Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-01
THOUSANDS OF
QUAKE VICTIMS
ARE STARVING
lTALY'S GREAT CONCERN IS
FOOD AND RAIMENT
sHIPLoADs OF REFUGEES TAKEN
TO UNFRAMED CITIES
Nations Of the World Rush to Aid of
ItaIy's Stricken Inhabitants,
United States Cables
Big Sums
TBy Associated Press.1

ID ONE, Dec. 31.-Estimates
* Of the death roll of the
earthquake now cease to
concern the Italian people.
It is enough to know the catas-
trophe is overwhelming. Figures.
would add nothing to the grI
OF the stricken nation, nor ND
to greater efforts those up
whom the work of relief and r.
cue has fallen.
Every channel open to
government has been utilizq
this end and other nations
been quick to come to its a
ance, even before the cry f
went up. Shiploads Of fly
have been carried out
stricken zone to Naples,
Catalina and other POI
according to the minist1
rine, rescue vessels to
Der Of thirty-six are no
in the Straits of Messig
soldiers are being lal
two coasts.
Most important
the question Of theA
sands Of those who
falling walls and the d
tide are starving a
clothes or shelter.
Food and Raimeat Neede
The thought has been to cars
food ard covering for those help
less people, and it has been de-
cided by the government to send
a feet of emigrant steamers to
transport them to other places.
The latest reports received at
Rome state there have been many
intermittent shocks following the
first, to which the greater part Of
the destruction is attributed. The
British warship Minerva reported
by wireless to Malta that two
severe shocks occurred at Mes
sina last night.
Prof. Ricco. director Of the observa-
tory at Mount Etna, states his instru
ments recorded forty-two distinct
shocks after the first, but that during
the last fourteen hours the instruments
have been almost mOtionless.
Etna and Stromboli are now quiet.
and M. Ricco is certain the earthquake
was not Of volcanic but geological
origin, similar to that of 1885.
Ambassador Griscom will leave here
tomorrow and will proceed to Messina
and other places in the south on an
italian warship in search of inforna-
tion concerning missing American
travellers
Estimates as Many as 100000 Dead
The horror of the situation at Mes
sina and Reggie grows with every
fresh dispatch. One of the correspon-
dents places the death roll through
out the entire territory as high as 300,-
900, but this appears to be extreme.
Others make their outside estimates
2O0, 900, but the official estimate, as
made by the minister Of marine, still
holds to 115,000.
Relief expeditions which have been
making their way to Reggie have en-
countered tremendous Instructions all
along the route They report eighteen
provincial villages, besides those al
ready mentioned in Calabria as hav-
ing been completely ruined. This would
indicate the earthquake did not con-
fine its work of havoc to the coast
What has become Of the inhabitants OF
these villages is not known. Those
that were left alive after the destruc-
ton Of their homes doubtless joined
the great army of refugees, seeking
safety, or have fallen by the wayside
The Calabrian coast for thirty miles
has been torn. and twisted
From Bagnara to Reggie, a distance
of twenty-five miles, the country is half
demolished. Assistance has reached but
few of the villages, and they are prac-
tically without supplies of any kind.
At Bagnara. surgical operations are
being performed with pruning knives.
but at Reggie even that is impossible
Thieves infest the country, and the
despair Of the unaided villages is COM
plete.
Hunger supplies the motives for
scenes of shocking violence, and rob
bers defy the few surviving policemen
and soldiers.