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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



A SACRED TOMB IN THE DUOMO OE MES- 

 SINA WHICH WAS NOT SPARED BY 

 THE EARTHQUAKE 



by bit, until there was an opening large 

 enough for him to scramble through into 

 the adjoining room and up over the 

 debris to the surface, where he was 

 hailed by an officer. He told his incred- 

 ible tale and we were all rescued." 



Their father was in New York at the 

 time, and after learning of their safety 

 he wrote that he would start on the Re- 

 public, the fate of which they learned 

 later. They had not had further news 

 from him, but anticipated his arrival 

 every day. Each survivor had his own 

 tale of woe, and many of these have 

 been presented in recent magazine ar- 

 ticles. 



A great sorrow, but not one of suffer- 

 ing, was the death of Dr and Mrs Che- 

 ney. The search for their bodies was 

 begun by Italian soldiers, who were re- 

 lieved later by American sailors. Both 

 bodies were found on January 15 in bed, 

 and death had evidently been instanta- 

 neous. 



Though the American war ships did 

 not arrive in the vicinity of the earth- 



quake until January 10, somewhat late 

 to lend any great assistance, still the 

 effect of the sympathy expressed by the 

 President, the magnitude of the sum ap- 

 propriated by Congress, the prompt offer 

 to send the fleet under Admiral Sperry to 

 Messina, the activity of Ambassador 

 Griscom in the relief work in Rome and 

 that of the American Red Cross, all in- 

 spired creditable comment in the Italian 

 newspapers and gratitude in the hearts 

 of the people. 



Since the day of devastation the Ital- 

 ian army has done noble work in accom- 

 plishing the task before it, and both the 

 soldiers and sailors deserve great credit 

 for their bravery and endurance. 



COMPARISON WITH THE SAN ERANCISCO 

 EARTHQUAKE OE I906 



In San Francisco the earthquake 

 caused little loss of life from falling 

 structures and the houses left little 

 debris. The main problem was fire-fight- 

 ing, securing order and safety of life and 

 property, supplying food and water to 

 350,000 and shelter to 175,000 people. 

 Telegraphic and railway communications 

 were not destroyed and notification of 

 disaster to the rest of the world was 

 prompt. The army and navy in and 

 near the city were unhurt, and with them 

 supplies were made available and 

 promptly distributed. 



At Messina and Reggio the initial 

 shock caused the principal damage, and 

 the loss of life was due mainly to falling 

 structures, the loss by fire being unimpor- 

 tant. Telegraphic and railway commu- 

 nication was cut off and assistance had to- 

 come by sea. The army and navy in the 

 vicinity suffered heavily, Messina losing 

 two-thirds of her garrison and all sup- 

 plies. The problem was to rescue and 

 care for the wounded, to establish order 

 and safety to life and property, to dis- 

 pose of the dead, and give food and water 

 to the living, a tremendous task, indeed,, 

 when one views the vast area of destruc- 

 tion. Thus we find that while the build- 

 ings in San Francisco were more prop- 

 erly constructed to withstand shocks,, 

 those in Messina were better able to re- 

 sist destruction by fire. 



