The Washington herald., 1909-02-21
THE LOSS AT MESSINA.
Calm Estimate Places Number of Victims at 100,
900 and Property Damage at $20,OOOOOO.

Z the commune OF Messina- and in Gala
bria those who periShed outside or Reg
giO How many these were is mere
guess. But I think 5000 is not an ex-
cessive estimate In these outlying dis
+ tricts, with dearth Of food, water. and
surgical AID. the death rate among the
refugees was appalling II We say that
IN the entire field Of destruction 1900
men. women. and children perished. We
shall not be very far from the facts, and.
I think. well within them. Here Is loss,
both human and economic. that I dare
not put into terms Of money.
Money Loss. S2o,OOO.OO
The MattiRo Of Naples. which is IN
commonly well informed in this case.
writes, I've may reckon as destroyed
the houses OF $4,000 inhabitants IN the
province Of Reggie. and Of 250.oo0 in that
/ Of Messina.'' It proceeds 20 qualify these
figures IN a favorable sense. but roughly
they give the measure OF the work that
must be done Nearly half million peO-
PIE must be housed in this region The
Mattino basing its figures on official val
Gations estimates the value Of the de
/ stroved houses on the tax roll at sls.-
0G01U3. Including the little houses not
taxed. and the cost OF rebuilding the
public structures. the construction bill
{ in sight cannot be less than S34000. 600
Evidently this is a wide guess. Public
building is nOtOriOUSly expensive in Italy
while il is doubtful II private owners viii
be in haste 20 rebuild But something
ike 100000 may represent the loss in
real estate But recent emigration from
these regions makes ne suspect that the
( figures are based on a census Of eight
years ago. The true fiegures must be
somewhat smaller.
Cites Cold Facts.
Evidently The proprietor who can rough
I ly calculate his loss and plan. even vague
" toward repairing it may be esteemed
lucky. We have IeTe al Capri a Mes
sinian capitalist every cent OF whose
investment was in local rentals Suppose
ne avals himself OF government assist
anCe and rebuilds- First he may not be
allowed to use the old sites at all Next
ne surely viii not be permitted to put
up high apartment houses like those that
have fallen. and last he may by law be
required 10 select a form Of structure
that viii not return q profit on its cost.
I cite these cold. If obvious facts, be
cause there IS so much sentimental pratt
ing about 3.0l6 years Of history, and ris-
ing ike the phoenix. The rehabilitation
Of Messina is an enormous problem. the
very terms Of which are as yet hardly
understood The present site is already
| condemned Removing the wreckage *
out Of the question. a proper razing Of
the walls and leveling Of the remains, a
I task the expense and general practica-
I bility OF which may only be surmised
{ The emergency law applies the building
regulations framed for the shattered VII
I lagos Of CalabrIa IN previous earth
Quakes- Evidently IL may not be human
I y possible to recreate a great commercial
/ city In this fashion
/ Messina contained many wealthy citizens
and di6 great trade in all products Of
. the soil Her harbor received annually
/ 26o0 steamships with an export and i'm
+ port tonnage Of 500,00o- Commercially she
was falling behind CatanIa and Palermo.
+ bat evidently with her superb situation
and IOng-eSJablished trade Messina can
not remain a wilderness. One must hope
I that the port viii contain only the neces-
I ssry landing Office and warehousing ia
cilities. and that the residential city will
be withdrawn to a post OF relative safety
/ in the hills. OF relative safety I say ad-
visedly. for If geology teaches anything
I Il gives clear warning that In the future
/ earthquakes as terrible as that of yes
! terday viii again ravage the smiling but
unstable coasts Of this Strait of Messina
Damage in the Fields, Too.
I Let me add that if The mind rests
chiefly on the wOeful spectacle Of the de-
stroyed city, the unmarked damage in
I the fields has also been extraordinary.
I These terraced orchards and garden plots
shook down their high facings Of un-
I dressed stone just before a series Of tor
rental rains. Much Of the precious loan
I that has been created by the labor OF
I centuries has been swept down into the
sea To set the rural population of these
/ provinces on their feet again will require
months and perhaps years Of well di-
reCted aid
| In calling this letter a balance sheet. I
was too hopeful Il is merely the first
sc~ibblings for such a result Yet It may
suggest something OF the extent OF the
l loss, and may set forth some conditions
/ Of a uniquely difficult problem in govern
ment and private assistance
! The responsibility IS heavy upon those