The National tribune., 1909-01-14
THE ITALIAN DISASTER.
Much Suffering and Disease Follows the
Cnfastrnulle.


Nothing new has developed in regard
to the number of lives lost and the
value of the property destroyed by the
earthquakes in Italy, and the estimate
remains of 100000 people killed and
about billion dollars worth of prop
erty destroyed. The quakes were fol-
lowed by a chill rafnstorm, which
greatly augmented the miseries of the
homeless people. and Immediately came
news of the prevalence of deadly dis
ease AS for a few days nothing has
been heard of the latter, we may as
sumo that the energetic measures taken
by the relief parties have brought the
sickness under partial control.
All the maritime powers of the world
have sent such vessels as were imme-
diately available to help in the relief
work and for once the fighting men
of all flags have been working together
harmoniously in the great labor of
mercy After the storm came bright,
balmy days such as usually character
ize Sicilian Winter. which greatly IA
cilitated the work of the relief parties
and mitigated the suffering of the sur
vivors.
Much alarm was felt in this country
over the safety of number of Ameri-
cans who were known to be in that
country, but up to date the most OF
these have been, traced to other cities
ana IOunO awe ana wei.
Last Friday came two severe shocks,
which were followed by. still heavier
one on Monday morning that ruined
part of the great sea wall
The question has been discussed as
to the rebuilding of Messina, with a
first expression strongly against it. This
has given away, however, to the evident
necessity of rebuilding the city. In
spite of disasters, Messina will continue
to be one of the chief places of COM
merceI for the great mass of people
residing along the shores of the Med
iterranean. Nowhere else can there
be a city built which will take it's place.
and nowhere else is there as good and
commodious a harbor. Messina will
have to be rebuilt, precisely as Lisbon.
Caracas, Guatemala and Panama had
to be rebuilt, because they were COM
mercial necessities. Some of these 9TH
er cities have risen on slightly different
locations, but it would seem that Mes
sina will have to be rebuilt on precisely
the same ground, because of its con-
venience to the great landlocked har-
Dor. The experience of San Francisco
and Toxic in the matter of Shock-re-
sisting buildings will be taken advan-
tage of, and Messina will be recon-
structed of concrete with steel rein
forcements.
1t is found that the important Strait
of Messina was not blocked. as first
reported tho its bottom has been great
ly changed. Vessels of all kinds are
passing thrue the strait and substan-
TALLY by the old courses. There are
reports that portions of the channel
have had the bottom raised in some in
stances fully 1000 feet, but as this
still left 900 or 400 feet of clear water
it had no effect upon the navigation.
A "state of SIEGE" or, as we would
call it in this country, martial law.
has been proclaimed in the district,
which has been rendered necessary to
organize the work of relief and pre-
vent the extensive looting. There are
a host of bad men in Sicily, and these
have seen their opportunity in the dis
tress and confusion to enrich them
selves by booty from the wrecked
houses and stores and the bodies of
the dead. Severe penalties have been
prescribed for this and are being exc
cuted without hesitation or mercy. No
man can search the ruins or carry off
property without a permit from the
military, and the violation of this regu-
iation is followed by prompt shooting.