The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-01
Walls Not Demolished in De.
cember Are Thrown Down.
A PANIC is CREATED.
The Inhabitants Flee Into the
Open Country.
Shock Followed by Roar Like
That of Cannon.

Messina. Sicily. July Earth shocks
both here and at Reggie at 7:2O O'Clock
this morning created a panic among
the people of these two cities. Walls OF
houses not completely demolished in
the visitation of December were shaken
down and the inhabitants of the towns
rushed from the streets and towards
the open country. A woman and Al
child. caught under the wreclxage. sus-
tanned serious injury, the woman SUBJ
sequently dying.
The earth shocks have been becoming
more intense recently. The shocks o6
this morning were undulating and YER
tical and accompanied by deep roaring
sounds The first one was followed by
an explosion like the roar of cannon,
and lasted between eight and ten Sec
onds.
1t is said that this quake was OF
greater severity than the fatal one of
the night of December %. The wooden
houses and huts erected for the accom-
mediation Of the people seemed to be-
thrown from one side to another Cries
filled the air as the people fed into the
road.
Detachments of police and carbineers
were dispatched for the protection ot
the wooden huts built with American
money, but which had not yet been dis
tributed. The population, fleeing in the
district where walls threatened to fall
upon them, rushed toward the Ameri-
can huts with the intention of taking
forcible possession of them. Between 8
o'clock last night and 1920 O'Clock this
morning total of eight shocks were
experienced
Gradually, as the confidence Of the
people returned, Messina had acuuir-
ed a population of something more
than $4,000 but today the people ara
again in terror ana do not feel them
selves safe even in the temporary huts
erected for their shelter, and have
fled to the country, preferring the
shelter of trees and caves to the dam
ger from falling walls. They lack
food and covering and are camping
out in desolate groups.
Sailors, soldiers and policemen have
been sent through the district to pre-
vent iootiug and give courage to the
people. Between s o'clock last night
were recorded and the Instruments
at the observatory have registered a
total of ten shocks of varying severity
since 1920.
News received from the provinces
indicates that damage has been
wrought there, but it is as yet impos-
sible correctly to estimate the extent
of the disaster
Regina Elena Uninjured.
King Victor Emmanuel and Queen
Helena were deeply grieved to learn
of the second earthquake at Messina
and they inquired anxiously for de-
tails. Her majesty was gratif1ed to
learn that the village of Regina Elena.
built on the outskirts of Messina un-
der her auspices, had escaped unin-
jured. The houses in the village all
are Of wood and some of them were
contributed from America
Father ]. H Hagen of Chicago. di-'
rector of the vatican observatory.
was the first person to inform the
pope of a strong earthquake. His in
formation was confirmed shortly af-
terwards by kilograms from the arch
bishop of Messina and the bishop OF
Mileto.
The under secretary of the interior.
answering an Interrogation in tho
chamber of deputies today. read a
telegram from Messina declaring that
the earthquake there was not so grave
as had at first appeared. The walls
still left standing after the December
earthquake were shaken down and
the people were thrown into condi-
ffor of terror