The Red Cloud chief., 1891-05-01
ROME SHAKEN UP.

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Vita
RoxE. April SAT about . o'clock
yesterday morning . tremendous cxpio-
sion shook this city TO its foundations
spreading terror and di>may on all
sideA The people rushed from their
homes into the streets houses rocked,
pictures fell from the wal'A thousands
Of panes Of glass were broken every.
where, crockcry waa shattered. furni-
ture was overturned. chimneys crashed
down upon the roofs and In >omc In
stances toppled over into the streets
below. The cupola Of the house OF par.
lament immediately after the explo-
sion. shook violently and then collapsed
with . crash. which added still further
TO the feeling Of horror which had
spread through Rome.
The scenes In the streets and In the
houses after this fearful explosion have
possibly never before been equallcd in
dramatic effect during the history OF
modern Rome. All the thoroughfarcs
were strewn with bricks. stones. spiint-
ers and other debris, hurled there by the
force Of the terrible conclusion which
had caused Rome % sotter on its found
atoms People of all ages and eondi-
ions were rushing pale with fear about
the streets trying "a find consolation
from others who were n terrified as
themselves In the houses, doors win
dows and cupboards were burst open.
rents and crack, appeared In the
walls. the plaster fell from the
ceiling and general disorder pre-
vailed In many Instances people
were thrown from their beds by the
shock which caused 80 much alarm. and
cries 81 terror tillcd the air n thou
sands - families rushed out into the
streetA Parents with their children In
their srms. children leading aged par
ents, the younger helping tb" elders.
made for ia. streets rs IL their only
chane. ~ safety depended upon their
being able Ia reach the open air.
The general opinion that prevailed
was that Rom. had been visited 10y an
earthquake. shock and that a second
shock might reduc. 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 b-eame known. IL
WAS discovered that the immense pow
der magazine Mt Pozza P~antaleo. four
kilometers from here, hal exploded
and that Il had caused enormous dam
2 "a the ncighboripg fort which was
filed with soldiers.
The reports Of the affair which rave
reached here say that happily the Off
Ger in command Of the fort heard a
rumbling sound previous Ia the final
explosion, and hastily ordering the sol
diers To- leave the fort, he succeeded in
averting "A terrible disaster. As it was,
several peasants, who were in the vi
cinity of the scene OF the explosion,
were killed outright and n number of
Others were more or less injured King
lIumbcrt and his military staff, accom-
panied by the Italian premier, the Mar
quis iii Rudini, and by all the members
Of the Italian cabinet, have left this
city for the scene Of the disaster.
Around the ruins Of the powder
magazine and OF the fort n Gordon 81
troops had been drawn in order To keep
back the crowds of people who. now
that the cause of the explosion is known,
have fiockcd To Pozze Pantaleo eager ~
see the powder blackened ruins The
troops. however. have instructions not
to allow any civilians To pass through
the Gordon until the official investiga-
ton, now being made into the origin OF
the explosion. has been completed.
All tho houses within u radius of n
kilomctcr of the scene of the explosion
are seriously damaged. Two officers
were dangerously wounded and fully
l2o civilians have been taken to the diff
fcrent hospitals, suffering from wounds
or bruises caused by the explosion
King Humbert who was heartily
cheercd when his presence became
known TO the populace and soldiery.
used his own carriage To convey
wounded people to the hospital The
races, which included the Italian derby,
which were To have been run this after
noon, have been postponed on account
Of the explosion
The shock which caused Rome Tn
tremble did not spare the Vatican
That venerated pile shook with h
rest Of the Roman buildings when h
force Of the explosion was fel, m sev-
eral of the famous historical stained
glass windows of the old buildings
were shattered The windows In the
ancient Raphael chambers and the
glass in the royal staircase.
presented to Pope Plus IN. by the king
of bavaria. were also seriously injured |
Another report says that five people
have been killed in addition To the large
number ~ wounded already mentioned
and that forty small houses have been
to heaps Of ruins by the shock
the explosion. -.
The magazine contained 80 tons OF
powder. The cause of the explosion IL
not known