A PICTURE OF RUIN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 423, 4 February 1909, Page 5

A PICTURE OF RUIN.

SUCCESSIVE HORRORS IN MESSINA, ; '.; 'J : &;TERRIBLE-DAWN.: S :} )■ ;v (BT TELEGEIPH—FEESS ASSOCIATION— COPIttIOnT.) :'-■■'■ Fremantle, 'February: 0.;. A survivor gives a.dramatic ..account; bf the destruction, of the beautiful sea-front at lies-■ sina,. called the Palazzata,"'owing'^'t'o'its"numerbua palaces. ■'.{.'l,.': > ' : 7;^:, i -%.. ■ ■•;.- »Tho Destroying Wave; , V " ; In the early morning, he saj?s, .;Bndßeniy a terrible detonation-occurred,.^and , a' ; violetit\ convulsion, of both seji, and;,land,l shook men. a'nd..,things.. The sea'seemed^.to,withdraw,, the chips'were thrown":one..againsf-the.-other;-, lines'oscillated,; lamps' waved/and'.trenibleßj-' all lights went out, in. an>hormous roar;. ther-sea J rpae^tpi a-.height of : several metres;: then -fell;.- again, ,iike';'a monstrous liquid- avalihche;'witli';a'fnghtfnl splash on; the -. shore;' 1 , shattering, buildings on the 'harbour front, ing the einbankmentj and,' invading therbeau-, , tifui-promenade, -it;rushed monumental palaces.oh-the , .Bea''frbiit l'Rocking-, them down, disembowelimg"':them^ ! sufr focating under, its rage-, thousands; of. people surprised: in'their. sleep/ and; at-last-retiring, l dragging ; with ;if goods of all;sorts. : : '; ' :/ : ';;;V ;■;■'■" :•■•'■ v Diist-Clouds-and^SllenDfc')^-^;. • _ Lower : Messina, • where;- were^'mostioff;the : richest, and-best hotels,'-was-.how , .a shadow.';. Quays' were, sunk, walls^des'troyed,- , -palace?: .wiped-outj fog, ; ; enveloped; the;'scene.:;;;: -?i:v: : ; ;; . ; ~: Those .who;•.were not. victimst'of;.,the; tidalwave,'- ■and ; ;livedvm-.the ; i'inrier>;part«iof -the city;or : ;houses built on^the;hills,had been : thrown' but by,-the formidable'. shbck-,'and : most p of ;,th"em'?were. under .th6. ; jlbw trembiing>:.^alls, v 'lrbbfß,'' i hsU;ocmies, ~ porches, - : and^cplumis^^hich'^ll 1 everywhere with tremendous '.noise..'v,;: '.'.silence like'death'-foiiowairThen 'tte; silence?was by;the- shrieks'bf the wounded: ; DaW wasj>)jjl^s&f,--:flie-;]ampS' were all; estinguishrfy-''arid : .Me ; . r deoponed'.by clouds of;.dust;^\^'^v&- ? y^;;;;; .; 't\'\ JFjre Lights'up^h^Sco^e.';'?v^ l f ■] .' • Suddenly. pillars of; flame'. plakedsout^f rod; broken' gas-mains, ■; spreadythroughjiie burning beams,; and .future/;; a:frightful end: creatures it Clouds of smoke;;, thicker r than : a ; nd red; with ; the^sinirietyrefleciip^f :slpwly.:!intpv the^aiKas;ifrom■■' an:.imnionse.ipyre. '■■ ■''^■^•■>~^T,; , .■.•;.■''-■ ."v N ?^ ea > covered withiblobd, and aghast with: terror,; the fevr survivorsjtried' to escapVfronV thejarea ofo.the'ruins, ways, wereno Ww^^not-traceSof ' the; streets, r'-.thp hood whero the .Messinese coiild ; have walked blindfolded:: ;All- was; chaos-^bsicks,' ; ;heanisi : iron ,^>«m!j of: broken 'furnituTe.- . ' .'■;' ■■■-■'■. .';;■'.•: \^-y:. ■'; ■'■ STORY OF BRITIi^RESCyEjWORK^r : ; ;;r;.:'sFLEET-BRmGi^mEs- ; 'V^-^ y>: -'fi ;;(Rec; .Kbruory i^,!^3o ; pjn;> H-i W ivf ;V.:/tti- ;--;i;;.: : ; ;.-.-•: ;'/iVl i rejnantle, : i February^3-'-.;' :: The- narrative of: : sfr^ ; C6nstatitfiiS a, London; who; : 'survived, out;: oE&iigßty. Tnnacria::(Me^ina^^ivei ? tion.of;.the, scene, of orash Dorosa;:fpand; r Ma:;bßd v^!ißdink;;byvanr: abyss, the whole "sidel'of fallen the,aid strips,-Mr.;Doresa;]owerc(3^a r^re^e!;and | bis : wife and.;.baby ) v.who7;were^3n' : room,; tpithe street, All-;round,: buildings/were-'fajiing. with/teih rible ■ and 'frightful' screams; ' were' rising briiali;sides.'■-.'• -'"V ,'- :^: } r ;>',; :■; How'rSo'm'e ChlldrOn yvere f ;-Captain: Owens, vand-13 jailors! $H?,?'.ansi-;.we^^ ders :tp.;see' if :thoyv^puld^ave oil high;buildings';.-'; brying::piteoAis]y;;oii.:a'y'bmMingtwiiic i ready;f;fo; collapse/:;^ead:':rp'ared ; against :;thb) lowest .balcbnyJ iltvieenied; like"; ;Bending; r tt:'-man ;tb-ce^iri'^a^h'^but manlnanied Smith/Without a^;was'-lip; and on to where" he: caught a stone,> which •was~-lpwered ;: to:'him- ; .by means dr. a: string ; hy. the the string, he .attached' a'lighi!me|V which:,:- iKe' children: hauled up climljed to i theicluldreiff <Jit .ruin,.-.whore hofound so many ;thaijhe''couicf not'■;manage .all;^^himself turned to :Read, to' Smith's'assistance..-One/by the. little creatures iif^sa'fe't'yf'-": -— ■'"t'r:":; - "

Roman's, Narrow Escape.

i -Read's-next-feat'was..lto/reiease who ■< was/ .buried-to;/the? waistJinithe "ruins' while ;-ii,..flrs; waX blazing : all-round; ■ a saw ; :ihe ■ cut,.a; the' then dashed/t)irpugh|Hte: flames with her..in;his ;arms.l;_jLn';>!ltaiian, officer oame>:up and gaid i' ■ the -name:of ■'tfi?! ship'Jto whom;these 'inen:belong? y;'l shall send .an account .pfvtheir .Bplendid ..b'raveitto roy,;Gove , n)ment;" canie/ ■lootog./,.; ; waS.,;proceeduigtf.>n(M»i!nmmafel3f:-. Wretches.were hacking off the^fingers : of,the v dead to' get ririgs.' mtfraingitlie British fleet 'came teiirihg Vup the i'traits,bringing/the first : help>from : ':'the' : :-6titside world.-,-; : : '[/.';\: : ,.''"-::>'-Y'-.--'. ., ;-.:vV'/ v V/;:> ; W^ri-