The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-04
MANY MIRACULOUS
 TALES 0F ESCAPE Earthquake Victims Tell of Their FrightfuI Experiences HELP SLOW IN ARRIVING Hundreds of Survivors Were Too Dazed to Know What They Were
 Doing and Families Were
 Broken Up and Lost.
HELP SLOW IN ARRIVING

Messina, January 3.-The stories related by the earthquake survivors in the hos7 pitals and at the food supply stations where rations are issued twice a day, all reflect the horror of the fateful 18th of December. There were many miraculous escapes but the cases of bereavement are without number. A cobbler named Fran cesco Missiano relates that immediately after the first shock his wife and chil- dren rushed out into the street. Fires were breaking out all around them. Hear ing groans from a pile of debris near by, the cobbler made a hurried exam ination. He found two girls dying. The head of one was split open while the chest of the other had been crushed in. The cobbler picked up baby but it expired in his arms.
 Seized with mad terror the man fled toward the sea. It took his party two hours and a half to traverse the heaps of ruins between his house and the wa ter front. After placing his family in safety, he returned to seek his mother and sisters but he was obliged to give up the effort. It was impossible to make his way back to his home. During the S6 hours the cobll sc passed among the ruins he did not see more than 5oO or 60O0 survivors: This man owes his safety to the fact that he lived in a one-story house. He says that no help arrived for 30 hours after the catastrophe.
 Signor Vadalia managed to get out to the street before the building in which he had been collapsed and groped his way to the Place Cavour, which had been transformed into a huge crevasse. The first ten minutes after the initial shock one long cry of anguish seemed to rise from the city, then there was compar- ative silence forf short while. The worst shocks were over by 6 o'clock. Vadalia made his way to his home and found his family under the ruins.
 As Vadalia was telling his tale wild looking individual in strange clothing came up to the correspondent and Va- dalia. q also am bereft of all my fam ily," he interrupted. q now am alone in the world like you, vadalia." It was evident that this man was half crazy He had saved daughter from the ruins but his two sisters had been Killed. Later he died of his injuries.
 A countryman who came into the city after the disaster found his only broth CT dead. He carried the body on his shoulders back to his native village and buried in in the church yard.
 An actress named Flora Parina recited that while she was lying half buried in wreckage she heard the voice of a lieuten- ant of artillery close at hand. The man recognized her. but his plight was worse than her own. "Signorina, for pity's sake, save me. Call for some one to rescue us Don't leave me. I was at the the- atre last night and I applauded your singing. I have a mother. Don't leave me to die." The woman was eventually dug out by some sailors. She remembered the lieutenant and led her rescuers to where he was pinned down. He also was saved.
 . The mother superior of the St. Vincent military hospital saved man and a. woman at the risk of her own life. She released, alone and unaided, Colonel Minicci and his daughter from the ruins of their home.
 A major of infantry was dtsinterred with the greatest difficulty. Half of his body had been freed when darkness came and the major told his rescuers that he was all right for the night, and that they could come back in the morning. This programme was carried out and by o'clock Thursday morning the man was entirely freed.
 An infant clothed in night shirt was rescued well and uninjured after having lain for four days on a square yard of flooring in a house that was otherwise entirely demolished
 There were three fresh earthquake shocks yesterday at S:90 in the morn ing, 1:35 and 10:45 p. m. The last was the most severe and aroused widespread panic. The people encamped around the railroad station started on a mad flight but having no place to go. soon stopped, -irresolute. The women played and sang hymns When the trembling ceased, they returned to their temporary abodes to pass the night in fear and trepidation