THE EARTHQUAKE DISASTER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14439, 4 February 1909, Page 7

THE EARTHQUAKE DISASTER.

NEWS BY MAIL. APPALLIXQ DESTRUCTION. GALLANT WORK HY SEAMEN. RESCUE OF CHILDREN. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright FREMANTLK, February 5. A survivor of the great earthquake in South?rn Italy giv&s a dramatic account of the destruction of the beautiful sea, front at Messina called, owing to its numerous palaces, the Paiazznta. lit the early morning, suddenly, t temblfl (l'.'loitiilion occurred, followed by a violent convulsion bill on , c e;t and land, -which shook men aid tiling. Tho sea seeme<l to withdraw, and ships were Ui.twil one against tlio other. Linos of oscillated lamps waved ami Irombkd; then all lights went out, and in the suddenly precipitated darkness the sea, with an enormous roar, rose to a height of several metres, and then fell again, like a monstrous liquid avalanche, with a frightful splash on the shore, shattering the buildings along the 'harbour fiont, smashing tlio pier, and breaking the embankment. Then, invading the beautiful promenade, it rushed against, a row of monumental palaces on the sea front, knocking (.hem down, disembowelling them, ami siilToralin.g them tinder its rage. Thousands of people were surprised in their sleep, ami the sea, as it retired, dragged with it, corpses, furniture, and isjoods of all sorts.

Lower Messina was the richest pari, of the town, and there, too. were tlie best, holds. It is now a shadow of its former self. The quays are sunk, the walls destroyed, and (.lie palaces wiped mil. Clouds of dust, like a thick fog, enveloped' the scene, while those who were not. victims of the tidal wave and lived in the inner part of the city or ill tilie ltouses 011 the hil's and liaclc of them were thrown out of bed In- the formidable shock, and most of them buried wider the tumbling walls. liools, balconies, porches, and columns everywhere fell with a tremendous noise,; then a silence like that of death followed, to.be .soon broken by the piercing shrieks of the wounded. Dawn was still distant, the lamps hud all been extinguished, and the darkness was deepened by the clouds of dust.

Suddenly pillars of flame blazed out lioin tho broken gas mains and spread through the ruins, burning the beams ami furniture and putting a frightful end to the agony of the many poor creatures who were imprisoned under the debris.

Clouds of smoke, thicker than dust and red with the fillister rcllcctiou of lite, rose, luniing slowly in the air as from an immense pyre. Naked, covered with blood, and aghast, with terror, the few survivors tried to escape from the info*, but the old familiar ways weie 110 more, there was 110 trace of the streets and corners tltcy bad known from boyliocd, ami where the Messineie could have walked blindfolded was now a chaos of bricks, and beams, and iron, and wood, and lime, entangled in a, waste of broken furniture. I'KRTH, February 3. Received FeJj. 3, at 6.50 p.m.') Hie narrative of Mr C'onstantine Dovesa, a London shaiebroker, who was one of 10 who .survived out of 80 in tl» Hotel Trinacria, Messina, gives a vivid description of tho scene and horror. After the fir.4 crash Mr Doresji 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 their baby, who were in the adjoining mr , nK to the'street. and then followed himself. All round tile buildings were falling with terrible crashes, and frightful screams were riainir oil all sides. Captain Owens, an oflicer named Real, 13 SiV il ols fTOm t he Afwen. and dome, ltussians went ashore with topes and ladders to see if they could save any people on the high buildings. 'I hey heard little, children crying piteously on a building which was ready to collapse. Head reared a ladder against the lowest balcony, and then 1111 nod to a man named Smith) one of his seamen, and said, Smith. It seemed like sending a mail to certain death, but Smith, without a word, wa.s up the ladder on to the first balcony, where lie eauglil a stone which had been lowered by means of ; String by the children. To' the string 110 attached a light line, and the. children hauled this up and nwde it fast. Smith then climbed up lo ilie children on the crazy ruin. Ho found that there were so many that he could not manage all himCaptain Owens turned to Head, who instantly went up lo Smith's assistance. one they lowered tho little children in safety. Bead's next fa,l was to release a woman who was buried to the ."•aist lhe Ivl 'ile »■ lire was J'M'ng all round. With a saw he cut a l'lank which wa.s pinning the woman, aul then he dashed Mirotugh the ihuues w i her ls arms , M I( . |lia|i H|| . w «'"o up and said, "What's the name ol the ship to which these men belon .? Mti'-d send an account oi their splendid. W - v n '.v liovortnnetii." When daj"K'n came looting was pmteediipr enmina.ely wietches hacking „fffi„gc M OMJII (Hilt! I(j npt tl K » n . On the Tuesday morning' the British came tearing ~p the bringing lh- tu>-t help 110111 the outside world. °