The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-24
TERRIFIED ROMANS.
Explosion Of an Immense Pow
der Magazine
Enormous Amount Of Damage Caused By
The Conclusion.
Seven Persons Killed and Over Two Hundred
Reported TO Have Sustained Injuries.
The Kings SOIiGitude.


ROME, April 23.-About Z o'clock this
morning a tremendous explosion shook
Rome to its very foundations. and spread
terror in every direction. Houses rocked,
pictures fell from the walls, thousands Of
panes of glass were. shattered, croekery was
broken, furniture was overturned, and
chimneys fell upon the roofs and into the
streets. The cupolas on the Houses Of
Parliament shook violently for a moment,
and then collapsed with a crash. In the
houses doors, windows and closets were
burst open, and the streets were filled with
bricks, stones, splinters and other debris
hurled there by the powerful concussion.
Walls were cracked, plaster fell from the
ceilings, and widespread devastation pre-
vailed.
In many Instances people were thrown
from their beds by the shock. and the air
was rent with cries Of terror as they rushed
into the streets, parents with children in
their arms, children leading aged parents,
the younger helping the older, all feeling
that their only chance for safety was the
open street. The Vatican, solid as are its
foundations, was terribly shaken, and
number of the famous historical stained
glass windows in the old buildings were
shattered. Many of the old palaces and
churches suffered greatly. Never before
had Rome been so severely shaken, and
there was general feeling that the city
was visited by terrific earthquake. A
second shock was looked for, and people
fell on their knees and prayed aloud.
Finally quiet was in degree restored.
and it became known that an immense pow
der magazine at Pozze Pantaleo, about two
and half miles distant from the city, had
exploded. The magazine contained 250 tons
of powder, and for distance of one-third Of
a mile all around the destruction was COM
plete. How it was caused will never be
known. A fort was near by. filed with
soldiers and 1t is reported that the officer in
command, hearing rumbling sound, ordered
the soldiers 10 leave the fort hastily, which
they did. thereby averting terrible disas-
ter. number of peasants who were pass
ing the magazine at the time were killed and
many others injured.
The first fright over thousands flocked to
Pozze Pantaleo to view the ruins and to
don of soldiers had been thrown around
each place to keep the crowd back. Mean
while King Humbert and his military staff.
accompanied by the Italian Premier, the
Marquis di Rudini, and all the members of
the Italian Cabinet, left the city for the
scene of the disaster to lend such aid as is
in their power toward rescuiAg the wounded
and caring for the dead.
Two officers and 120 civilians have been
taken to the various hospitals, King Hum
bert using his own carriage as an ambu-
lance to convey the sufferers to a place OF
refuge. No definite estimate can yet be
made of either the number of killed or
wounded The races, which were to have
come off this afternoon, have been post
pOned in consequence Of the terrible ca
lamity.
The official report made In the Chamber
of Deputies this afternoon says that seven
persons were killed and forty-eight injured
at the scene of the y~losion. and that about
200 persons in the city were more or less
hurt. The explosion was purely accidental.
and the rumOrs that it was Of anarchist
origin are without foundation.