The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-15
FLORENCE UNDER WATER.

From me London ANsHgUn.
FLORENCE, November Q, lSG4.--In the midst
ot busy preparation for the new digniues which
shortly await her as the Capital Of Italy, Florence
was OvershadOWed last Sunday by the close Rp-
pTOach of "psrii by waters" such as she has not
known since the year 1874, when almost all the
low lying quarters of the town were OyerhOwed
by the ArDO TO q considerable depth, with great
peril and distress to- large portion of the citizens.
Those who have only seen the classic Tuscan
river idling along between the bridges or be-
side the Cascne walks az its normal iog-trOt
winter pace, or creeping on It's way COwed and
Impoverished by summer drought 70 the very
drcgs of a stream, can have no idea whatever OF
the trembling respect due 20 the raging torrent
Arno when a few days hard rain, or the melt
ing OF the snow on the mountains, has swollen
his little triClJing tributaries each INTO fOlmng
cataract, and he tears forward from the ApGuune
gOrgcs through Florence and Pisa 70 the sea,
sweeping trees stones, and crops, and - not
mseldom- cattle and the ruins of cottages away,
as psytbings for his furious, muddy waves.
When such catastrophe occurs, every house on
the Florence Lung Arno, especially in the old
quarters on the southern side, has 70 look 10 its
ancient walls, and brick up Its cellar windows,
while the jewelers. OF the Pone Necchio hastily
hudds up their precious belongings and convey
them TO some place Of safer bcstOwi and the city
authorities set a Vigsnt watch, night and day,
upon the increase of the food, and issued hurried
orders for boats and ropes and big loayes in pro
fusion, wherewith to supply the needs OF the
pOOrpr districts, which are unhdpplly the lr5t 70
suffer by the visitation.
This year period of unsCasOnably warm Wea-
fbcr IN October had been succeeded by three or
four days hard and almost constant rain, and
every small streamlct In the surrounding hills
was up and stirring on is errand Of mischieti
while the clay c1orcd ATnO was hourly swelling
and shifting the piers of the bridges with ever
weishier stroke, as a strong raw smell Of freshly
opened earth came up in gusts from iE5 turDid
WATERS.
All day from early dawn the lashiug rain came
down; rain and thunder, and trcucnant vicious
lightning out Of a piLchy sky. About 10 a. NJ,
the river MugnOne a mere tiny nvulet skirting aI
a short distance the north walls OF the town.
burst its banks lin spring the Hvorite treasure
ground of viOlets and scented yellow tulips Tor
the Florence uClils), and, with all the airs OF
mRsteIful torrent, OyertlOwed the whole road out
side the walls from Porta Pintl to POrta la CrOce
and came clustering down the adj tCeut street.
INTO the gardens and cellars OF BprgO Pint, I'll
the sturdy old town gates were shut in It's ta'e
and they, together with the ancient walls, which
we Ate told, ere so soon to come down, aRl
make way iaT a fashionable boulevard, eil5CIualll
prevented its further course.
Still the rain poured on, and that Sunday nigh
the beautiful Lung ArnO presented strange auy
most picturesque sight, by the light Of the weird
looking torches flashing hither and thither, ant
quiVering 20 the fierce gusts of bitter wind, In th
hands Ofthe National Guards and gendarmes VIII
supeTintendCd and helped on busy workers /
removing goods from cellars and lower floor
al d bricking up the thorouRhfare in haste, lest
sboud befall those whom curiosity might atra
to follow the course Of the river where the par
pet, already in sore peril, might at any m1mel
give way 20 he force Of the eyer-r.ing Hood.
MANY group Of scared watchers stood gain
from the first-foO windows and lofty balcOnie
Which were every moment swept by the mudd
spray oftbe great heavy waves laundering und
the arches Of the bridges In awful deep pits an