St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-24
A Terrific Powder Explosion
Gives the Italian City a
Shaking Up.
Seven Lives Lost and Over
Two Hundred People Sc
riously Injured.
Humbert and His Military
Staff Visit the Scene Of
the Explosion.
Terrible Struggle Between a
Python and His Charmep
in q Hotel.

ROME. April 23.-At about Z O'Clock
this morning, a tremendous explosion
shook this city to its foundations,
spreading terror and dismay on all
sides. The people rushed affrighted
from their homes. into the streets,
houses rocked, pictures fell from the
walls, thousands of panes of glass were
broken everywhere, crockery was
shattered, furniture was overturned,
chimneys crashed down upon the roofs,
and in some instances. toppled over
into the streets below. The cupola of
the houses of parliament, Immediately
after the explosion. shook violently and
then collapsed with crash which
added still further to the feeling of
horror which had spread through Rome.
The scenes III the streets and i'll the
houses after this fearful explosion have,
possibly, never before been equaled i'll
dramatic effect during the history of
modern Rome. All the thoroughfares
were strewn with bricks. stones,
splinters and other debris hurled there
by the force of the powerful cOncuSslon
which had caused Rome TO totter on its
foundations. People of all ages and
conditions were rushing, pale with fear.
about the streets, trying to seek
consolation from others who were
as thoroughly terrified as them
selves. In the house, doors,
windows and cupboards were
burst open. Rents and cracks appeared
i'll the walls, the plaster fell from the
ceiling and general desolation prevailed.
In many instances, people were thrown
from their beds by the shock, which
caused so much alarm and cries of ter
ror filled the air as thousands of fam
lilies rushed out into the streets. Parents
with children in their arms; children
leading aged parents; the younger help
ing the elders, all made for the streets,
as if their
Only Chance of Safety
depended upon their being able to reach
the open air. The general opinion that
prevailed was that Rome had been
visited by an earthquake shock, that
second shock might reduce the city to
ruins. Many fell upon their knees and
prayed aloud. Finally, when something
like order had been restored the real
cause of the explosion became known.
1t was discOyered that the immense
powder magazine at PoZZe Pantaleo,
four Kilometres from here, had eX-
ploded, and that it had caused enormous
damage to the neighboring fort, which
was filled with soldiers. The re-
ports of the affair which have
that the officer in command of
the fort heard rumbling sound pre-
vious to the final explosion, and, hastily
ordering the soldiers to leave the fort, he
succeeded in averting terrible diSas-
ter. AS it was several peasants. who
were in the vicinity of the scene of the
explosion, were killed outright, and a
number of others were more or less in
jured. As this dispatch is sent King
Humbert and his military staff. accom-
panied by the Italian premier, the Mar
Quis di Rudini, and by all the members
of the Italian cabinet, have left this
Around the ruins of the powder maga-
zine and of the fort a Gordon of
troops has been drawn in order TO
keep back the crowds of people, who.
now that the cause OF the explosion is
known, have t1Ocked to PozZe PantaleO,
eager to see the powder -blackened
ruins. The troops, however, have in
StrnctionS not to allow any civilians to
pass through the Gordon until the Off
cial investigation now being made into
the
Origin of the Explosion.
has been completed. Further facts are
gradually coming to light in regard to
the shock which spread so much terror
throughout Rome and its neighborhood
this morning. Ali the houses within a
radius of a kiIometer of the scene
of the explosion are seriously
gerously wounded and fully 12O
civilians have been taken to the diff
ferent hospitals, suffering from wounds
or bruises caused by the explosion.
KingHumbert,w who was heartily cheered
whenever his presence became known
to the populace and soldiery, used his
own carriage to convey wounded peo-
pie to the hospital. The races, which
included the Italian Derby. which were
to have been run this afternoon, have
been postponed on account of the eX-
plosion. The shock which caused Rome
to tremble did not spare the Vatican.
of the Roman buildings, when the
force of the explosion was felt,
and several of the famous histo ri
cal stained glass windows of the old
buildings were shattered. The win
dows in the ancient Raphael chambers
and the stained glass in the rOyal stair
case, presented to Pope Plus * by
the King of Bavaria. were also serious
ly injured. Naturally, the full
Extent of the Damage
done is not known at present, and, pos
sibly, may never be known. but all ac-
counts agree that the loss is very Sc
were, the interiors of many of the old
palaces and churches having suffered to
greater or less extent. The exact
number of killed and wounded is also
unknown at present. Another report
says that five people have been killed,
in addition to the large number of
wounded already mentioned. and that
forty small houses have been re-
duced to heaps of RUNS
by the shock following the
explosion. The magazine contained $50
tons of powder. The cause of the ex-
plosion is unknown. Signor Nirotera,
minister of the interior, stated in the
chamber of deputies this afternoon that
forty eight persons were injured at the
scene of the explosion and that about
200 persons i'll this city were slightly
hurt. The minister of war said that
there was 265 tons of powder in the
magazine, but that none of the new ex-
ploSive, baleStite, was stored there. 1t
is surmised that the explosion resulted
from slow combustion of the powder.
King Humbert received an ovation on
visiting the hospital where the injured
are being cared for. 1t was later learned
that seven lives were lost. The rumors
that the explosion was OF anarchist