EVENTS OFTHE DAY Newsy Items fialliereil from All Parts ol the World, rKUI'AKKD FORTIIK HUSY READEH Less Important but Not Lest Inter- ettlng Happenings from Points Outildo Ilia Slate. lli-noy says ho I mil seeking public olllcn. Tho Itnllnu goviirmneii him reduced relief wurk to n nysti'in. Tim llrKl step In restoring Iinlitttit mcti In Culm linn been Inkrn. A volcano nt sen mid n field of boil ing water Ih reported olT tlia count of Oeorgln. llx-Consul Price, of tlm United Slnli'i, niHl liU i nllrii family tMirlshwl In tli earthquake. Th Iltilllmoro water front had n Urn which for n tlmo thrunti'tiod tlm entire district. Tim dnnuigo l placed nt lioo.iwo. Tim Chlimto linrlnl railway lrtts displaces) MlmiMit nil foreign employe himI horenfter the road will lio iqierwted by imtlvixi. Tim government hns secured evidence that meat Mkr have been iwllcltlng reUles from rntlrMU In tlm form of daimig elnliiMi. Tho llnmlmrg-Atnertwtn stonmshlp linn i preHtring fur it direct llim from ICurope to tlm I'nclflc const through tlw Panama canal. Kvery !tti and city In tlm Unltnl States, led ly tlm government, lnt! linttom-d to ruin relief fund fur tlm utrlekwi nrthqunke nulTep'r. Postmasters throughout (Irent llrlt nln Intvo started (wyttiK "''I K" l'n' slot, by which tin government will ilUtriUitH $8(1,000,000 nnnunlly. Vonesuolnn !tuil(nU burned Cnatro In rlllgy. All nntlons nro hurrying niil to tlm Itnllnn earthquake !Ulfcrer!. For n rnrund tlmo vandal! have loot d n JowUh templu nt Son l-'rnnclsco. Crncksmen broke Into tlm Fowler, Cnl., pottolllco snfu and secured Jl, 300. Tlm number of dentlia In tlm llluo flold, V. Vn., initio dUatter muy reach 60. All cltlr! In 'California have Joined In o protest against tlm new frulKhl rnti'ii. Tlm government hn! secured substnn tlal evidence against thu brof trust at Chlcni;o. Tlm Pioneer Flour mill at Scrnmento hai been destroyed hy lire of Incendl nry origin. Count Itonl h! IohI control of I) In children, tlm court awarding them lo tlm mother. James A. Finch ha! been convicted at Portland of murder in tlm llrst de gree for killing Itnlph Fiilmr. Two men hold up Komi Cly park car nt Portland nnd secured 120, escaM Ing by taking tlm cor. They wore Inter nrrt'Stcd. The Chicago police department nnd tho Law nnd Order league hnva Joined hand! in n crusndo to prevent society women from gambling. Claim Sprecklcs left an estate valued at almttt iso.000,000. The American battleship (lect has entered the Kcd tea. Cotgrove has improved to much that he hat teen tcvcr.il caller. A movement hat been started in Ok lahoma to disfranchise ncgroet. The county Ireaturer nt Wonn socket, S. I)., wnt rolihcil of li.ooo. The Yniiil Indlaut and the Mexican linvrriimcut have arranged term of pence. An Auitrlau tcicutUt believe the greater part of Sicily will tfnk beneath the tea. A blizzard In Hngland hat tied up rnilrmd traffic. Several pcrtout have froen to death. A ilorm in the Itocky mountains wlong the line of the Canadian Pacific lint tied up tinffic. There remains little doubt but thai the American consul at Messina and hit wife were killed. California shippers may appeal to the Kovcrnmeut to aid them in fight lug increases ih freight rates. Teddy Konscvell. Jr., Is not on good terms with his father became he has none to work in a carpet weaving es tnhllshmcnt. The trial of tho Pittsburg grafters 1t to Jie hastened, Miss Kthel Roosevelt has made her. debut in Wnthliigton society. I Kohhers secured $30,000 worth of jewelry and $s,ooo cosh from a New York Jewelry store i GUUANH IN OONTftOL, Evacuation by American Army floglns Nmv Years Day. Ilnvnmt, Pkc. ail New Vixir'n iJny will wltin'M Die lirglmiliig of tlm eviic tut t Ion of Cubit by tliu iirmy of pnein entlun, vrlileli lint linen In puiiimiiun of tlm lahuid tlncu tho buglnnliig of tlm provlilinml ovcriiiiiiuit, In Oetnbor, 1110(1, Tlm flitt provtuluiinl ri'ulmvnt of iiuirlni', numbering UU0, which will bo mining tlm flrnt tmopt lo Ipiivo, nro now ennci'iitrNtlii from vurluut jmil! at (.'limp Coluinbln. About half tlilt riKlinnit will tall In mmry on tho eruUcr Pralrla, which nrrlvnl horn Ulirlitmui cvn, bound for Newport Nhh, The I'rnlrlo will return nhmit tlm iiilililln of tho month nnd Kinlmrk the miiniliidvr. Tho flnnl em bnrlintliin will not oreur until April 1. Tho einbitrkntluu will bo effected with iu llttln rerriniiny tit jxiMlble and it U ptnbabln tlttt their ilrpnrtttro will ho iiimlo with nt llttln notice nt mtrkixl tlnilr Inmllng. Thn purpowj in doferrhtg Ilia departure of n portion of tlm 17th Infnntry unlll April 1 hni been tho Hbjctt of ronililnrnblo tpMulntlon, but It It htllaved thlt wnt nRrol upon at a renfureneo betwecit (tmernur Ma giHin nH-l Prvtldrnl elect (lomex. It It not thoHj-kt to bo n meiiiure of pre mutloM, far which net thn tllKhtott u-rriT li apparent, but It prelmbly It for the irpnti of Kfpln(( the bar raekii nnd U!rlrrt In g-d enler until It l MHMilble to turn r to lite CiiUn iithurltlf n Htell mmp for McufM llni. by the new permNnnt nrwy under rommnHd of (leaeral Pino (luerrera, the nuclt-ua of wkka will be fennel, It l InleNdml, with the prMHt eof ttf Ou bNN artillery nnd 1,000 memlieri of tho Iturnl (luard. CASTRO THE LOOTER. Unknown Ten Yeart Aj;o, Now Prom Inont World FlRiiro. Wainlnuten, Dee. SO HIhm Olprla- tin Cmtto, pretldont of Venetueln, hat left bit euntry but tllcbt regret ever bit departuro and Htmeijucbt lelul Ittdet Wave been eiprrmo.l on the port of the people ever whom ha hoi tyr nniiltnl ami whom he bat linpeverlibed, Hlnfo lfPl, when, at the head of a rev olutionary nrnty, he drove hit predefo or, PriMildent Andrade. from the eapl tnl nnd made blmtelf nbtolute ruler of Venesweln, Cattre ttemi to hnve had btil nne ulejct In vlen, ntmely, to en llrk himnrlf. And In thlt ke hat tuc eepiled to an ninnalng extent. NnlHrnlly no per mm kmiwt, nor ean an ritlmato be made of the wealth wltUh Cniitre baa garnered at tho ex penae af the peer and rich alike anionc the VenetueUnt, It U pretty detlnltelv kniiwn that for yeart be hat been tend Ing vnt avtmt ef money to Knglnnd, nnd thlt fact leiidt color to the belief that hla departure fur Kurope, oaten albly to eonault a noted phjalelan con cerning a terloua malady, waa only nn other of lilt trleka, perpetrated In order aufi'lv to etoope from tho country whloh expect! to tea him no more. Ten yean ago Cnatro wat practically unkuown. Horn of obacuro parenti In tho province of Han Antonio In 1800, he crow up prattically without educa tion. RELIEF WORK IS ENOEO. Commlltea and Red Cross Socloty to Qo Out With Old Year. Han Pianeiiso, Dec. CO. With tho end of tho old year, the Han Franaisco Itollef and lied Crott aoeloty, which hat handled 0,600,000 in contributions alnrn tho great fit", will ro out of ox latonre. 'Dili htiRo mnn wni distributed nt nn expense of 2 3 per cent. Nearly 1100,000 it left, which wilt bo trans ferred to variant ehnrltipa. Tho so ciety not only foil nnd IoiIrihI thousand! for several month! after tho lire, but It hns provided 8,000 permanent homes for 30.000 iH'onlo and hai eatnblltbod n permanent homo for tho nj;od and In- llrni nt n cost or t;wo,ouu. ur too money contributed, Now York gavo 2, 750,000 nnd Illiuoit $030,000. Poison Squad Test. Hau l'rnuoltco, Doc. 20 A campaign of experiment! calculated to demon ttrato beyond any doubt whotltor mil phur dloxldo, ni useil at present In thh state In tho preparation of dried fruit, It harmful to tho human system, hns been inaugurated by tho loenl medical men and cheinlstt, ns a result of tho loug.ttnndiitg controversy between tho puru-fond authorities nt Washington nod tho dried fruit packers of Cull, fornhi. A "nolsou Hmnd" hns boon selected nnd it It proposed to uso his own fnmllinr weapons ngalnst Dr. llnr vey V. Wiley. Natives Doslro Opium. Amor. Doc. 20. Orders wcro issued Battirday to n number of natives at Tungnii, 20 miles north of Amoy, to eeaso planting opium popples. Thoy doellnod to ncmiiesce, nnd a riot fol lowed, in which one offlcor and Jen eivlllnn! woro killed. The pannlacs nt Tungsn is up In arms and 600 troops have beon sent tner to restors oruor. NEWS FROM THE HENEY AFTER CALHOUN. 8ayt Ha Will Stay In FIrM on Higher Upt If He Diet for It. Wnalilntttin, Dee, l "I nm going back to Hint I'rancltco to flnlth Pntrlek Ctilhouii, mid I nm going to ttny with tho graft protecutlon, even If they kill nm Wltnt't tho dltTereneo whether one illra at 4l or flOt" 1'riincla J, llenoy mado this ttate litent today when nakeil what hit plant Htm. Altbuujfli weak from tho wound Inllleli'd by Morrlt Jlaat' bullet, Henry profeetei to bavo lost none of hit I'lithtmlti-mi. Ho will not ndmit that the jmhhIIjIo ilaneri of bit posi tion rob him of either teat or determi nation, "My wife la vcr nervout about me," ho told with a amllo. "Hho foam Kime other fellow will do a better job next time." Ileney will call at thn While Ilnuno this afternoon In rtiapemta to n tpeelal int lint inn cult to him by Prmideitt lt(Hwrplt It It rumored that ho will give the pre'hlent bit view! on thn Mt Hit r of the aeerrt aervlee in euten ieg eriminsU. COLORADO BORDER TANGLE. Conr-.rotmiin Cook Sayt Government Wat Misinformed. Witthingtoii, Jan. 2. Kepronenta tlvo CiKjk, of Colorado, baa U-on ro (Uitti-d by Proeldent ltootevvll to tub mit to him by next Tuesday morning, in limn for the cabinet meeting on that day, n brief of bin contontnlns ami or gumenta concerning tlm Veto of tho bill fixing the boundary lino of Colorado, New Mexico ami Oklahoma at tho 37th imrnllol of latitude. Mr. Cook now tho preeklenl tome time ago nnd ald that thu facta had been tnltrepreeontcd to Attorney General llonnpartv, UHn whofto ncoinmumlatton Pntlilont Itootievelt vpImhI tho boundary line. Mr. Cook alleges that the Colorado Fuel & Iron company is opiosod to the liordor being located an fixed in the bill. ttrrntt Murderous Rods. Washington, Jan. 1!.- Threo young Navajo Indians nro in custody nt the Ship Hock ngency In Northwest New Mexico for complicity In the killing, on Christmas ove, near Amelh, Utah, of four me tn bom of their tribe and the serious wounding of nn lodlan woman, according to a dispatch received nt, the Indinu ntrtilrn bureau today from Su iMirintendt'iit W. T. Shelton. Mr. Shol ton went to the scene of tho trouble Inst Saturday. One of the Indians, it Is said, has confessed to the killing. Of the killed two aro women. No cause is assigned for tho tragedy. Vi'iiithrop Accepts Job. aslntiKtiin, Jan I Ilrekmati Wmihrup. nf Maktachutctts, assistant secretary uf the treasury, has been offered and accepted the otTice f firtl t.lUtit vrrrrtary of state under the nicoiiiiinr administration, succeediiiK Knlierl lUron. of New York who in ' iiwary nct U exiieeted to tern itnrarily turreed Ivhhii Itoot minn the latter' retirement The tender was made with the content of President elect Tad by Senator Knox. vvhuc selection as arcretary of utile was an uiiuuct'd several ihtys ao Revenue Cuttnr on Trial. Y.ihiiiirliii. Jan 1 -The new rev roue cnllrr Yamacrow. recently cum ulett'd bv the New York Shipbuilding eomptiiv uf Citntli'ii, N J . is in have her ufticiil acceptance trial tomorrow mi the Delaware river The Yams crow i nf the Seminole type and is intruded for crvice on the South At tautio ntakt. Vwth heaibiuarters at Sa vannah. Dead Lettee Sale, Washington, Doc. 20-Over 2,000 mnre wiih roolliod by tho H)atofTico tie tmrtnient by tho Chrlstmns a.tlo of dead letter Hikago this year than last. This year's proceeds vvero 11,300. Duller the law tho money must bo held for three yours, during which tlmo tho tender of nny dend letter package sold limy claim tho amount nt whloh It was knocked down, EnRlneors Oo With Taft. Washington, Jan. 2. President Hoosovolt baa invited a number of en gineern to accompany President-elect Tuft on his trip to Panama this winter. Jiimes Dix Schuyler, of Los Angeles, nnd Arthur P. Duvies, chlof engineer of tho reclamation service, Washing ton, nro among those honored by Hooso volt, President Requests Trip. Washington, Dec. 30 Representa tives Cusbman nuil Humphreys, of Washington, left today with the house committee ou inteistntc commerce for a trio to Painiun They will sail from Charleston, S C, and the trip will i consume about 15 days The commit. tec Koes nt the special request of. President Roosevelt. I NATIONAL CAPITAL NEW UOS8E8 LIKE OLD. Professor Ford, of Princeton, Draws Parallels In History. Washington, Dec. 31 With James llrce, llrtliilt ambassador, presiding, lite American Political Science Society met here thisucck in (it first annual gathering. 'J be general topic for con sldcratltin was 'The Increase of Petl ernl Force and Power in the United Stales H One of the principal papers wat by Stephen Lcacock, Magill Uni versity. Canada, on "The Limitations of lite Federal Government " In the course of the discussion Pro frtaor Henry Jones Ford, of Prince ton University, declared that neither tic power nor the responsibility essen tial to democratic rule was embodied in the American stale. "Tlje resem blances." be said, "that historians are now noliitK between ancient and mod em hotscs, grafters ami spoiNmcu rest iiimiii Mihttantial identities, affording a fine demonstration nf the universal (nuclide that like causes produce like elfecis. irrespective of the intention with which the cause are put in operation." He ataertrd that rITnrls of reform era were directed against condit.om from which the pwrr was trained nther than agaiuM condition under which power w mercued Mty Condemn Site. Washington, Dec SO Dissatisfied wilh the high fisjurcs placed upon real estate offered to the government by agents for a site for a snbtreasury building, the government, through A stkiant Secretary of the Treasury Itrrkm m Winthrop, has threatened to trutre property in San Francisco by condemnation Secretsry Winthrop h notified llaldwiu & Howell real rMale agents for property bounded by Sansomc Clay, Merchant ami Hattcry streets partly owned by the Kohl es tate, that it must be placed at a lower price than f.l3.000 demanded for the site Winthrop declares that if a lower price Is not set, the government will secure other property in the bloek ami will begin condemnation proceed ings, as the treasury department wants the property lit that section Epoch In Canal Building. Waslingtnn. Dec 30 With the early arrival in Washington from l'jrii of I eny Parks, the isthmian canal commissioner, will be signalized an epoch in the building of the canal The time has arrived, it is said, when the ni.ixintim force has been cm ployed Henceforth the work in the canal zone will be confined to excava tion and dam and lock construction. Diplomats Are Uneasy. lkhingtoit. Dec St The stir in diplomatic circles caused by the resig nation of Ambassador Gritcom has led to much tiieculation as to the fu ture of alt of America' representa tives abroad Although no statement has come from Mr 'I aft. it is not im probable that a number of the diplo matic officers abroad will be asked to retain their positions. Used 4,000,000 Trees. Wnshiugton, Dec. 20 The native forests this year supplied 4,000,000 Oirlstmns trees, tho forestry service es timating that one out of every four fam lllea obkprvcd tho tree cuatom at Yule tide. Clifford Pinchot, United Htntes force tor, upholds tho Christmas tree cua tom nnd believe! that it should bo main tained. Pinchot Starts on Mission. Washington, Dec 31 Hearing invi tations from Proidcut Roosevelt to President Diat of Mexico and Premier I tuner ami Uird Grey of Canadi to appoint delegates to the National Con servation Congress to lie held here February IK. CifTord Pinchot left Mondav fur Canada and Mexico Squaring Away for Venezuela. Washington. Jan. 1 The arrival of Special Commissioner W. I. Huchanaii to treat on behalf of the United Slate with the official of Venezuela, and the arrival of Admiral Arnold nt I .a Guavra, is announced iu messages to the navy and state departments, here x Barrios Recovers From Injury. Washington, Dec 31 Senor Har riot the Guatemalan minister of for eign affairs, who recently was serious ly tniitred in an nutomnmlc accident. called at the White House Monday and sai'ed for home nn IJcccmbcr 30. A bandacc across the face was the only trace of his injury. Treasury Buys Silver. 'Washington. Dee. 20. .Tho treasury today purchased 100,000 ounces of sil ver for dollvory at New York, 75,000 ounces for delivery nt Now Orleans nnd 60,000 ounces for delivery nt Donvor, nt -lO.iioo per flno ounco. Advnnco Oregon Postmasters. Washington. Dec 30 Amonrr the 220 fourth-class postoffices which will be advanced to the presidential class January 1 arc the following in Oregon; innyon uty, jiouu; central rotnt, 1100; Oakland, $1200. NEW LIGHT ON HISTORY. Stanford Pro'cssor Finds Key to An cient Writings. Stanford University, Col,, Dae. 28 Tho key whloh bares the secrets so long hidden behind the Htrutean and old Unite Intcriptiont ha at last been ills covered by Profttttor Ocor llcrapl, the bolder of the philological chair at Htanford univcrtlty, nnd tho rnannen, euatotm and blatory of a people today practically unknown may L read in tho future as in a book. Kxperltnced In bis Investigations of old Herman Intcrlptions and rulea, Profeaaor II turpi was able to accom plish In a slnglo nikt the feat under taken by aeionce ages ago and novor before pushed to a successful conclu sion. Members of tho faculty who woro protect at tho lecture of Dr. Heutpl tie fore the Htanford Phllilogical associa tion today declared that the ditcovery it a veritable triumph and will bavo far-reaching results. It will necessi tate a re-ttatlng of ancient Homan his tory nnd it will throw a Hood of light on many disputed facts of I-ttin grant mar and etymology. It haa been the generally accepted view among historians that tbo Ktrat eana were an element entirely foreign to their neighbor!, the Nomas. This theory it entirely nnd eonclutively over turned by Preft-akor Hemp, whofo in- vvotigition! prove a great similarity between the Jtotnan and Ktrntean Ian gnagM nd make netaible only ono con cltinion, that the Ktruaeant and ltomnnt sprang from one rare, which, follow ing the old legend, wandered to Italy from Troy after the fall of that great eity. Thus Virgil's Knrid is substan tiated by scientific proof. Dr. II en pi's iltftwvory is yet in its infancy. Out of h,O0O, iaaeriptlont bo has read but SO, vet the little work he hns done hat been atlllleieat to convince him that tho old lilto ef diatioet raeet it entirely erroneous. QUICKSAND IN FOUNDATION. Unstable Soil Adds $500,000 toCost of Northwestern Depot, Chieago, Dec. 29. A stratum of treaeherou! quicksand underlying the lite of tho new $20,000,000 station of tho Chicago Northwestern railroad, now under construction, will add about 800,000 to tho cost of tbo structure, ovring to tho increased difficulty of ainking tho foundation pillar!. Thia Information hns been given to the railroad company by the George A. Fuller company, which has in turn been t-ld to go ahead with the construction ef tho building at any cost. Interesting pneumatic processes aro now tielng useil to overcome the diffi' cutties presented by the unstablo soil i.uginveiit any that Chicago toil is alive wltu quiekaand in tho territory about the river banks. Two engineering ex perts who handled the iltuation in New York at the laying of two big river tunnels or the suuway, wben quicksand tbero furniabed the gravest engineering problem of the kind in the history of America, wero called by telegraph and nre nt work solving the problem pre sented. Russia Approves Deal. St. Petersburg, Dee. 3 Foreign Minister imvolaky met with a favora bio reception in tho douma today whea bo preaented the annual statement of Huaaia'i forolgn policy, lie referred with warm approval to the Japanese Ainoriean agreement, which ho laid guaranteed the open door in the Far hast nnd tbo integrity of China, and the terms of which woro communicated to Russia before it was signed. The rest of M. Iswolsky's speech shed no light on mooted quettlons, nor gavo nuy subttnnco of tho Russian proposals regarding tho annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria. New Geyser May Result. Virginia City, Mont., Dec 28Tblrty earthquakes have been felt in this sec tion since last Sunday afternoon, the Intt tremor being recorded nt 4:10 yes terday morning. Tho ground has trem bled very perceptibly, with tho earth wave apparently coming front the south, which haa lent color to the the ory timt a big new geyser Is about to burst forth in the Yellowstone park, which lies 75 miles southeast of Vir ginia City. No damage has resulted other than considerable plaster having been thrown down. Congressman Daved Dead. Now Orleans, Dec. 23. Representa tive Robert C. Davcy, of tho second congressional district of Louisiana, died Saturday of apoplexy. Ho had served continuously at Washington slnco tho fifty-third congress, with the exception of one term, when ho de clined tho nomination. Davoy was born in New Orleans In 1853, served severnl years In tho stato senate of Louisiana, wns elected a judgo In 18S0 nod in IMS wns do ton tod for mayor or New Orleans. Ilo was ro elected to tho sixty-first congress. Through From Chicago. St Paul. Dec. 20 The Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads, through the llurlington will establish through service from Chicago to Se attle, Tacoma and Portland before the opening of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. This was made known at the offices of the two Western lines yesterday, The official announcement of the arrangements wilt be made in a few days. THOUSANDS KILLED Sicily and Calabria Are Shaken by Earthquakes. TIDAL WAVESIFOLLOW TEMBLORS Whole Cities Davsstated and Surviv ors In State of Panic Hun dreds of Boats Lost. Rome, Dec. 29, The three prov inces of Cosensa, Catansaro and Reg gio di Calabria, comprising the de partment of Calabria, which forms the southwestern extremity of Italy, or the "toe of the boot," were devastated yesterday by an earthquake, the far reaching effects of which were felt almost throughout the entire country. The town of Messini, in Sicily, was partly destroyed, and Catania was in undated In Messini hundreds of houses have fallen, and many nersons have been killed. Owing, however, to the fact that telegraphic and telephonic communi cation was almost completely de stroyed, it is impossible to obtain even an approximate estimate of the damage, but reports received here up to a late hour last night indicate that the havoc has been great, and the de structton of life and property m arc terrible than Italy has experienced 111 many years. The City of Messina has suffered probably more than any other pace, the latest information coming direct ly from that quitter stating that two thirds of the town was destroyed and several thousand persons killed The steamers Washington and Montcbello, which were in the har bor, later proceeded to Catania, load ed with injured, who were so stupe fied by terror that they seemed un able to realize what hsd happened, simply saying that it looked as though the end of the world had come live steamers left Catania for Messina tJ assist in removing the injured from that place, who are reported to num bcr thousands At Catania the panic-stricken peo ple, fearing new shocks, absolutely refused to enter their houses, and arc camping on the squares The tidal wave sank S0O boats there and did great damage to several large vessels and steamers, including the Austrian steamer Huda Not only did Catania suffer from the effects of a tidal wave but a sim ifar body of water inundated the hand some streets of Messina which flank the harbor, covering them with a. thick layer of mud, which rendered more difficult the succoring of the wounded, many of whom could be seen lying under the wreckage It is reported that the villages of Paro and Ganzirri, adjoining Messina, have disappeared. The effects of the earthquake were aggravated through an explosion of gas. The flames swep't along several streets, adding terror upon terror. In Calabria, the region around Mon tcteone was most affected. The vil lage of Stefanianiconi, the inhabitants of which number 23.000, wa.s virtually destroyed. Only five persons were killed, but many were injured. MANY VILLAGES RUINED. Quake Centers at Etna Thieves Rob Dead and Start Fires. Palermo, Dec 29. Reports from all the towns and villages around Met sina state that serious damage hat been done by the earthquake, -and that the number of victims is large The gravest damage was done to public buildings and. churches at Flondia, Noto Chiaramonto, Vittona, Patcrno, Tcrranova, Mananopoli and Narro At Mimo there were a number of shocks At Augusta, which once before was destroyed by an earthquake, the tidal wave destroyed the government salt works. The prisoners employed there mutinied, but were eventually sun pressed At 1'attt the shock was tecompamed by a blinding flash of light, while se rious havoc was wrought at Uarcelona and ten persons were killed at Cas- trorcal and Montagamo The Santa Maria college at Alix. be tween Messina and Catania, was over thrown, several of the girl students being buried iu the ruins. There is no doubt that a lame por tion of Messina has bc?n destroyed. To add to the disaster thieves were soon setting fires at various noints and stealing everything they could lay their hands on, even robbing the in jured as they lay hopeless, and the dead. The stores were broken into and great disorder and even terrorism prevailed for a time. The authorities, however, promptly took the most stringent measures to maintain order, and those who were caught in acts of incendiarism or robbery were severely dealt with. San Francisco's Big Tax, San Francisco, Dec. 29 City Treas urer McDougald yesterday sent to the state treasurers office at Sacra mento $1,030,321 20 in gold, that sum being the city's share of state taxes. The money was sent through tho Wells-Fargo express, and is ono of the biggest consignments of coin ever sent out of San Francisco.