THE EARTHQUAKE AT MESSINA.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10064, 4 February 1909, Page 4

THE EARTHQUAKE AT MESSINA.

[Bx Eleoteio Telegraph.—Copyright.}

(Per Press Association.) « Received February 3, at 6.30 p-.m. Perth, February 3. In the narrative of CJonstantine Doresa, a London sharebroker, who one of ten who survived out of 80 in the Hotel iTrinacria at Messina, he gives a vivid description of the jscenes of horror. _ After the first crash Doresa found his bed standing by an abyss. The whole side of the hotel had fallen out. With the aid of sheets torn into, strips he lowered a Swede, his wife and baby, who were in an adjoining room, into the street and himself followed. All around buildings were falling with terrible crashes, frightful screams rising on all sides. Captain Owens, his mate Read, and 13 sailors of the Afwen and some Russians went ashore with ropes and ladders to see if they could save any on high buildings. Thev heard little children crying piteously on a building which was ready to collapse. Read reared the ladder against the lowest balcony, aud then turned to Smith, one of his seamen, and said, "Now, Smith." It seemed like sending the man to certain death, but Smith, without a word, was up the ladder on to the first balcony, where he caught a stone, lowered by means of a string by the children. To the string he attached a light line. The children hauled this up and made it fast, aud then be climbed up to the children on the crazy ruin. He found so many that he could not manage them hnnself. Captain Ow T ens turned_to Read, who instantly went up to bmith'e assistance. One by one they lowered' the little creatures in safety. Head's next feat was to release a woman who was buried to the waist in the rnins, while the fire was blazing all round., With a saw he cut a plank "pinning the woman, then dashed through the flames with her in his arms. An Italian officer came up and said, "What's the name of the ship to which these men belong? I shall send an account of their splendid bravery to my Government."

When daylight came looting was proceeding indiscriminately, the wretches hacking off the fingers of the dead to get their rings. . On the Tuesday morning the British fleet came tearing up the Straits, bringing the first help from the outside world.