The San Francisco call., 1909-01-02
rrors Of Earthquake Are Increased by Hunger
HALF NUDE VICTIMS
ClAMOR FOR FOOD
Men and Women Sfiver in
Ruins of Messina and Ex-
posure Kills Children

sCATANIS. Jan. Refugees from
Reggie and Messina' continue TO pour
into Catania and the city is one vast
hospital.
Thousands OF half nude individuals
of both sexes have gathered on either
side of the ruins Of Messina, seeking
food or. trying to get. away by sea.
Many children have died from expo
sure and the cases OF madness are in
creasing
A train from this city succeeded in
Teaching the outskirts of Messina this
morning. 1t has been learned that
Deputy Fulci, who survived the disas-
ter. has died of his injuries.
Last night the warships in Messina
harbor threw their searchlights on the
ruins to enable the rescuers on shore
TO continue their work The work OF
succor is going on fsverishly. but the
forces are still inadequate. The stencil
from decomposing bedies is becoming
overpowering.
RAIN INCREASES SUFFERING
A heavy rain continues ito fall at
Messina, increasing the suffering of the
injured and making more difficult the
work of rescue, but it is quenching the
fires and having slightly~purifying ef-
feet ON the air.
The distribution of food has been or
ganized. Bakeries have been opened
and slaughtering houses established
and it is hoped that by nightfall or at
the latest tomorrow morning no one
will be without food.
The city has been divided into zones
and the work of rescue in each dis
tsict is in charge OF army officers. The
soldiers continue to distribute bread
and water to the survivors.
TOURISTS SUCUOR INJURED
American and British tourists who
were at Taormina at the time of the
earthquake have formed an organiza-
tion for the succor of the injured. The
headquarters of the organization are
at Giardina, so miles south of EIessina
on the road TO Catania. The commit
tee includes about so men and women
under the leadership of Miss Ball.
Very few children have been found
alive at Messina, while at Reggie large
numbers of children have been taken
alive from the ruins.
Eight hundred dead soldiers are un-
der the wreckases OF the Messina bar
racks. The corpses being recovered
beyond recognition.
REFUGEES LINE ROADWAY
The roads between Catauia and Mes
sina are filled with refugees. There
are crowds of them at every station
of the railroad, and they are hovering
in the main doorways, in hamlets and
huts. Some of them stagger along
overloaded with their possessions. there
are others driving before them donkey
or a COW weighted down with house
hold goods. while still others are ae-
companied by a sheep or few goats,
or perhaps faithful dog.
vast majority OF the survivors
have saved nothing. All their posses
sions are on their backs in the shape
of tattered clothing, scantily covering
their nakedness.
VICTIMS LIVING IN RUINS
The survivors, one and alL tell awful
tales of death and destruction. They
say that there are undoubtedly still
living people trapped in the ruins of
the smaller villages that have not been
carefully searched, that others are
straying along the beach. and that still
others are high up in the mountains,
where they fed to escape the waters.
SOLDIERS QUELL DISTURBANCE
I Soldiers have been called from the
rescue work at Messina, to queIl dis
turbances in the surrounding villages,
where the survivors were in a state
of riot because assistance had not been
given them. They could not under
stand the difficulty. indeed the impos-
sibility, of succoring all Immediately
and providing the needy thousands
with food and shelter.
On the arrival of the soldiers, how
ever, the disturbances soon ended, the
peasants being. speedily subdued.
b The doctors of the Russian and Brit
ish squadrons have Joined in estab-
fishing two hospitals. Both are full
10 oyerflowing. The seriously wound
ed have been taken aboard the ships
Several Russian soldiers have been
killed during the rescue work by fall
ing walls.