Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1858-01-28


Correspondence of the London Daily News.
The Great Earthquake i'm the Kingdom
Of Naples.
NAPLES, Dec. 10.
must for the present leave all other
subjects aud apply myself, in the first
place. to description Of the earthquake
which occurred in this kingdom on the
night Of Wednesday, the 10th, and which
threatened the destruction of Naples
l think mentioned in former letter
that the cone Of Vesuyius had been des-
troyed by the shock of an earthquake,
felt slightly here on the night Of the 7th
inst. Well, nothing more had occurred
in the interval, the old mountain smoked
his pipe as usual, and people went out to
see the fareup which he made On We'd
nesday night last, however, was writing
when the table began to shake violently,
the lamp to rock, and the bells of the
house to ring as if they had been pulled
by . strong hand. The walls of my room
too. visibly waved backward and forward,
and creaked as might boat straining
heavily at sea. There could be no doubt
as to the cause of these awful phenome
non, and / rushed out of the house.
There had already been two shocks up
to this time, then came third so strong
that thought that the house would have
fallen and buried me in its ruins Some
women were seated on the ground and in
nearly q fainting state leaning against the
wall, to whose movements they yielded,
rocking backward and forward as in
cradle. By this time people were escap-
ing rapidly into the street and making
inquiries as to each others experience
Everyone came to look at Vesuvius, but
the mountain gave little comfort it
threw out but little FIRE, and seemed sulky
and gloomy. 1t was not an agreeable
prospect in view in returning to ones
own house. so that resolved to walk the
streets. and the scene which presented it.
self will never be effaced from my mem
ory. They were full of anxious. tremb-
ling persons. some half dressed, some in
their shirts. some wrapped up in sheets
or blankets. and some in the gay dresses
in which they had escaped from the draw
ing room or the theatre. All the pazzas
were full of carriages. which were occu-
pied by families who had abandoned their
houses. At every hundred steps fires
were lighted, round which were bivou-
cked from Fifty to one hundred persons
|, all ranks. A painter might have
iqYnd wonderful studies if he had been
50 inclined. but alas, other thoughts
were uppermost. Leaving the Riviera
di Chiaja, Invent into the city, and found
there the same excitement to exist. The
palace yard, the large CASTILLO. and other
open places, were full Of carriages, in
which their inmates were reposing for
the night. Hundreds of persons were
ceuched on the steps OF the churches.
and later in the night the images of the
saints were carried in procession, while
the people sang litanies. As the houses
we're in many instances left vacant, the
refuse OF the population, who are always
ready-ip times Of anxiety to profit by the
fears of the more timid, began to create
confusion IN order to rob. Republican
CRIES were raised of !" Viva i Tornesi," !"
aud many houses we're entered. Strong
patrols, therefore. ofthe police yendarm-
erie. and military paraded The streets, and