The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-05-09
QUAKE GREATLY RESEMBI rs ONE
AT MESSINA, 1T Ally, in 1908
Extent of the Loss Of Life is
Not Known But is Believed
to be Very Heavy.
PROPERTY DAMAGE GREAT
First Real News Of the Terrible
Catastrophe is Brought
by Refugees.
az Assoe,.rrp pRrss,

cATANIA, Sicily, May "a violent
earthquake, greatly resembling that
at Messina in 1908 late last night de-
stroyed about dozen villages in this
vicinity.
No estimate OF the number of cas-
ualties has yet been made but 1t is
known that the damage is enormous.
The great gravity OF the disaster
was not realized until this morning
when reports came in from the sur
rounding country. The villages of
Linera and Consentini were trans
formed into heaps of ruins. At Zaffer-
ana every house was destroyed. Enor-
nous damage was caused at Santa
Veneria. Roofs fell in and walls col
lapsed in the hamlets of Canta Maria,
Ammalata, Carico, Guardia, Mangano,
Santa Tecla and Bongiardo. The viii
lage Of Santa Maria Verdine Catania
was RACED to the ground. Sixty per-
sons were killed in the village Of
Linera. Among the ruins OF Passo
Pomo, Bongiardo and Malati, twenty
bodies had been found this morning.
Project Minervini of Catania and all
the officials under his superintendency
were called together before daybreak
this morning and received orders to
do their utmost to aid the inflicted in
habitants, They have since been
working indefatigably. The soldiers
OF the district are aiding in the en-
deavor to rescue those still alive be-
RaRth the ruins and to extricate the
0zeAd from the debris. All available
nurses were modified today and are
assisting in gathering the homeless
and the children who have lost their
! parents. Temporary shelter is being
provided here for the refugees. Along
the principal highways in the stricken
district the scene Of desolation was
heartrending this morning.
Troops of refugees were frequently
encountered: Many of these were
burdened with improvised filters made
OF branches OF trees on which they
were darrying injured and dying rel
atives to the temporary surgical sta
ton established by the surgeons and
nurses.
In the neighborhood of Santa YER
enia the number of injured was very
great. The authorities have COM
manded all available automobiles to
assist in the work OF rescue.
For several days past earthquake
shocks, have been felt at frequent in
tervals accompanied by eruptions of
Mt .Etna. No particular attention,
however, was paid to the occurrences
as the Inhabitants Of the district are
accustomed to these agitations and
the shocks were not exceptionally
violent.
The first severe shock was felt at
o'clock last evening but the fact that
this had caused serious destruction
was not known in Catania for some
time as railroad and telegraphic
communication was interrupted. The
extent of the catastrophe was not
realized until this morning when ter
ror-stricken groups of refugees began
streaming into town.
The center Of the disturbance was
in the village of Linera. Here the
proportion of dead and injured was
very heavy. The victims were most
ly women and children. The prop
erty loss at Linera was also extreme
ly heavy. The work OF rescue was
rendered difficult by the great accu-
mutation OF debris.