Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-02

at Messina after an adventurous iourne,
on foot through tie wasted Calabria,,
region. sends a vivid story of the scenos
of. devastation. The dispatch was sent
by special boat to Naples, from which
point it was telegraphed here
Il arrived at last at Messina with mr.,
legs almost dropping Off. after TRAINING
81 consecutive hours. covering distance
Of 81 kilometers al miles," says the cor-
respondent. MY nerves will never recov-
er from the atrocious impressions IN
which they were subjected and my eve,
will retain as long as they remain omen
the vision of death and devastation which
oppose them. Mournful silence covers tho
country like funeral pail.
proceeded as far as Palmi by train
and then afoot Six or seven inhabitants
accompanied me to Tropea and l decided
to reach Reggie at whatever cost Two
or three railroad firemen, surprised AT
duty by the esnock. were returning IN
learn the fate of their families The.
preceded me. brandishing resinous
smoky torches We marched in Indian
file through the tunnel from Palmi to
Bagnara. holding hands and stumbling
over ballast heaps. The roof of the tun
mel was cracked every where and now ana
then rocks fell from the inches about the
trackmen. Whole families were encomp
ed around wood fires and lighted, smok-
ing torches. Many of them were wound.
ed. Some distance along we came upon
families roasting sea birds which had
been killed by the tempest and cast upon
the beach. Others had the strangest OH
jects packed in sacks. In reply to ques-
lions as to what happened at Messina
and Reggie they made vague answers
after two hours march we saw Bagnara
perched on the spur of a mountain over.
hanging the sea.
THE county house of the mayor on
the summit of the rock was half tumblei
into the sea, but the mayor was safe. He
was giving orders for the installation Of a
telegraph wire in freight car Every
house in the town and surrounding coun-
try was in ruins. Little palaces were open
like cut pornsrsnates in sections. In
one | saw tumbled beds and disordered
dining rooms Seated on the broken wall
was q man selling bread at exorbitan,
prices. amid a chorus Of curses and male
dictions. Another. demented, Was trying
to dig into the ruins with his fingers
How many dead? One thousand, two
thousand-who knows?
The tunnel beyond BaEnara was i'm
pra cticable. An enormous portion of the
tunnel had fallen and INSTRUCTED the road
We were forced to walk in the sand often
up to our knees in water. Bey ond the
tunnel the track was torn and the rails
twisted. Huge rocks and dangerous
masses came tumbling do6Sn momentarily
We decided to climb the mountain and
advance across the ravines of brushwood.
Might fell; the rain was coming down
in a deluse. NY guides marched more
with lnsiB brairls than their legs fol-
lowed mechanically, though Ready to
drop. At II o'clock VIC reached Favazzl-
ia, hamlet Of 900 inhabitants. Only
seven pereons remained. They were shiy-
ering under the shelter of a couple OF
sheets stretched across two olive trees.
They asked us pitifully for bread. but We
ourselves had not eaten since the start
and we knew not what to answer So We
left them hopeless.
after II hours we bad covered only "a
kilometers. every step at the cost of the
greatest exertions. Our clothes were
soaked and the toncilss had burned out.
At Scilla we decided to vest, hln rest was
impossible. The whole countryside. ex-
cept to the north. vas completely blot
ted out. Walls were stapdin1 tah the in
teriors had collapsed. carrying do.p the
sleeping occupants