The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-01-01
MANY TOWNS ARE IN RUINS
Destruction to Life and Prop.
erty Worst Italy Has Ex=
perienCed in Years.
EXTENT OF DISASTER UNKNOWN
Breaking of Wire Communication
Leaves Fate of Large Area
Yet to Be Learned.

Rome, Dec. 80. - The three prov
tnces of Cosenza, Catanzaro and Reg.
2io di Calabria. comprising the de
partment of Calabria, which forms
the southwestern extremity of Italy.
or the toe of the boot were dcvas.
tat"d yesterday by an earthquake. the
1~ar-rcachlng effects of which were felt
almost throughout the entire country.
The town Of Messina, in Sicily. was
partially destroyed and Catania was
inundated. In Messina hundreds of
houses have fallen and thousands Of
persons have heen killed. Owing,
however, TO the fact that telegraphic
and telephone communications were
almost completely destroyed, it is i'm
possible to obtain ever an approx
mate idea Of the vast damage done.
Havoc Is Great.
The Tate of entire regions within
the zone of the earthquake is I'M
known, but reports received here ur
to a late hour indicate that the havoc
has been great and the destruction to
life and property more terrible than
Italy has experienced in many years.
The uncertainty Of the situation for
many thousands has filled all Italians
with the deepest distress. for they
still have fe2r that the day may coul~
when that part Of the country. which
seems to have been most LlpsscI ~
nature, will be destroyed by The Nl;,.l
forces Of that same nature N,,..N
nearly nineteen centuries a1O OK,
whelmed Ponlreii and He: Cuiuurlm
Many Vessels Are Sunk.
All reports show that the prr>.rt
catastrophe embraces a large a,,"t
than the earthquake in 1893, r.,
tidal wave which followed tn "a =
shocks On the eastern coast Of Silly
sunk vessels and inundated He I0s,.
part OF Catania 1t is known lha, i
lumter Of people were killed at than
place, but the Rushing waters carried
everything before them and cause!
,UcE I'll Undesirable confusion that
t will be n. ,ogs.ile for some tim t.
sstim@te tie Camagc and the lives
.Ost.
The Italian government proceeded
energetic, lly 10 relieve the wide
5pre@d distress. concentrating at the
Joints of greatest need troops and ell
.~ineels.
Messina Suffers Most.
The city Of Messina has suffered
probably more than any other place.
he latest information, coming indi-
rectly from that quarter, stating that
twothirds of the town was destroyed
and several thousand persons killed.
Not only did Catania suffer from
the effects of a tidal wave, but a
similar body of water inundated the
handsome streets of Messina, which
flank the harbor, covering them witty
Z thick layer of mud, which rendered
more difficult the succoring of the
wounded, many Of whom could be
seen lying under the wreckage. 1t
is reported that the villages of Faro
and Ganzirri, adjoining Messina.
have disappeared. The effects of the
earthquake were aggravated by fire
through an explosion Of gas. the
flames of which swept along several
| Of the streets, adding terror upon ter
rOr.
Fill Air With Lamentations.
In Calabria the region around Mon
te Leona was most affected. The vii
lage of Stefanaconi, the inhabitants
Of which number $500, was practical
ly destroyed. Only five persons were
| killed, but many were injured.
Extraordinary scenes are reported
| at Catania. Following a violent earth
! shock at 500 a. m. the sea rose in a
tremendous wave, which wrecked
! many smacks. 1t then suddenly re-
| tired from the shore and returned as
quickly, causing further great dam
age and wreckage.
Although a terrific rain storm pre-
F.! vailed, thousands of people abandon
| cd their homes and filed the air with
lamentations and prayers.
People Are Panic-stricken.
! Awakened by the shock, the inhab-
| itants fled panicstricken from their
F., homes into the streets and squares.
Professions we're organized, and soon
all the churches were filled with
weeping crowds, imploring divine
mercy.
| Midnight reports state that Reggie,
the capital of the province of Reggie
di Calabria, eight miles from Messina,
! on the opposite side of the strait, has
! met the same fate as Messina, but
| these reports have not been confirm
! ed. owing to the lack Of telegraphic
: facilities.