The Carlisle independent., 1909-07-01

Joseph Mieale, an Italian printer now employed on a Troy (N. Y.) italian newspaper, arrived in that city recently with his wife, Vincenza NJ. Micale, tells tale Of their narrowing experiences during the disastrous earthquake which despoiled southern Italy and portion of the island e Sicily on December 2S last, says the Troy Times. According to this story, reeited recently through an inter- preter, L. c. Carrolly, the young print CT and his wife, both of whom are about 26 years of age, were buried for nearly four days deep in the ruins of their home and his printing office, both located in the same building on the Boulevard Cavour. in the Sicilian city Of Messina. Their escape from death, first, in the great upheaval and then from starvation, was most miraeu- lous. In part their experiences were described as follows:
 Tn the early morning of the 2Sth of December I was sleeping peace fully, when suddenly I was awakened by the violent movement of the build ing, and the bed and furniture were thrown from side to side of the room All at once the roof came in upon us and we went down in the wreckage. Then everything grew dark and I knew no more. I learned afterward that large factory adjoining the building in which was located my printing office and our living rooms, on the floor above it, toppled over upon us. Words cannot describe the terror that came over me when I re gained consciousness some time later and found that my wife and I, both still in our bed, were pinioned down under a mass of wreckage. All was dark and we could move but little, but there seemed to be air space, for a large timber about a foot square held the ruins above us and had prob ably shielded us from being instantly killed. How long we had been con- scious we did not know, but as soon as we began to realize our situa- tion we shouted for help. We shout ed louder and louder, but there was no response. We kept this up until at times, thoroughly exhausted we fell to sleep. We continued to shout at intervals for a long period-it seemed like many days-until finally we lost our voices from weakness and could shout no more. Occasionally we could hear some persons in the vi cinity, but we could not attract their attention, try as we would. My wife and I were near together, and could converse. I encouraged her all pos sible. Finally, in our despair, we decided there was no hope of escape and we might as well take our death peacefully. Shortly after we had made this resolve I heard group of persons above us, evidently examining the ruin, and with supreme effort was able to make sound which they heard and answered. That was the most joyous moment in my life, and with it my reason went and 1 became unconscious. My wife had already lapsed into inconsistencies. The next thing I remember I was in the open air and four Russian sailors were bending over me and giving me some cordial I learned afterward that they had worked nearly,five hours to penetrate to our position. It was about nightfall when they lifted me out. but it was next morning before they could free my wife, who is large woman, though they were able to give her restoratives. We were cared for by doctors and others who. acted as nurses until we were strong enough to travel, and then were car ried to railroad train and taken to Catania, where after hospital treat ment we were provided for in tent and given food and clothing through the generosity of the American peo- pie We remained there at the hand of charity, nobly given, for about four months Finally we secured free pas sage to America, the land of hospital ity. l don't know whether the tick cts were provided by the government or the Red Cross society. On the evening of April 21 we arrived in New York. We stayed for some time with friends while I looked for work un- successfully, because I have no knowl- edge of the English language. I wrote to my friend, John Rapisardi, publish CT of the Italian newspaper in Troy, and he offered to give me work tempo rarily, and here I am. I can scarcely express ny gratitude to a people who came so generously to my aid, and I ask nothing but work to enable me to live honestly and become a citizen of this great rpnuhIic '
 A practical problem connected with earthquakes is one that concerns the
 architect-namely, the invention of buildings which will be more capable of resisting these continually recurr- ing shocks. To those who dwell on firmer ground it is extraordinary how the inhabitants of earthquake coun- tries can go on erecting ordinary many-storeyed houses. which sooner