Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-01-06
EARTHQUAKE, FIRE, FLOOD

were pinned under walls and rafters
alive, but terribly injured, for 30
hours. One of the rescued found un-
der the ruins of a house five children
alive. but unable to speak, clinging
around the corpse of their mother. In
some cases the heroic rescuers met
death in the falling debris. In one
house 20 persons were suspended on
the fifth floor and unable to reach
the street because the lower floors
had been torn away, were rescued
with rope by a sailor. Six crimi-
nails were killed while attempting to
loot the Bank of Sicily, where cash
amounting TO 100000 lay in plain
view.
Thousands of Charred Bodies.
Several hundred soldiers were
killed at Catanzaro and many police.
men killed and wounded. Thousands
of charred bodies have been seen
floating in the straits At Palmi
three hundred corpses have been dis
covered and many hundred more are
still beneath the wreckage Of the
town. Every house in Bagnara is
levelled All railway stations be-
tween Messina and Rometta were de-
stroyed. Every little village has its
quota of dead.
Receives Message From Roosevelt.
Before departure of the king on the
battleship Vittorio Emmanuel, his
majesty received a telegram from
President Roosevelt, expressing the
sympathy of the United States. The
king highly appreciated this kindly
expression of concern.
Woman Tells Experience.
Catania, Dec. 3O.-The following
graphic story of the earthquake is told
by woman who arrived here from
Messina yesterday morning, badly In
jured:
"Infe rnaP is the only word that will
adequately describe the fearful and
terrifying scene" she said. When
the first shock came most of the city
was fast asleep. / was awakened by
the rocking of the house. Windows
swayed and ratified and crockery and
glass crashed to the floor. The next
moment was violently thrown out OF
nv bed to the floor. l was half
stunned, but knew that the only thing
to do was to make my way out doors.
THE streets were filled. Every
body had rushed out in their night
clothes, needless of the rain falling
in torrents. Terrified shrieks arose
from all sides and we heard heart
rending appeals for help from the IN
fortunates pinned beneath the ruins.
walls were tottering all around
us, and not one of my party expected
to escape alive. My brothers and SIS
tiers were with me, and in frenzy OF
terror we CROPPED our way through the
streets. holding our own against the
panic stricken people, clambering over
piles of ruins, until we finally reached
a place of comparative safety. But
| this was not done before / was struck
down ana badly injured by a piece OF
! furniture that fell out of the upper
story of a house.
| NAll along the road we were jostled
by scores of fleeing people, half clad
! like ourselves. The houses seemed
/ to be crashing to the ground in what
/ ever direction we turned.
Suddenly the sea began to pour
into the town. 1t seemed to me that
this must mean the end of everything
The oncoming waters rolled in huge
wave, accompanied by terrifying
roar. The sky was aglow with the
reflection of burning palaces and
other buildings, and as If this was
not enough there suddenly shot UP
into the sky a huge burst of flames
| followed by crash that seemed to
shake the whole. town. This prob
ably was the gas works blowing up.
Eventually we reached the prin-
cipal square of Messina. Here we
found two or three thousand utterly
terrified people assembled None OF
us knew what to do. We waited In
an agony of fear. Men and women
prayed, groaned and shrieked. / saw
one of the big buildings fronting on
/ the square collapse. 1t seemed to
me that scores of persons were bur
| led beneath the ruins. Then I lost
consciousness and remember NO
more"