The Washington herald., 1909-01-02

Rome. Jan There are but few new
facts to add 10 the last few days record
q tie tragedy in Sicily and Calabris-
With the gradual restoration OF com
munieatioa. stories OF the catastropbs
multiply, but they mainly reiterats oc-
currences that are already known or re-
count parallel instances.
The relief work at Msssina. seems now
70 be thoroughly systernatized and IS
going on with almost uneventfuI monot-
Ony. 1t has been locally hampsred By
extremely rough weather. rain falling
violently and persistently. accompanied
by very heavy wind.
The downpour ceased to-day and eavs
the thousands Of helpers the first oDpor-
tunity for working in dry clothes. Tbs
worst OF the fires have now been g0t
under control. although many Of the
rUins are still snoldering.
Injured persons are being continually
extricated from the ruins. They are sent
first to ambulance stations for ure,l--i-
nary treatment. and thence TO various
ships for transferencs to different ports.
The -Uninjured survivors are bei7s- 1fx-
patched across the country or are sent by
railway 10 Catania or other places
Send Quantities of QuickIfme-
II was q wise decision tha- fr5,,oaz
The Ksr~ a-S IA ---=-ss--- - -.
and Of public works. who went 10 ths
devastated districts. 10 urge n their
earliest kilograms the hasuest dfgnatcb
q unlimited quantities OF oulckli-nA a
even more important thau food. inasuuch
as the health and lives OF all the sur-
viving natives and thousands OF soldiers
sailors. and laborers were endangered bv
the pestilentiaI stencil.
Many hundreds OF tons q Cric5,Ii-7.
have been used, but immense Quantities
are still needed. and every hours 5s1sv
may cost hundreds CT lives Tbousan5s
OF bodies still lie fostering IN the debris
and Il viii be some tine before they cz7
Be reached
The lack OF water continues n h o7A
OF the main difficulties. and des7its rrs
continued arrival OF fresh relief ships
from several italian ports. the supply Of
foodstufts and medicines Is still far below
the demand Italian soldiers and sailors
and Russian. British, French. and Ger
man sailors are working indefatigably IN
der the most trying conditions. but the
task is so enormous that their great and
willing efforts seem sometimes almost
hoDelessly- insufficient
Messina in Greatest Need.
Urgent appeals for help from The ruined
villages on both sides Of the Straits ot
Messina are being responded 10 as far
as possible. but IN view OF the immense
demands IN Messina Itself. il Is difficult
10 spare either men or stores from that
center.
Efforts are now concentrated IN at
tending 20 and transshipping the wounded
and feeding and sheltering the destitute.
The search for the dead has been tenn
porarily abandoned Relief work at Reg
giO IS now under way on an organized
plan. Many there who survived the earth
quake have since died from hunger and
cold The mortality among young chill
dren from these causes has been great
Many Of the injured, nladdened by their
wounds and by hunger, despairsd OF aid
and committed suicide.
The stronger survivors at first BEGAN
lOOtiug whatever stores OF food they
could find. but Il seems that this was
checked much sooner in Reggio than IN
MeSsina- A large number Of police and
soldiers was hurried from Teranto They
established order and dealt out such food
as was available in doIes
Frantic with Hanger.
The first outside help was brought by
a torpedo boat on December % which
landed a limited supply OF food and medi-
cines, but the debarkation Of these and
subsequent supplies Of all kinds has
been most difficult. owing 10 the shat
tered coast and submerged buildings.
Another difficulty has been 10 keep the
desperate and starving people in check
when supplies are landed
The soldiers are reluctant TO use force
to restrain the poor and half-crazed SUI
feTers. and confusion has frequently re-
suited When It came TO removing the
injured. the officers are sometimes com
PEELED 70 have weapons used to clear a
passage for the stretcher-bearers
The hrst big ship to reach Reggio was
the battle ship NapoH, commanded By
Capt CagnL who accompanied the Duke
Of the AbruZZi on his polar expedition.
He discovered a deep passage that fsciI-
tated landing. and besides disembarkinS
supplies. he removed the money chests
from the banks. and took on board his
vessel the criminals who had been arrest
ed Since then the coasting steamer Mar