Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-01-08
THE EARTHQUAKEIN ITALY

lie FecenU earthquake In Italy
echpseS any catastrophe in the
history of the world unless the
reports, which are not generally
accepted, be credited as true o.
one IN China many years ago in
which millions of lives were lost.
1t certainly far exceeds any dis.
aster OF the kind reported Oh
recorded in centuries of European
history. The widespread char
acter of the calamity, the inn
mense number of lives lost and
the destruction ofproperty, which
includes almost hundreds OF
towns and villages, stamps it as
the most awful of human TRACE
dies. From fire man NAV fee
and from floods he may escape.
Tor he has at least the solid
ground upon which to stand and
on which he may plant his fleeing.
feet. But the earthquake de-
stroys the last feeling of hope.
and with the ground giving away
under the feet Il panic indescriba-
Die is telt, and man, helpless and
dashed to the ground, with
chasms opening all about him
and the solidest walls tumblino
into ruin on every side, is hope
less and helpless. Probably no
greater despair can come to a
mortal than to feel that the very
earth iscrumbling under his stems
and that the solid ground is solid
no longer.
From about the year 100
Italy has been visited bv such
earthquakes, coming not far
from one or two centuries apart.
at least eight disastrous ones
having occurred between that
date and the present, but of these
the one happening last week in
Nolved more widespread destruc-
ton OF life and property than
any so far recorded. The esti-
mates vary from one hundred to
three hundred thousand lives lost
and no one seems to be able tn
state with any accuracy the real
condition of affairs. The sur
vlvors are in many cases in most
pItlable- plight, fleeing naked and
maddened from their ruined
homes, without food or water.
Tor the very rivers are changed in
Their courses and the wells de-
stroyed, the angry sea coming in
with great tidal waves. flooding
the once fair fields with altwater'
and the famished survivors in
sanely drinking this only to add
to their sufferings and becoming.
more wildly insane from it's effects. |
The catastrophe involves millions
OF the sufferers in starvation. as
the supplies even of food are de- |
stroyed. Thousands of bodies
lie unburied, the corpses rottinp
ON the ground, and thousands OF |
dead animals add to the horror.
Pestilence, caused by the decay
ing bodies, has set in and the con
ditlon OF these unfortunate sur
vivors is solamentable that seem
lngly it would have been better
Tor them to have persisted with
the lost.
Appeals for help are being made
an over our own land and in
Europe, and the President is send
ing the fleet now returning from
ITS voyage in the far East to the
scene to aid the helpless unfortu-
mates. Governor Swanson has
issued a proclamation stating
that 100000 people have per,
Ished and 100000 others are
homeless and destitute, and ask
ing that all charitable Viroinians
come to the aid of the stricken
OF what was a few DAYS
ago the fairest region of Italy.
II ever there was a case for broad 4
and comprehensive charity this
surely is one, and we have no
ioubt that our people will be as
generous as their ability will |
permit.
Late reports received state
haiti, 900 soldiers in the various j
barracks at Messina were buried $
lnder theruins and also the Amer {
can Consul and his wife. The rock i
II Charybdis now blocks the en- 3
rance TO the Strait of Messina.
The tidalwave wrecked the light
!ouses In the strait, including. n
'are Beacon, and they crashed t
1to the sea. o
Large towns on the sea we're C
wallowed up by the waves, the "
past sinking into the waters and a
1gulphing all, and even many r,
iands are reported as having E
ompletely disappeared with
heir population. Italy is a v
ensely populated country, and is
he towns are many some of n
leseslarge, and with famine and M
estllence on the heels of the ia
Irthquake a most deplorable ot
'ndltions exists. m