The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-09

Rome, Jan. 4.-Estimates of the
death roll of the earthquake now cease
to concern the Italian people. 1t is
enough to know that the catastrophe
is overwhelming. Figures would add
nothing to the grief of the stricken
nation, nor move to greater efforts
those upon whom the work of relief
and rescue has fallen.
Every channel open to the govern
ment has been opened to this end and
other nations were quick to come to
it's assistance even before the cry for
aid went up.
Shiploads of fugitives have been car
ried out of the stricken zone to Naples,
Palermo, Catalina and other ports, and
according to the minister of marine,
rescue vessels to the number of thirty
six are now centered in the Strait of
Messina and 5000 soldiers are being
landed on the two coasts.
Most important of all now is the
question of the living. Thousands of
those who escaped the falling walls
and the sweep of the tide are starving
and without clothes and shelter. They
cannot long survive their sufferings.
and covering for these helpless people,
and it has been decided by the govern
ment to send fleet of emigrant steam
ers to transport them to other places
Shocks Still Continue.
The latest reports received at Rome
state that there have been many inter-
mittent shocks following the first, to
which the greater part of the destruc-
ton is attributed. The British war
ship Minerva reported by wireless to
Malta that two severe shocks occurred
at Messina as late as Wednesday night
Professor Rico, director of the OBJ
servatory at Mount Etna, states that
his instruments recorded forty-two dis
tinct shocks after the first, but that
instruments have been almost motion
less. Etna and Stromboll are now
quiet and he is certain that the earth
quake was not of volcanic but of geo.
logic origin, similar to that of 1855.
Ambassador Griscom has left here
and proceeded to Messina and other
places in the south on an Italian war
ship in search of information concern
ing missing American travellers.
The horror of the situation at Mes
sina and Reggie grows with every
fresh dispatch. One of the correspond
ents places the death roll throughout
the entire territory as high as 100000,
but this appears to be extreme. 9th
ers make their outside estimates 200,-
900, but the official estimate, as made
by the minister of marine, still holds
to $4,000.
DISTINCTIONS Delay Relief.
Relief expeditions that have been
making their way to Reggie have en-
countered tremendous distractions 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 that the earthquake
did not confine 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 destruction of their homes
doubtless join the great army of ref
ugees seeking safety, or have fallen
by the wayside.
The Calabrian coast for thirty miles
has been torn and twisted. From Bag
nara to Reggie, a distance of twenty
five miles, the country is half demol-
ished. Assistance has reached but few
Of the villages and they are practical
~ 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 motive for
scenes of shocking violence, and rob-