THE ITALIAN EARTHQUAKES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, 30 January 1909, Page 3

THE ITALIAN EARTHQUAKES.

■ .; (Press Associaiion.^-Copibioht.) - . Sews by the mail. i FtfLtER NARRATIVES BY - :;,,:'^i : A\ : - survivors;:;. .; >- -^ ; '•" Friday' ■■■: "r : '-«SS?iPy.-U»!inwi relating to the narnarratives of survivors from the Italian earthquake, says :— . . .. ■ ' -> IScene^'of savagery were" witnessed. -A crowd of persons of all descriptions and °, fe it.* r /;?8e' BOlne nakedand- others half ..do£he^nd p nearly 8 U injured, rushld dnife V^ i^ °f "ffi^rsi who were ' f^-^ t to o°^ er distance to the frenzied mob. .Suddenly reports of re-yolyers.-raiig out; and people were fighting: among themselves for haridfuls of vegetables or a small piece of" bread. . ironuthe deckibf the steamer at night the lighting was terrifying. • ■•rAnother aspect of the disaster "is descnbed b^-a. chemist named Pulco, who : was in a:'ferry boat. He was crossing in tnelearl£mommg*om Messina to Eeg- . gi?, vAeiusuddenly;. a gale arose,. bringing . with' it- 'a huge r sea. The boat seemed toibe xtfwtefoi?^ Piper, faTitiwas hashed into the snore and swept back again by the receding wave. Most of the people onb oard: were drowned, " but. the boat v by a curious chance, was floated and escaped S3riouff injury. Pulco and a few . other \ survivors;-- after 'the -first pdnJc, made. (their, way ; . on shore to Messina, • ana ;f6uiifl'it'-lik«:'a cityvbf the'daad. There *as. nobody j abouti : and profound silence r was^onl^ -broken, by moans, groans, and shrieks of the injured. Pulco and his companions tried to rescue some of them, but the task was beyond their powers, owing' to the condition of tfie : wtecked'houses,^ r .' The captaiia^ofi-;tn"e;Russian cruiser, ~ Admiral Maiarotf,? told ; a Bisiilar.,experience. -SfClrthe sliock there were'nofewer .than.ttur great;.' waves in snecessioriy. the sea nsing"-f rom 12 to 25,^ana: even 30 feej. l ; He- saw ■'* few survjyors; wandering about; "tKe^sHore, halfrnaked and starv«J,' and; mad i\yitn' terror.' Under a bed' ivhich' miraeulously. lodged on. a piece'"of , wrockage. V'iwo babies were' . found, ■" with, buttons. Many 'children were found clinging csts-perately-^to itne^dead' bodies of their ■mother»'* to * srtw>vt '"- Hnmane'Kiirorsi-saved numbers of children, many; of, whom were mere babies, and carried them' oh board. Several people were 'stricken with"' madnees, and tottered on deck, shielding their heads with their arms, as though still in the. miHsfdrfalling masonry. In allj the Kussian; sailors saved more thaif a' thousand '/people in Messina, which was wrecked by the earthquake, and' half obliterated by the sea. Reggio was fdrsakeh forthree whole days, and it was only after the arrival of King Victor -that systematic rescde work was Every town within'2s miies had been wrecked.' Th© -Bank of Naples and the Bank of Italy, were, about the only buildings left itandinglit Reggio; The water supply tad completely disappeared, and no'Dread-jßasJavailaWe.. .-." :. W-^i:.™ LONDON. Friday. • The Mansion House. Relief lund »monnts to £125,000.;^ ;=v