The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-01-28

over calamity. Hardened l was to catastro-
Plies. the piteous sights which met my gaze at
Messna, Reggie and other cities more than once
drew tears to my eyes.
1t was my good fortune to be one of the mem.
bers 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 we're raving 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 a tire
mendous roaring sound. He felt himself falling
and thought he in the grip of 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 still on IL.
II paused a moment and was again preciptated.
He struck the next floor but this gave way at
once. and thus the man and bed came down from
the fifth floor of the hospital TO the ground. The
soldier was not injured.
druggist named Puco relates that at 25
minutes past five Monday morning he was on
ferryboat In the port of Messna going to Reggie.
Suddenly gale of wind arose, bringing heavy
sea with It. Then a great chasm seemed to open
In the water and the boat went down and struck
the bottom. But the waters closed in again and
the ferryboat foated safely on top of the sue
ceedng wave. Most of the people on board
however, were swept OFF and drowned. The boat
badly wrecked but 1t foated ashore. Puco
was stnl on board. After the first panic he landed
and found Reggie like a city OF the dead. No
body moving in the streets, and the silence
broken only by the means and groans and
shreks of the wounded Puco and several COM
panons tried TO extricate some wounded from the
wreckage. but this almost impossible be-
cause of the crumbng ruins. In one of the
squares Pulco found a group of people all com
pieteiy naked. One old man was carrying little
girl in his arms. The child covered with
blood. "Is that your childg' he was asked NO"
he replied. Yesterday found her the pave
ment 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 be-
came oblivious to his questioner and everything
around him
The SeFapin brought into the port of Naples rec
ords OF numberless tragedies. Families separated
mothers moaning and crying for their dead chill
dren husbands and wives lost to each other, or
a sole survivor wishing that he had not been
spared. There girl on board the steamer,
her clothing tattered and torn. who had saved
canary bird She was a music hall singer. and
had chung to her pet throughout the terrible
scenes OF devastation. The bird was the only
happy thing on board the vessel.
One of the Messina doctors sleeping in
room on the third floor when the first shock came,
and saved himself by gripping the roof of
neighboring house.
A ferryboat moored at one of the docks seemed
suddenly TO be thrown high into the air. II landed
on top of the dock safely
The nerves of the unfOrtunates were in such
condition that at the least noise they were prone
20 rush screaming from their rooms. seeking the
streets. Sisnor Birot. ne mayor of Brescia'