The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1909-01-09
results OF EARTHQUAKE
100, 900 Perish in Messina and
Reggie.
REPORTS ONLY add TO THE HORROR

Whole World Should Be Aghast A
Catastroplie.-Tenso Of Thousands
Are Victims i'm Scenes of In
Discribable Horror
New Orleans, La.-In its review 0
the disastrous earthquake in Ital,
last week the Picayune has the fol
lowing to say:
kil1ed-100,00 to 100000.
Injured 900 to 100000.
Homeless estimated at, 900, 600
Cities oyers1 g Qlll. non alton de
stroyed-15.
Smaller towns destroyed (estimat
ed)-5O.
Warships sunk (torpedo boats)-
~.
Ships sunk by tidal wave-6O0.
Many American tourists among the
lead; Chicagoans missing.
Formation of Straits of Messina
changed
Historic scylla and Charybdis de-
| stroyed
Etha and Stromboli, volcanoes, in
eruption
Now that something like definite
information is being received from
the scene of the terrible disaster ir
southern Italy and Sicily it is seen
! that the earlier advices, far from
being the exaggerated accounts of
panic-stricken refugees, really con-
veyed but faint idea of the appall-
ing truth. 1t is now known that the
earthquake of last week, although it
affected comparatively narrow ter
ritory, was the most disastrous to hui
man life which has occurred in mod
ern times in the civilized world. The
loss of property has been great, but it
is as nothing in comparison with the
fearful destruction of human life.
Not only has telegraphic cor,muni-
cation been restored with the stricken
zone, but vessels have arrived at Ma
pies from Messina with refugees and
wounded as well as with a connected
account of the situation. 1t is now
known that the city of Messina has
been almost entirely destroyed and
fully $4,000 Of its inhabitants killed.
1t is further known that in addition
to the large number who were killed
by falling walls in the earthquake it
self, thousands were drowned in the
tidal wave which accompanied the
earth shocks. and many other thous-@
ands perished miserably In the fires
which later swept the city, being un-
dUIC
debris of their ruined homes.
The situation in Messina was du-
plicated in Reggie, the city on the
mainland of Italy, almost directly
across the Strait from the first-named
place. 1t is said that Reggie is en-
tirely destroyed and fully 10000 of
its $4,000 inhabitants have been kill
ed. These losses in the two main CEN
ters of the catastrophe, when supple
mented by the casualties in the sur
villages, all of which were
also ruined, figure total death list
of 10000 persons. This is simply ap-
palling and calculated to shake the |
nerve of the most phlegmatic people. |
1t Is no wonder that refugees are fly |
ing from the scene of wreck and that /
the people adjacent to the path of |
devastation are so shaken in nerve I
that they become panicky and almost
at the smallest alarm. t
The king of Italy, accompanied by
his queen, arrived in Messina, and,
n accordance with the traditions of
lis house, participated personally in
he work of rescue and succor, setting
! noble example for the thousands of
,thers who are flocking to the scene
# desolation to aid in the work of re-
ief Russian, British and Italian war
hips were among the earliest arriv-
is from the outside world in the
wrecked city, and the crews of all
hese vessels did heroic work in res
uing those imprisoned in the ruins
nd providing for the injured.
1t is but natural that the whole
Torld should be aghast at such ca
astrophe and that the sympathies of
II nations should promptly go out to
le unfortunate victims of the vista
on. Everywhere steps are being TAX
q to hurry relief to the stricken ci-
es and subscriptions of money are
eing arranged in practically every
Irge city in the world with view
, providing the speediest and most
fective aid. In the face of such a
saster the whole human race has
scome one family in mourning over
e tens of thousands of unfortunates
lat have perished amid scenes of
Ich indescribab1e horror.
A prisoner burned the calaboose
Zachary, La, in order to escape.
he fire endangered the entire town,