since.
| The government Appropriation VIII
not be sufficient to complete the cree
ton of the houses, but whatever addi-
tionai is necessary will be supplied from
the surplus fund Of the Red Cross So
ciety
Houses were sent in preference TO
other supplies. because they were most
needed. Food could be obtained i'm the
neishborhood. but lumber is scarce in
italy and expensive. 1t was the one
thing that the relief committees were
unable to obtain there.
Nearly all the buildings in Sicily and
other parts of Italy are erected OF
stone. brick and cement, which is much
cheaper than wood and lasts for centu-
ries. 1t takes much longer to build
air. Nicholson, American consul at
| Turin. has made a report to the bureau
of manufactures concerning the plans
of society in that city for the recon-
struction of Messina, Reggie, Psimi and
| Bagnara. As soon as the debris left
/ by the earthquake is cleared away en-
| gineers of the department of public
works will divide the areas formerly
occupied by the cities INTO building lots
and call for proposals from both Italian
and foreign contractors to undertake
the construction of new buildings.
Prizes are offered for a competition
of designs, and steel and reinforced con-
crete will be the materials used The
height of buildings viii be liIniteA. to
J thirty-three feet, and the interior eon-