The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-07-15
BELL TOWER COLLAPSES
ONE OF THE SIGHTS OF VENICE
NO MORE.
After Standing for Centuries the
Campanile Totters and is Pre-
cipitated to the Ground.
Inhabitants Alarmed,

Venice, July 14-The Campanile (de-
tached bell tower of st. Marks Church
collapsed at 1910 o'clock this morning and
fell with a crash into the plaza.
The Campanile, which was entirely de-
tached from the cathedral, collapsed
where it stood. and is now a heap of
rEius.
The cathedral and palace of the Doges
are quite safe. but corner of the royal
palace was damaged. Repairs on the
Campanile were to have been commenced
today.
1t is feared there was some loss of
life.
The ruins are surrounded by a Gordon
of troops.
The first intimation of danger was the
sudden appearance yesterday of longi-
tudinal crack in the corner of the wall
facing the clock tower and the breaking
of two windows. A concert which had
been arranged to be held on the plaza
yesterday evening was stopped by order
of the Project, with the object of pre-
venting a concourse of people.
A little before the collapse, a noise of
falling stones within the bell tower warn
ed the shop-keepers, workmen and tour
lists of the impending disaster. and all
fed for their lives, crying: THE Cam
panile is falling" when the disaster was
comprehended Venetians were seen in
the streets bemoaning the destruction
of one of the oldest art treasures in the
kingdom. Four of Sansovino's statues
of Venetian mobiles were demolished in
the Sansovino Liggetta. while a beauti-
full example of a Paul Veronese painting
was destroyed 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 35 feet, just
escaping the column supporting the south
angle of the cathedral and thus averting
a more serious disaster.
The fall of the tower produced a thick
red dust which spread like a hanging
cloud over the city. This. with the rum
bling. volcanic noise. startled the inhabi-
tants of the most remote suburbs. Tous-
ands of soldiers and police aided in al
laying the panic. 1t is expected that a
subscription will be raised at the meet
ing of the City Council tonight to dupli-
cate the original tower.
The Campanile stood opposite the
Chuch of Cathedral of ST. Marks. 1t was
founded in SSs, restored in 1929, provided
with a marble top in 1H7 and 1917 was
crowned with the figure of an angel near
" 16 feet high. The loggetta or vestibule
on the east side of the Campanile was
once a rendezvous of the nobilla and af-
forwards a waiting room for the guards
during the sessions of the great council.
There were bronze statues of Peace Apol-
10 Mercury and Pallas on the coping of
the Campanile and its fine bronze work
was much admired. At the top of the
tower a fire Waterman with a telescope
was continually stationed.
The ruins are piled up to height Of
too fet and the Plaza di San Marco and
the adjoining squares are covered with
debris and dust. Some damage was done
to the San Sovino loggetta or vestibule
on the east side Of the Campanile.
Closer investigation shows that the
campanila in falling carried away the
sansovinologette and the library of the
royal palace Premonitory signs OF the
collapse allowed a partial clearance of
the plaza and there were no fatalities, but
few persons were injured The coun-
ellis have been summoned to meet this
evening.