Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-02-14
Correspondence Of the Charleston Is. c. News.
Exp!o.ion of a Sandman War steamer-More than
1000 Persons Killed and Wounded



{ a dreadful caias .aphe has occurred
here. | suppose | shall never again wit
ness such a sight. | was on nv way to
my hotel at nine o'clock, and while stop
/ ping a moment 10 observe the numerous
steamers IN port, a detonauOn, surprising
eIther that OF thunder or cannon, startled
me, and a cloud OF smoke arose from
among the steamers that were riding at
anchor, awaiting the embarkaiion of ;he
/ 81 c0rpS q 'armee As soon as the smoke
had dispersed, "A raging fire was seen
streaming from the deck OF the magnifi-
cent steamer Geneva, belonging to Victor
/ Emanuel, and chartered 10 the Spanish
government for The war. The air was
/ filed with cries and shouts Of those on
/ BOARD
The steamer had jus, arrived. and had
not enurely inoored, her main anchor
only being out. In the space Of minute
hundreds OF row boats were alongside TO
receive the passengers and take in those
who had jumped ovorbUard. Shortly
they arrived on shore, tut many awfully
iuiured-so serious thai In few DAYS al
ter they died Ia The hospital. Some
landed without shirts. others without
pants, having been forced 10 tear them
oil on account OF the fire ; many of the
poor creatures had no hair left on Iheir
heads Ia the space of five or ten min
utes not a single person remained on
board the burning vessel, and an order
was given 10 the thousands of spectators
present, as we'll as 10 the inhabitants of
the adjacent houses, TO escape, for there
was imminent danger.
The detonation was caused by the ex-
plosion Of grenadoes placed in the stern,
where there were yet remaining many
more, and afl Of them We're hundreds OF
loaded bombs and over twelve tons Of
gunpowler. Two Spanish steamers were
ordered to attach lines aud tow her out if
possible, or a; least free her from amongst
the others, over thirty Ia number, besides
many more sailing vessels. After much
trouble the two steamers commenced tow
ing her, but could only get her out TO the
distance OF about fifty Yards, or the
length Of the main anchors chain. Du-
ring all his time dreadful explosion OF
more grenadors were taking place. The
lwo steamers that were propelllng found
all their efforts useless 10 drag 'he anchor,
ana were Obliged 20 abandon her III the
very mlddi. u a. !,arhar.
The fire was raging intensely, and
fast making lis way aft 10 the bombs and
Twelve TONS Of guuPoWder. After some
loss oi time, a Spanish ma --o.-war was
placed at as short is auce from the wreck
ani comm II ed d heavy discharge Of
cannon tall 10 sink her, bul nearly an
hour passed before The steamer appeared
10 feel in the least any effect; and as the
danger was increasing from minute 10
minute, four cannons were posted on one
end Of the Mole, ana another mau-of-
var assisted, when, finally, the wreck
gradually settled down. The mainmast
had already been consumed, 50 that the
lile had bul Il short distance to reach The
after magazine.
IL nearly half an hour more the great
danger had nearly passed, for amid the
tremendous explosion of grenadoes that
had not ceased from the commencement,
another sound was hpard-that occasioned
by the struggle between the two ele-
men,s, but the fire was soon after sub
dued, and the water covered the decks
All was oversize had gone down, show
ing only the end Of her bowsprli and fore
mast. Besides much material Of war,
there were 200 mules belonging to the
government. There is a complete loss
of everything, not even any OF the bag
gage beng saved. Searches have been
made with u diving machine, and not
yestige Of anything was found.
| have seen numbers of the wounded
there are over 2,091 in the hospitals Of
Malaga.