The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-04-24
MADE ROME HOWL
Some Two Hundred and Sixty
five Tons of Powder
Explode Near the Eternal City-The Entire
Population Thought it Was an Earth.
Quake-The Vatican Damaged.

ROME, April 23.-About o'clock this
morning tremendous explosion shook the
city to its foundations, spreading terror
and dismay on all sides. The people rushed
affrighted from their homes into the street;
houses rocked and pictures fell from the
walls. Thousands of panes of glass were
broken everywhere; crockery was shat
tered; furniture overturned chimneys
crashed down upon roofs, and in some in
stances toppled over into the streets below.
The cupola of the house of parliament, i'm
mediately after the explosion, shook vio-
]ently and then collapsed with crash
which added still further to the feeling of
terror. The scenes IN the streets
and in the houses after this fear
full explosion have possibly never
before been equalled during the history of
modern Rome. All the thoroughfares were
strewn with brick, stones, splinters and
other debris hurled there by the force of
the powerful conclusion. Houses, doors,
windows and cupboards were burst open;
rents and cracks appeared in the ceilings,
and general desolation prevailed. In many
instances people were thrown from their
beds by the shock and cries of terror filled
the air as thousands of families rushed out
into the streets; parents with their children
in their arms; children leading aged par
ents; the younger helping their elders, as
| If their only chance of safety depended up
on their being able to reach the open air.
| The general opinion that prevailed was
that Rome had been visited by an earth
quake shock and that second shock might
reduce the city to ruins. Many fell on their
knees and prayed aloud. Finally, when
something like order was restored, the real
cause of the explosion became known. 1t
was discovered that an immense powder
magazine at Pozze Pantelloe, four kilo-
meters from here, had exploded, and that
it had caused enormous damage to the neigh
| boring fort, which was filed with soldiers.
Reports of the affair which have reached
here are that happily the officer in COM
mand of the fort heard the rumbling sound
previous to the final explosion and ordered
the soldiers to leave the fort. He sue
ceeded in avoiding terrible disaster. As
| it was several peasants who were in the
vicinity of the scene of the explosion, were
killed outright and a number of others
more or less injured. As this dispatch is
sent, King Humbert and military staff, &C
companied by the Italian premier, the Mar
quis di Rudtni, and by all the members OF
the Italian cabinet, left this city for the
scene of the disaster. Around the ruins OF
the powder magazine and the fort, Gordon
of troops has been drawn in order 20 keep
back the crowds of people who, now tina,
the cause OF Tue eXplOSiOu Is Known, nave
fiocked to Pozze Pantelloe.
ALI the houses within the radius of 6
kilometer of the scene of the explosion are
| seriously damaged. The exact number OF
killed aud wounded is unknown at present.
| Two officers are dangerously wounded and
fully one hundred and twenty civilians
| have been taken to different hospitals
suffering from wounds or bruises caused
by the explosion. King Humbert used his
own carriage to convey wounded people tC
the hospital. The races which were to
| have been run this afternoon were post
poned on account of the explosion. The
! Vatican shook with the rest of the Roman
buildings when the force of the explosion
was felt and several famous historical
stained glass windows of the old buildings
were shattered. The full amount of the
damage done is not known at present, bu,
the loss is very severe, the interior Of
many old palaces and churches having
suffered to great extent Another report
saws five people were killed in addition tC
the large number Of wounded already
mentioned, and forty small houses were
reduced to ruins by explosion.
The Official report made in the chamber
| of deputies this afternoon, says seven per
sons were killed and forty-eight injured a
the scene of the explosion and about twt
hundred persons in the city slightly hurt
There were 265 tons of powder in the mag
azine. The explosion was purely acciden
tai and rumors that 1t was OF Anarchls
origin are without foundation.