Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-08-02
THE FAMOUS CAMPANILE.
Remarkable Old Tower That Fell Mt
Venice Recently.

Remarkable Old Tower That Fell nj
| Venice Recently.
| The Campanile, or detached bell-tow-
er, Of st. Marks church. Venice, 322 feet
high, fell with a great crash into the
piazza a few days ago, where it lies a
heap Of ruins says the indianapolis
News. The famous church and the pal
ace of the Doges are safe, but corner
Of the royal palace was damaged Re-
pairs on the Campanile, in which omi-
nous cracks were noticed Sunday, were
to have begun yesterday. The ruins,
surrounded by a Gordon Of troops, are
piled up to height of 100 feet, and the
Piazza di San Marco and the adjoining
squares are covered with debris and
dust.
Investigation shows that the Campa-
nile, in falling, carried away the Sanso-
vino Logetta and the library of the
royal palace. Fortunately, promonitory
signs of the collapse allowed a partial
clearance of the piazza and, conse-
uuently, there were no fatalities, but
a few persons were injured. A little
before the collapse a noise of falling
stones within the bell-tower warned
the shop-keepers, workmen and tourists
Of the impending disaster, and the lat
ter fled for their lives, crying, 1.-THE
Campanile Is falling!" When the dis
aster was comprehended Venetians
were seen in the street bemoaning the
destruction of one of the oldest art
treasures in the kingdom. Four of
Sansovino's statues of Venetian no.
bles were demolished in the Sansovino
loggetta, while beautiful example of
a Paul Veronese painting was Destroy
ed in the palace. The wing Of an angel
from the top Of the bell-tower was
thrown down to the front door of the
cathedral, smashing the Bando column,
which was hurled IS feet, just escaping
the column supporting the south angle
of the cathedral and thus avert;ng a
more serious disaster.
The fall of the tower produced very
thick red dust. which spread like a
hanging cloud over the city. This, with
the rumbling, volcanic noise, startled
the inhabitants of the most remote Sill
burbs. Thousands Of soldiers and po-
lice aided in allaying the panic. The
deputies of Venice have telegraphed 70
the government at Rome for authori-
zation to establish a lottery for the pur-
pose Of raising funds to rebuild the bell
tower.
The municipal council Of Venice has
decided to open a preliminary fund of
500 900 lire (about s1OOOOO for the re-
building Of the Campanile and the San
sovino logetta. A public subscription
will also be opened for the same pur-
pose. Queen Margherita and Count
Won Bulow, the German imperial chan
cellor, have wired expressions of re-
gret.
Prof Belar, head of the seismic OBJ
servatory at Laibach, Austria, Is of the
opinion that the earthquake in Salon.
lea, European Turkey, completed the
destruction of the Campanile, which
had shown the effects of the recent dis
turbances of earth and sea in northern
Italy. Prof. Belar says he noticed a
marked inclination of the Campanile
at Easter.
1t was upon the top of the Campanile
that Calico, in 1909, while on a visit
from the neighboring town Of Padua,
where he was a professor in the univer-
sity, set up the first telescope, and there
under the patronage Of the Doge Do
nato, studied the stars. The tower was
40 feet square at the base and 322 feet
high, including a pinnacle in the shape
Of pyramid, the summit being crown
ed by the figure Of an angel with out
stretched wings. 1t was founded in SSS,
restored in 1929, provided with mar
BILE top in 1417, and in 1517 was crowned
with the figure Of an angel nearly 16
feet high. There were bronze statues
of Peace, Apollo, Mercury and Pallas,
on the coping Of the Campanile, and
it's fine bronze doors were much ad-
mired. At the top of the tower a fire
watchman, with a telescope, was con-
tinually stationed. At sunset mag
nificent spectacle could be witnessed
from its top.
You could climb the tower if you
liked, upon the payment of fee of Is
cents, but you had to take guide with
you-one of the several who were al
ways standing around the entrance.
He pointed out the objects Of interest
within your vision, the narrow, crook
ed streets, which, as you looked down
upon them, did not seem wide enough
for people to pass; the clusters Of tow
ers, domes and red tiled roofs; while
| far away were the snow-topped Alps,
the Euganean hills and the heights of
Istria. You climbed, not by steps, but
by series of inclined planes, and it Is
said that Napoleon. to show his con-
tempt, rode up the Campanile on horse
back, accompanied by two Austrian Of
ficers. He was in the habit of doing
that sort of thing. They tell a similar
story of his climbing the Giralda at Sc
vile. The reason they made strangers
take guides when they ascended the
structure, was to prevent them from
jumping out OF the windows. There