THE EARTHQUAKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2389, 2 January 1909, Page 5

THE EARTHQUAKE.

A HORRIFYING HOLOCAUST.

200,000 DEATHS.

THE FACE OF THE COUNTRY ALTERED. /

HAVOC AND DESTRUCTION EVERYWHERE. ' *

United Press .Association, Copyright (Received Jan. 1, 9.35 p.m.)

ROME, Jan. 1. For eleven miles south of Reggio the face of the country has been completely altered. Large tracts are under water, and there is havoc and destruction everywhere.

quake sufferers. President Fallier.es subscribed £I,OOO. .

NEW YORK, Jan, 1

Tbo American iiublic are. subscribing most generously. Tire Steel Trust lias given £5,000 and Standard Oil Trust £2,000. Tlie Red Cross So-, ciety lias remitted to Italy £IO,OOO remaining from the San Francisco Relief Fund. . "

FURTHER SHOCKS. FEARFUL PLIGHT OF SURVIVORS. - ROME, January 1. Two severe shocks were experienced at Messina yesterday. . The crew of the Russian warship Admiral Makaroff, saved *one thousand lives at Messina.

Thousands of half-naked men, women 'and children are wandering in deep mud along the shore, many little children liave-been frozen to death. A thousand men 'are needed to extract still living victims from the CARRION BIRDS DEVOURING | ruins.

A HORRIBLE DETAIL.

THE DEAD

(Received Jan. 1, 10.30 p.m.)

ROME, Jan. 1

Clouds of carrion birds are devouring corpses in the streets of Reggio •and the neighboring villages. No damage was done at Taormina, the popular health resort.

EIGHTEEN DISTRICTS DE STROYED.

TWO-HUNDRED THOUSAND

KILLED

(Received Jan. 1, 10.30 p.m.)

' ROME, Jan. 1. Eighteen districts of Calabria have been completely destroyed. The director of the observatory at Catania estimates the killed at 200,000.

ENERGETIC RELIEF MEASURES. THE WORK OF THE WOMEN. (Received Jan'. 1, 10.30 p.m.! ROME, Jan. 1. The Italian Government are sending emigrant vessel® to Reggio and Messina to serve as temporary hospitals or to remove the survivors elsewhere. Princesses and noble ladies are volunteering to nurse the injured, and are also adopting the orphans.

UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE. A RELIEF SHIP AND A LIBERAL VOTE. NEW YORK, Jan. 1. The United States supply ship Celtic, with a million and a half pounds of navy rations intended for the battleship fleet, is sailing from New York for Messina.

President Roosevelt is expected to ask Congress to pass a liberal relief vote. >

RELIEF MEASURES IN AUSTRALIA. FUNDS STARTED IN VARIOUS CITIES. (Received, January 2, 1 a.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 1. . The civic heads of various cities of the Commonwealth have opened earthquake funds. FIGHTING FOR FOOD. A GHASTLY COMBAT. (Received, January 1, 9.55 p.m.) ROME, January 1. A few dozen survivors fought with knives in the-ruins of the customhouse at Messina for provisions. Severn! throats were cut- for a few handful Is of beans. The extraordinary boldness and effthe lowest roughs causes alarm'. There is still a terrible Tack of food, medical necessaries and wood for building shelters. The docks and harbor works of Messina sank to the level of. the sea.

- The effects of the seismic wave were felt from Termini to Syracuse.

THE BRITISH RELIEF FUND.

A MILLION-POUNDS

LONDON, January 1

King Edward sent 500 guineas to the Lord Mayor’s fund and the Prince of Wales and Queen Alexandra 250 guineas each. .. )' * The English relief fund amounts to £1,000,000. ,7 v V V y . ROME, January 1. The Italian Parliament will shortly he convened to vote extr aordinai y taxation for. the next /ifive. years and' an increase of railway'rates in oidei to exempt the affilicted districts from taxation. ' i . r . •■ y Drinking water has become contaminated in many places.

THE FRENCH NATIONAL RELIEF * 'FUND. A V

GENEROUS AMERICAN SUBSCRIPTIONS.

(Received, January l", 11.35

PARIS, Jan. 1. The French Government has opened a national subscription for the earth-