Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 295, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1913 — Messina Stillin in Ruins [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Messina Stillin in Ruins

MOIJE than four years have flown since I steamed up these classic straits ‘ on the morrow of the most appalling catastrophe in human history, writes Austin West, correspondent of the London Chronicle. In less than half a minute at that dull December dawn, what the world of today talks of as “the Messina earthquake” had shattered into dust no fewer than twenty-four towns along the Siculo-Calabrian seaboard. The devastation caused by shocks, by tidal wave and devouring flames extended over an area of 100 square • miles. With just one swipe of his scythe Death had mowed down nigh upon a quarter of a million members of humanity. Here, banked by mountains and lying snug between the fiery breasts of Etna and Vesuvius, slumbers the new twentieth century Pompeii.

On approaching its magnificent sickle shaped harbor—suggestive of Messina’s ancient name of Zankle — one sees that the long, stately sweep of palatial facades along the Marine, which formerly seemed to be playing a hideous joke in belying the utter destruction hidden behind, has lately been in part demolished, exposing vhridly to view that vast necropolis where almost every crumbled edifice is at once an altar and a tomb. The harbor works, which ought to have been among the very first concerns in reconstruction, are instead the most neglected. The government gave out £IOO,OOO of repair work nearly a year ago, but the contractors have not yet started on the job.

I ’found the port much as I had Iqft it. Yet, so lucky is Messina by virtue of its natural position that, despite all drawbacks, the world’s ships prefer dropping anchor here in increasing numbers, and its port trade Is greater than before the disaster. Neptune Alone Remain*. Wavelets ripple over the sunken wharves, the quayside and adjacent streets remain rent asunder in mighty gaps: the Parade all uphoven, smashed, and incumbered with rubbish as when the tidal wave, 150 feet’ in height, retired after its vent of herculean casitgation. One object rivets attention. The giant form of Neptune, trident in hand, surveys the scene serenely from the summit of his superb fountain. The sea has respected its god. Pious folk pointed me to the survival, of this and like pagan memories, in contrast with the annihilation of their own sacred shrines, as proof positive, that the quake was ttiq handiwork of demons. Among the most artistic sanes of Old Messina was the fourteenth century church of San Nlccolo. Several months the calamity a commission of civil engineers reported .the building to the authorities as being in an exceedingly dangerous epnditlon, and an order was issued for its Immediate closure to public worship. San Nlccolo is the one solitary chdrch which the great earthquake spared! The grand old Norman cathedral which ,bravely withstood the upheavals of BQO years presents an unforgettable appearance. Cleared of its mountain of debris, the interior—3os feet long and 145 feet across—looks as though it had fallen prey to the iconoclasm of a barbarian horde. Sculptured fragments of its glorious baptistery, pulpit and royal tombs are piled in the nave. Twenty-two gigantic pillars of granite that upheld the clerestory lie smashed and tumbled about the pavement in impressive chaos.

What a wonderful history has been theirs! Centuries Christ trod the earth these columns reared their heads aloft in the famous Temple of

Neptune alongside Charbydis at the northern’ extremity of x the straits. From their niches in the massive outer walls which, to an unequal height, are all that is left standing of the holy place, mutilated statues of apostles stare around, some in amazement, some in unconcern, or as if pointing out in mute melancholy the havoc encompassing them. In a corner by the west entrance lies the great peal of quaintly inscribed bells, Incrusted with verdigris. Several of the smaller ones are uncracked. Grass has grown thick on the ruined wall tops, over which it is proposed to extend a roof of light material, and so preserve the relics as a national monument. ‘ Rich in Burled Treasure.

The art treasures in this cathedral w’ere valued at SIO,OOO. The gem laden high altar —erected in 1628 for enshrining a letter said to have been sent by the Virgin Mary' to the people of Messina through St. Paul, prpmlsing their city everlasting protection against all calamities —was perhaps the costliest in Christendom; for the bills recently recovered from the burled archives show that the price paid was 3,800,000 lire, or nearly |l,000,000. TJhe sanctuary, with its remnants of gorgeous mosaic apse, has been stoutly built around. All photographing is forbidden, and I was informed that the authorities, for some

unascertainable reason, had bought up or sequestrated all existing pictures. The night watchman inside told me they always bad to do duty in groups, and armed with revolvers, tb repel the incursions of sacreligious depredators; /md that, in spite of all, large quantities of precious mosaic, marbles, statuary and so forth had been plundered.

BCENE IN MESSINA.