Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-02
Population Flee in Panic and At
tempt to Seize by Force Tempo
rary Houses Built With Ameri-
can Money.
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
ARE HURRIED TO KEEP
VANDALs FROM LooTING
Shocks Began Wednesday Night
and Continued Until Early
Thursday, Causing the Widest
Panic Everywhere.
~ Aa.oclat.d Prras.N

MEssINA Sicily. July six months
after the devastating earthquake OF De-
cember IS. which laid waste more than q
score OF cities and towns in Calabria and
Sicily, and killed 10000 people. Messine
and Reggie were this morning again Wis
tied by an earthquake which. had they
been built. would have laid them sec
ond time In ruins. II would seem that
nature Is determined to blot out Mes
slna. but recently one OF the fairest cities
in the world.
II Is as yet impossible to accurately de-
ternine the number OF casualties Some
Of the reports are alarming. but they
cannot be verified.
So far as Is positively known. only
few people were hurt. One woman was
killed by a falling wall and a child was
seriously injured.
LONG NIGHT OF HORROR.
While minor shocks have been of fire.
ouent occurrence in Sicily in the last six
months. last night they became more Sc
rious and caused considerable alarm. The
most severe quakes came at 80 and rs
this morning. and were similar TO the IA
tai disturbance OF December. being ac-
ccnpanied by the same roaring noises
that added 10 the horror OF that fatefal
night
The population again fled in fear and
cries OF terror rent the air.
The people hurried TO the open places
OF the city and the surrounding country.
praying 10 the saints that their lives
might be spared.
Gradually. as the confidence OF the peo-
pie returned after last DEFENDERS catas-
trophe. MessIna had acquired a pOPula-
ton OF something over 25.OOo. but today
the people again are in terror and do not
feel themselves safe. even in the tempo
rary huts erected for their shelter. and
have fled to, the country. preferring the
shelter OF trees and caves TO the danger
from falling walls.
SITUATION Is FRIGHTFUL
They lack food and covering and are
camping out in pitiful and desolate
groups
Sailors, soldiers and policemen have
been sent out through the district to pre-
vent Iooting and to give courage to the
people
Between s o'clock last night and 40
o'clock this morning eight shocks were
recorded and the instruments at the OBJ
servatory have registered a total OF ten
shocks of varying severity since 10.
News received from the provinces indi-
cate that damage has been wrought
there but IL Is as yet impossible correct
" to estimate the extent Of the disaster
The first one was followed by an ex-
pIosion like the roar OF cannon, and
lasted between eight and ten seconds.
It is said that this quake was OF
greater severity than the fatal one OF
the night Of December %.
CRIES FILLED THE AIR.
The wooden houses and huts erected
for the accommodation Of the peope
seemed to be thrown from one side
TO another.
Cries filled the air as the people fei
into the road
As on the night Of December IS. the
FIRST shock was followed by a circular
movement OF the ground. Five min
utes later there came another quake
accompanied by further roarings- This
completed the destruction
The remains OF wrecked houses col
Iapsed and the entire district was COW
sred by dense clouds Of dust.
DetachmentS OF ponce anu cdilDi-
neers were despatched for the protec-
ton OF the wooden huts built with
American money. but which had not
yet been distributed
POPULATION TAKES FLIGHT.
The population. fleeing in the dis
tricfs where walls threatened to fall
upon them. rushed in toward the
American huts with the intention Of
taking fOrcible possession Of them.
Between o'clock last night and
twenty minutes past seven this morn
ing n total of eight shocks were ex-
perfenced here
LOST LIFE SAVING CHILD.
The woman who lost her life was stand
ing IN the doorway OF her house when
the first shock occurred She rushed
inside and caught up n child eight
months old and started 10 run to the
street.
Before she could reach the exit, sec
end shock caused the floor Of the house
10 fall and both mother and child were
buried. The child was taken out alive,
hut Up TO the present time the body OF
the woman has not been reached.
she was heard ten minutes after the
second shock crying for assistance.
Sailors, Soldiers, Police
Are Given Hurry Orders
to Prevent Looting Ruins