Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1909-01-08
EARTHQUAKE NOTES.
Many Interesting Details Relating to the
Horror that Has Set the World Afhast.

Messina and Reggie, nearest to Mt.
Etna, were wiped off the earth.
Two large cities and thirty-six
towns were RACED to the ground.
The American Red Cross is, as usu-
al, in }he front ranks for relief.
The site of Reggie is now said to
be 30 feet beneath the surface of the
sea.
Pope Plus heads an international
relief fund with $500, 900 from his own
purse.
The King Emmanuel, and Queen
Helena, personally superintendent re-
lief work.
The Red Cross association is re
ported to have collected half a million
for relief in this country.
1t is now thought that the earth
quake victims in terribly stricken
Italy will number 200, 900.
Practically all the pupils in Reggie
college persisted. The little college
building escaped destruction.
The local prison at Reggie col
lapsed and all the convicts, estimated
to number 1900, lost their lives.
Arthur S. Cheney, American Con-
sui, aud wife, are known to have per-
ished in the ruins of the consulate.
Enough is known to ground the be-
lief that the disaster exceeds all that
has preceded it in the worlds histO-
ry.
British and Russian warships were
early aids in the work of rescue.
Many survivors were taken ON board
the ships for treatment.
In almost ever city in the United
States relief funds have been raised
and the government has been active
in advancing many projects for aid.
Few accurate reports as to exact
conditions can be given, owing to
the demOralized state of mind pre-
vailing all over the afflicted country.
1t is said, on authority of naval Of
ficers. that the bed of the Strait of
Messina has raised many hundred
feet, and in places high as 1, 400 feet.
Tidal wave and fire supplement ted
the work of destruction. Thousands
were caught in fallen buildings and
suffered lingering deaths from inju-
ries and exposure.
Even the conformation of the coast
is changed and twisted beyond recOg-
milton. The channel of the Strait of
Messina has been completely de-
stroyed for navigation till new charts
are made.
On the 9th, typhoid fever had bro
ken out in the desolated district, and
the government authorities were con-
sidering the feasibility OF compulsory
removal of all survivors from the in
fected districts.
The prompt dispatch of the Ameri-
can warships to aid the sufferers has
added to the public appreciation and
gratitude for international aid. The
Connecticut. Vermont, Minnesota
and Kansas have been assigned to
that duty.
Along the shoreline the situation
was Of course intensified by commO-
ton of water as we'll as of upheaval of
the land. The sea foated houses out
and carried ships in, besides drown
ing many people who were unable to
escape the overflow.
A violent shock is reported at
Stromboli Island, on the Sd inst, of
the Lipari group, in the Mediter-
ranean, and that the Stromboli vol
cano was in violent eruption. The
island has 1000 population and lies
off the north coast of Italy.
A refugee from Reggie, who found
safety, at a penisular post, in sail
boat says, " found the sea strangely
mysterious and agitated and the
heavens ablaze." IN the frenzy OF
despair he turned his boat to Gala
bria, which he safely reached.