The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1915-01-16
'OUA"E IN ITALY
KILLS 10000
Town Of AV'zzennO is virtu-
ally Destroyed
ROME AND NAPLES SUFFER
Many Antique Structures Are Ruined
and Destruction Is Widespread
Through Central Italy.

and Destruction Is Widespread
Through Central Italy.
A terrific earthquake shook Rome
and the whole of central Italy, causing
a loss of lives estimated al 10000.
The town OF Avezzeno was virtually
destroyed, the dead being estimated
at about 5000. One thousand persons
escaped from the ruins, but most of
them were Injured.
In Rome the earthquake was the
most terrific the city has experienced.
1t lasted several seconds and caused
a serious panic, people everywhere
rushing in terror from their houses.
Many buildings, some of historic in
terest, were damaged by the shock.
No lives were lost so far as could be
learned.
Among the old buildings damaged
was the Palazzo Chigi, as we'll as the
famous column of Marcus Aurelius.
At a point about half way up the col
m had been broken and twisted.
1t was at least six inches from its
u oO aAlos nC thiLlCIoO DlOuAC otdtuO
of st. Paul on top of the colmun also
inclines to one side.
Historic buildings on the Piazza Co
lonna, In the center of Rome, also
were damaged, as was also the ia
nous Farnese palace, occupied by the
French embassy. Here a piece of the
stone cornice had fallen.
VI l-If,. - H. o. -
drea is in danger of falling, and the
building has been surrounded by a
Gordon of police to prevent the PEG.
pie from approaching it.
So violent was the shock that the
dome of the church of ST. Charles
Cattinari was cracked.
A large piece of the cornice of the
Jesuit church of st. Ignatius broke
and fell with a crash, which added
to the fright of the persons in the
neighborhood.
A colossal statue at the Basilica of
st. John in L~ateran, which occupied
a position visible from many parts of
Rome, fell and was shattered on the
steps of the ediice.
Ceilings in many of the houses fell,
a number of persons being injured
thereby.
Several street car lines suspended
operations.
AS the day wore on and details be.
gain to arrive in Rome, it was appar
ent that the disturbance in the prov
ince of Rome and the Abruzzi had
been greater than at first believed and
that it also had been felt severely in
the region around Naples.
At Monte Rotondo three persons
were killed and two wounded; at Ia.
gerolo the dome of a church fell; at
Galiano part of the cathedral was
wrecked; at Veroli two persons were
killed and two injured; at fivoli one
person was killed; at Pereto five
houses collapsed, and at Poggio Ma.
two one person was killed and sew.
eral were injured.
Thus far it has been impossible to
communicate with the ancient fort.
fed city of Aquila, in the Abruzzi,
owing to the interruption of the tele.
graph service. 1t is reported, how.
ever, that several villages were de.
stroyed in that vicinity.
In Tore Cajeani, about thirty-seven
miles east of Rome, almost the entire
village was destroyed, while at Ar.
nara the municipal building collapsed.
From numerous places In the at
fected districts calls for doctors and
medicine are reaching Rome.
Pope Benedict was reciting the
thanksgiving after the morning mass
when the shock occurred. The pontifi
retained his composure and gave or
ders Immediately that the damage,
both inside and outside the Vatican
be ascertained and requested a report
whether assistance was required.
King Victor Emmanuel also order
ed the minister of the interior to give
him all details of the earthquake. The
king expressed a desire to visit the
damaged cities.
At the capitol two magnificent can
dlesticks fell and were broken.