Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-08-09
REFUGEES AT TAORNINA

NAl " NAAG LIE u 2AS4sA AA1 - = =
Beautiful Winter Resort in Eastern
Sicily Ideal Spot for Destitute and
Homeless Ones - Now Harbors
Nearly Two Thousand.
BY KATE S. HORTON
Taormina, Sicily, Aug. 9-Taor-
nina, described by American travel
lecturers as "the most beautiful place
in the world is now one of the prin-
cipal places of shelter for the refugees
from the north of Italy. Besides its
warm sunny climate, which makes It
an ideal spot for these destitute and
homeless ones, this beautiful winter
resort of eastern Sicily lends itself
particularly we'll as a resting place
for the refugees because of its many
hotels, filled in other days with tour
lists and visitors from every corner of
the world. These have been turned
over to the newcomers for dwelling
places. Here they live in family
groups, clubbing together for their
meals, as do the travellers in the emf
grant; steamers or nomads IN the
desert.
At the present time Taormina har-
bcrs nearly two thousand of these
fugitives, driven from their homes by
The invasion of Austro-German troops.
The hardships that these people en-
Gured in the course of that fight are
appalling. Many Of them walked con-
tinuously for five days and five nights
in torrential rains, crossing swollen
streams and sodden plains with ever
Tie horror of a pursuing enemy be-
hind, before reaching the trains that
carried them to safety and shelter in
southern Italy. In the made stampede
household treasurers, at first guarded
iealously, were tossed aside, children
were torn from their parents and the
old and feeble were trampled under
foot or left behind. The first five hun
dred that came to Taormina, seemingly
unable to escape rain wherever they
might be, arrived at midnight in what
was very near a cloudburst, at a rail-
way station two and half miles from
town. A number of these preferred
to remain in the station until day
light. The remainder of some four
hundred climbed the steep footpath
leading to Taormina in utter dark
ness, drenched with the downpour and
IN great fear of the height to which
they were being taken. The old and
feeble were transported in carriages.
All of these who reached Taormlna
That night were housed and given
hot meal at once.
After the question of housing and
food came the problem of clothing, for
most of the refugees had only the
clothes in which they arrived, now
in woeful shape. Others who escapeI
in the night were half-clad. Local
committees for clothing the destitute
were quickly formed. Several thou
sand lire on materials for dresses Tor
the women and children were eXpend-
cd. while the villas of the forester
1.-THE nonresident winter VISITORS
were searched for clothing for the
men.
Tc assist in providing clothing Tor
the refugee women which would ELI
able them to support themselves ana
their dependents, the American Red
Cross recently contributed to the
local Italian war committee the sum
Of $500 lire with which to buy the
wool and pay the refugee workers tor
knitting socks and gloves for the ltal-
ian soldiers This double relief work
berettting both the refugee and the
soldie--has proved very successful.
The contrast between their present
haven and the terrible experience
through which they have so recently
passed with the loss Of different mem
bers of their families, has brought the
spirits of the refugees nearly back to
normal. They hope by some means
or other to have news before long OF
their lost onss and in the meantime
they are living in one Of the natura'
beauty spots of the world wish a
chance to gain their living by their
wnIeforts. = ..--,-..-