The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-12-20
VENICE BOMB
RAIDS VERY
DESTRUCTIVE
According to an Associated
Press Correspondent Who
Observes the Ruins.

portunity to see the destructive effect
of the bomb raids on Venice was
given today to the Associated Press,
when an inspection under otlicia!
escort was made OF the havoc and
ruin in the famous old church OF the
Scalzi, one of the art monuments
OF the world, now wreck with its
roof blown of. its massive walln
tottering, and the famous ceiling
fresco by Tiepolo, valued at mil
lion francs. lying in heaps OF rub
blsh in the ruins Of the building.
There have been three bomb raids
on Venice, but this was the worst.
and the historic church bore the
full brunt of it.
Approaching the massive edifice
one sees gaping hole in the roof.
extending from front to rear. The
facade, fronting the Grand canal is
intact. and three sculptured figures
stnding along the cornice remain I'M
touched. But back Of the figures the
roof says away in curved line
downward and then up again to tho
rear wall, as though some giant hand
mad reached down and torn out the
whole top of the church, leaving only
the front and the rickety side walls
still intact. Workmen can be seen
high above beginning the work OF sal
wage and repair. and heavy timbers
are being laced across the gaping
hole left by the bomb.
Havoc and Ruin.
Entering the historic church a
scene OF havoc and ruin Is presented
twisted beams and arches, panels
and columns OF albaster crushed into
bits and lying around in heaps, the
richly carved pulpit blown to pieces
with only faint outline OF It's former
wonders remaining. and above the
roof wide open to the sky, with the
wonderful frescos OF Tiepolo dump
ed In huge masses OF debris on the
stone pavement. Faint edges OF the
grand old frescos still cling to the
side walls. giving some idea OF the
beauties of the work torn away. Sl1
enormous arches spanned the edifce
meeting in the middle, and giving an
intervening space for these frescos.
Not a vestige remains of the main
subjects, the visit Of the Virgin to
Lorreto, containing hundreds of Bibli-
cal and allegorlcal figures, the rag
ged edges showing only cloud eff
fects and the background with few
figures. The high altar with spiral
alabaster columns and rich decora-
lions, is not touched. and another
curious feature is that the electric
candles circling the church are un-
disturbed. the electric bulbs shining
as brightly as ever. But with these
two exceptions-the high altar far
in the rear. and the circling candles
Everything is ruin, frescoed CELL
Ing, inlaid marble sidewalks, sculp-
lures, confessionals, memorial tablets
baptistry, and marble masaic pave
mental lying about in fragments.
1t was about IL o'clock In the
morning when the explosion occur
red. This was the busy hour. when
the goudolas were crowdlng the
Gran canal, and the Venetians were
shopping and marketing. Suddenly
single monoplane was seen in the
northern sky, coming from. the direc-
ton OF the Austrian frontier. It was
lying very high-about $500 me-
tiers. People at first did not re-
cognize this speck as an enemy bent
on destruction. Soon, however, the
steam syren at the arsenal gave
long wail-the signal of warning
and the people scattered to cellars
and any available cover. The aero
plane was now in full view, heading
straight for the big railway station OF
Venice, the center Of network OF
railway connections. Just above the
station the aeroplane began to circle
round and round. Clearly 1t was CO.
Ing to bomb the station. But at
$500 meters height the aim is not
good. and besides there was mist
adding to the difficulties of sure
shot. Down came the bomb-people
could see It fall-but instead of the
station 1t struck square on top of
the famous old church. 1t did not
explode Immediately as 1t struck the
roof. Instead. 1t made clean hole
through the roof, and then, shooting
downwards, exploded Just above and
in front Of the pulpit.
Internal Explosion.
This internal explosion is what
caused the terrible destruction, as
besides the flying fragments of the
bomb and It's shrapnel contents, the
sudden expansion of air in the con-
fined interior of the church literally
lifted the roof from the supporting
walls and blew It skyward. One side
of the roof was bent over to the
right. the other to the left, beams
and arches crashing upward and
and over. while masses of debris set
tied down between the walls. The
frescoed ceiling had disappeared in
an instant. Particles of the bomb
dug deep into the alabaster facing
the walls, cracking and wrenching the