The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-20
FLORENCE WILD WITH FEAR.
THE CITY SHAKEN By SEVERE
SHOCKS OF EARTHQUAKE.

Audiences Rush From the Theafers
in Panic and People Flee From
Their Houses Into the Streets-A
Number of Houses Destroyed and
Four Persons Killed in the Suburbs
Loaded Omnibus Overturned at
Grassina.
Florence, May 19.-The population of this
ritv was thrown into state of panic last
night by a series Of earthquakes that did
much damage here and in other places.
People who were in their houses when the
FIRST shock came ran terror stricken into
the streets. The shocks were so violent
that houses swayed like ships in a seaway
and in a number of cases roofs fell in, in
turing many persons who had not sought
safety in fight.
The widest scenes were at the theaters,
where performances We're going on as US
nal The first shock caused those in the
audiences to look wonderingly at each
other. Then the earth swayed again, and
amid shouts Of earthquake" the crowds
made wild rushes for the exits. Mad with
terror. no respect was shown for the
women. weak. or aged. and in the crush
many were badly hurt. Upon reaching
the streets the crowds from the theatres
met those who had fed from their DWELL
ines and the excitement that ensued made
confusion worse confounded.
At Grassina, a suburb of Florence, the
shocks were very violent. The extent of
the earthquake may be judged from the
fact that a loaded omnibus was overturn-
ed. Twelve residents Of Grassina were
hurt
A number of persons refused to re-enter
their houses during the night. They re-
mained on the streets until after daylight
this morning. Many OF them took shelter
in vehicles. After the first severe shocks
there We're repeated lighter ones.
The seismic disturbances We're felt at
Lucca, Pontedera and generally through
out Tuscany. The center of the movement
was at Florence, where for very many
years nothing similar has occurred.
Around Florence number of houses
We're destroyed, and four persons were
killed
The Prince of Naples, the crown prince
who is residing in the royal palace here
visited several points during the night,
inspecting the damage that had been done.
At I o'clock this morning he started for
Grassina,
AT Lapaggi, a village near Grassina,
forty houses were completely wrecked. A
sad feature of the disaster at this place
was the finding of the body Of young
mother, with her infant clasped to her
heart. crushed to death beneath the falling
walls Of her home.
Great damage was done in Florence. To-
day an investigation was made by the
municipal authorities, who estimate that
300l houses were damaged. The cathe-
dral, an imposing example of Italian
Gothic architecture, and probably the
most remarkable building of its kind in
Europe, was somewhat damaged.
The director of the observatory, of whom
many anxious inquiries were made to-day,
does not venture to prophesy as to a re-
currence of the disturbance, but further
shocks are feared.
The seismic manifestation of last night
was the most violent that Florence has
known since 1445, the earthquake of 1150,
which is historical in the annals of the
city, having been slighter.
The population of the city are awed by
the disaster. Crowds wander about the
streets their only topic of conversation
being the shocks. Everybody is anxious
ly awaiting the coming of the night, the
fear being general that the shocks will
then again occur. Many persons have
entirely abandoned their homes and intend
TO pass the night in places where there
VIII be no danger of buildings falling upon
them
A dispatch received this evening from
Naples, the scene of so many disastrous
earthquakes, says there has been no dis
turhance in that district.
So far as known now the disaster was
worse at Grassina
Shocks were felt at Siena, Pisa, Pla-
centia and Bologna concurrent with those
IN this city. The Prince of Naples remain
ed all day at Grassina