The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1909-01-02

Rome-One hundred thousand dead.
Messina In Sicily. and Reggie and a
score Of other towns in southern Italy
overwhelmed. The entire Calabrian
region laid waste. That Is the earth
Quake's record so far as at present
known from the reports that are com
ing slowly into Rome on account Of
the almost complete destruction on
lines Of communication to the stricken
places.
The death rate In Messina ranges
from 10000 to 10000; that Of Reggie,
which. with It's adjacent villages, num-
bered $4,000 persons, includes almost
the entire population. At Palmi, 1000
are reported dead; at Cassano, 1000:
at Cosenza, SOC. and half the popula-
tion OF Bagnars-about 1000. The
Monteleon region has been devastated.
and Riposa, Seminara. San Giovanni,
Scilla, Lazzaro and Cannitello, and all
other communes and villges on the
straits, are in ruins.
The King and Queen Of Italy are
now on their way to Messina, having
sailed Tuesday night from Naples
aboard the battleship Vittorio Emman-
uel.
The Pope hes shown the greatest
distress at the calamity, and he him
amounting to 100000 to the relief OF
the afflicted.
British, French and Russian war
ships are steaming toward the south,
and already several Of the ships of
Great Britain ard Russia have per
rescue.
1t is feared that many foreigners
have been killed, as q number of the
hotels at Messina. and doubtless at
other places, were crowded with tour
lists.
Little is known Of the fate Of the d..
plomatic representative OF the powers
stationed at these posts, although the
Italian government is using every ef-
fort to relieve the anxiety felt on this
account.
There is the gravest danger that a
pestilence will follow the destruction
of the towns where. on account OF the
vast havoc wrought. bodies will lie
unburied for days and weeks.
Those who escaped death. many Of
whom are badly injured. are making
their way by the thousands to the near.
est place to refuge. Their sufferinss.
even now. must be intense. an they are
without food o. clothing.
Stunned at the magnitude Of the ca.
lamity which has overtaken their fel.
low-countrymen. all Italy mourns for
the stricken province Of CalAbria and
the island Of Sicily.
Accustomed for centuries to earth.
Quakes. Italy stands ever In dread. but
none was prepared for the disaster
which. In the fraction Of . minute
Monday devastated cities and towns
and caused the death OF thousands.
Messina. whose tragic history has
been marked by tidal waves and war.
and which was the center Of Mondays
terrestrial maeistrom. was shaken to
ruins. Fires burst forth to complete
the city's destruction and to burn alive
untold numbers. helplessly pinioned
beneath fallen walls and broken tim.
berS.
The strait Of Messina was shaken
and twisted by the earth's trembling
for mariners report the channel altered
beyond recognition. The ports and vii
lagos on both the continental and Sicil.
d lea Al tod
and all lighthouses along the coast
were swallowed up. Navigation. now
10 dangerous. and In some places i'm
possible.
In the Caiabrian district. which was
only beginning to recover from the ef
fects Of the earthquake ~ 1905. Reg
Gio was the center Of the earth'x up
heaval. The seaport Of Reggie IL ~
ported A. no longer existing. and the
city proper In In ruins.
The loss Of life on both sides Of the
strait and In eastern Sicily was enor
nous. Ono Of the refugees from Reg
gio. who was the first to bring the
news Of the citys destruction. tried e
make his way to Sicily In . sailboat
but was compelled to return. and fin
ally found safcty At . pcninsular port
Describing his experiences. he said:
THE sea was strangely. mysterious
~ agitated. and the heavens wers
ablaxe. Nearing Sicily. the clearing
smoke revealed the mystery: Msssins
was In flames. ia the frenzy Of despair
I turned nv t,oat hack IN Cninhria !"
Starving. bleeding from Injuries. and
almost insane from their terrifying
experiences. MessinA's survivors ars