Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-01-07

lfy can only be measured by the TACT
that 1T is now estimated that 10000
people perished in Messina and Reggie
alone. A score of other towns have
been devastated and thousands OF
victims in these places must be added
to the roll. In the face of this awful
total all Italy stands appalled,
Nor has the full death list yet been
reached. Shiploads of fugitives have
arrived at Naples and other ports and
the vast majority of these are sorely
injured. Other thousands remain near
the ruins of their homes or wander
half starving, half naked over the land
The forces that on Monday over
whelmed the cities also destroyed the
means of subsistence. Telegraphic
communication has been established
with Messina, the apparatus having
been installed in a railway van.
Messages which have come over the
line show that hope is gone. Nothing
remains of the city but mass of ruins
thai have been swept by fire. OF Mes
sina. 10000 population, it is believed
that fully 10000 perished. Forty thous-
ana pcODlS ulSu III heSSlO.
King Victor Emmanuel and Queen
Helena were in Messina Wednesday,
The king explored the ruins regard
less of the danger to which he exposed
himself He was often moved to tears
at the heartrending scenes he came
upon at every turn. The king was loud
in his praise of the splendid work ac-
i-I,a \,
English blue jackets, who saved many
persons who otherwise would have in
evitably perished. The queen spent
the dey in the wards of improvised
hospitals visiting the wounded, many
of whom have lost all that was dear
to them. Her majesty did her best to
cheer them with womanly words of
consolation, often breaking into sobs
as she listened to their dreadful tales
of suffering
Catania, the largest city nearest to
the zone of the disaster, is crowded
with refugees and the continuous
stream of fugitives coming in, the
sight of the wounded and repetition of
real or imaginary earthquakes have so
alarmed the population that they are
becoming uncomfortable. There is no
longer any place where the refugees
may find shelter. Carnidal Francica-
Nava Di Bontife, archbishop of Cata-
mia, has employed all the money in his
possession to provide bread for the
fugitives, but the people of Catania
also are in great need as the ordinary
business pursuits have been entirely
interrupted
The government is finding difficulty
in ascertaining the fate of the many
| foreigners who were in the earthquake
zone at the time of the catastrophe, in
quiries concerning whom are coming
from all quarters of the globe. The
| commander of the battleship Admiral
| Makharoff, which arrived with fugi-
tives at Naples Wednesday, confirmed
the report of the death of the Ameri-
can consul at Messina, Arthur S.
Cheney, and his wife, who were buried
| in the ruins of the consulate. The
number of Americans in Sicily and
southern Italy is believed to be small
and several of them are reported to
have been staying at Taormina which
| is on the east coast about 80 miles
| southwest of Messina. According to
the latest reports this place suffered
no harm from the earthquake.
The minister Of war, in dispatching
! orders to the military authorities who
have practically taken over the abso-
! lutte power throughout the zone of the
| earthquake, explained:
This disaster has resulted in a
| greater loss of life than any of our
wars for independence. Indeed the
| situation is much worse as, while war
! is always preceded by a period of prep.
aration, this has happened within 40
seconds. While war only affects the
| young and strong among the people
! the present calamity has moved down
women and children, old men and
| youths. While in war the armies are
followed by the most complete camp
hospitals, the numberless wounded is
Calabria and eastern Sicily have been
| left in many cases 4S hours without as
sistance. Even when rescued it is i'm.
! possible to house them, everything
| available having been filled by the
/ dead Lack Of care and starvation will