File No. 17172/4.
Ambassador Griscom to the Secretary of State.
Rome, December 29, 1908.
A terribly disastrous earthquake occurred yesterday in Sicily and southern Italy. The town of Messina is said to be entirely destroyed. There are no official estimates of mortality, but the newspapers announce 50,000 killed. I saw the King this morning before he left for the scene and expressed to him the heartfelt sympathy of the President and the American people. He informed me that the latest news is that fires are everywhere adding to the disaster. I am trying to obtain news of our consulate at Messina and of other Americans who may have suffered.