The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-05
CONSUL WAS
ALIVE in RUINS
Story Of How Cheney and
Family Persisted
---------------
HIS VOICE WAS HEARD
Then Other Buildings Toppled Over the
Wreck Of consulate--New Shocks
Add CHARACTERIZATION Of the
Dead Great Problem.
HIS VOICE WAS HEARD

DIR. Arthur S. Cheney and the efforts
to save the American Consul, who, with
his family, persisted in the ruins Of
Messina. While the rescuers were at
work in the wrcckage of the consulate
DIR. Chcney's voice was heard from
where he was entombed. Later the
voice was silenced. Neighboring houses
fell on the ruins OF the consulate, max
ing a great hill Of debris.
The survivors of the Messina earth
quake of Dec. 2e are in terror now of
a new shock, which they fear viii
come and complete the work Of that
of week ago. The shocks that have
continued at brief intervals since thu
first and most destructive are now in
creasing again in violence. "A severe
quake central in southwestern Sicily
drove the inhabitants out from their
shelters yesterday morning.
An estimate credited to Prime Min
sitter Giolitti at Rome puts the dead
already buried by the authorities in
and about Mescina and Reggie at S0,-
600. The work Of burial has not yet
been nearly completed. The bodies Of
the uninterred grow more and more n
menace with the passing Of every day.
Thousands are doubtless still caught in
the ruins entirely inaccessible.
The resctIers have considered various
plans for disposting of the remaining
human and structural wreckage. The
known presence OF survivors still Inn
prisoned beneath the ruins deters the
workers from setting fire to the entire
shattered city Of Messina, or burying
il under great layer of quicklime as
has been suggested. The plan OF bonn
harding the ruins after withdrawing all
the known survivors is equally imprac-
ticable, for the same reason. No one in
an official position is quoted as saying
that such q plan is likely to be follow
ed.
Hopeless finally of giving all the VIC
tirns an earth burial, the rescue forces
began day or more ago hosting the
bodies on lighters in the harbor. Laden
with dead down to the waters edge,
these lighters were towed ont to sea
and sunk. BY this wholesale method,
the bodies could be disposed Of by
Thousands at time. This means Is
now being used as fast as lighters can
tie found and loaded, and many such
vessels and their cargoes now lie in
the deeper waters off the shores OF
MesBina.
The Italian battleship vittorio En-
anuei, which sailed for Naples on Sat
mday night with $50 wounded, carried
back also the King and Queen Of Italy
They are now at the royal palace, the
Quirinal, recnpfrating from their hard
ships in the stricken district. They
landed at Gaeta, near Naples, early on
Sunday morning, and learning that
there was prospect of public demon
stration. which they wished to avoid.
they returned to Rome in an automobile
instead of taking the train. They gain
I'd the palace scarcely recognized. I'm
the evening, however, huge crowd
gathered before the palace. They made
q fervid demonstration Of enthusiasm
for the sovereigns. They were only
Guieted when the King, looking greatly
fatigued, came out on the balcony and
held up hand to give reminder that
the time was too grave for ordinary
noisy shows Of applause.
The great dread of today is famine.
Iii carrying out their enormous task of
removing the dead, the first sanitary
tht authorities have let wait
the most necessary attentions to the
liz iIr2 Not only are the great corps
oil volunteering physicians in Messina
working handicapped for lack Of medi
cal supplies, but bread is short, From |
many sources the same dearts is re
ported.
The italian Red Cross announces that
those still living and remaining per
force in the ruins of the city can only
be kept from starvation by an early |
and abundant supply Of necessary food. |
Bread is doled out by the authorities |
but there is not nearly enough to go |
around The stronger fight for it and |
tear ii from one another's hands, with |
blows; for money, among the destitute |
In AIessina, has well nigh lost its pur-
chasing power. A loaf is hardly to be |
bought at any price. Thus the strong
EST men are fed, but unfortunately the |
I'D, the women and the children are I'M
able to enter this fight for existence |
IN its most primitive and bestial form.
Their cries are unanswered.
Bayard Cutting. IT., American vice
consul at Milan, has been sent to Mes
sina as American representative, and
slso reports the urgent need of food. |
fic recommends that bread, macaroni,
md oil, the staples Of Sicilian diet, be
Immediately, in the largest
quantities available.
The American residents in Italy, |
acting through Lloyd C. Griscom, Am
s-iean ambassador at Rome. have Sc
cured an s,000-ton vtssel of the Aus
trian Lloyd company and are loading
It with supplies for Messina, at a cost
Of $4,000.
The United States battleship fleet
is now passing through Suez, on its
Say to Messina. The Yankton and the /
cillgoa. laden with supplies. are being
sent on in advance of the rest and
may bring their help TO Messina with
y twenty-four hours.
Looting and brigandage in their
most revolving forms continue in Mes
sina and Reggie, although many cul
prits are caught daily and summarily
slot by the soldiery. The ruinous and |
Impassabie conditions of the cities
make il a slow and almost hopeless
task to follow up al cases Of laTless-
ness. One rebber and despoiler of the
dead who was shot was found when
searched to have money and valuables
10 the total sum Of $4,000 worth up
IN him. Many others equally success
fnl must have escaped capture and IFS
immediate punishment. '