The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-06
Terrific Dynamite Explosion at San
tander in Spain.
THE CITY NEARLY WRECKED
Thousands of Persons We're Watching .
Burning Wreck When Five Hundred
Cases of Dynamite Exploded Causing
Frightui isIaughter-City Set ON Fire.

and destroyed hundreds OF lives has sent
thrill Of horror through Spain. The
story Of this great disaster in brief Is as
follows:
The Cabo Machichaco, a Spanish steam
ship, belonging TO Bilbao, caught fire at
about O'clock on Friday. After willis
the steamer was alongside the quay dis
charging her cargo, which comprised
nearly 1000 tons OF different merchandise,
though the main part Of this cargo was
iron ore I'd number of sacks OF -four,
barrels OF wine, many eases OF petroleum
and over 500 cases of dynamite, OF which
only 20 cases were declared on the steam
er's manifest, the remaining $50 cases OF
dynamite being contraband.
The fire was first discovered in the coal
bunkers and ragged so fercey as to be be.
yond the control Of the entire ships crew.
Finally the local authorities were notified,
and the fire department and . detachment
of the civic guard were sent TO the scene.
The provincial governor, upon learning
that the ships manifest showed that there
were 20 cases of dynamite on board,
directed the firemen TO assist the crew In
bringing this quantity of explosive mate
rial ashore. This was done in safety. 1t
was believed that no more dynamite re-
mained on board on the Cabo Machichaco,
aud a tug was ordered TO tow the burning
vessel out into the bay that the flames
might not come to the wharf and to ad-
joining property.
The Explosion.
In the meantime thousands of people
had crowded down to the quay and
thronged the promenades contiguous to
it, At about 4:30 D. m. detonation on
board the steamer showed that the boilers
had burst, and soon after that there was
another detonation, and the steamer
seemed to open in halves. A blaze shot sky
ward, over which crown Of smoke rested
for several minutes Then report of such
awful intensity was heard that it shook
the earth for miles around. caused houses
TO totter, smashed every window in the
radius of rifle shot, filled the air with an
immense mass of flying iron, burning
wood, blackened timbers and scorched
beams, which soon after fell like death
dealing hail upon the neighborhood, scat
tering death and destruction wherever it
crushed downward
The scene following the blowing up Of
the steamer Machichaco is almost indescrib-
able. The power Of the dynamite shot tons
of iron into the air, where it mingled with
the burning fragments of the steamship,
tug and wooden quay, as well as with the
mangled bodies of hundreds of unfortu-
nate people who were hurled upward at
the same time, and the falling of this hor-
tible mass can be better imagined than
described.
Over the adjoining buildings. tottering
with wreckage, fell shower Of iron, fol-
lowed by huge pieces of wood and the re-
mains of human bodies, and above all
crashed flaming splinters, which set fire to
hundreds of buildings.
A Hundred Craft Sunk.
The force OF the exploding dynamite
caused such ccncussons that, in addition
to shaking hundreds Of buildings to their
foundations. it actually sunk 100 small
craft in the harbor, besides setting fire TO
a large number of other vessels and start
ing confaCrations upon several of the
larger ships. including the Alfonso XII,
which vessel caught fire so suddenly and
burned so fiercely that 40 of her crew lost
thei lives on board of her.
The loss to foreign shipping is very
great The effect of the explosion upon
the inhabitqnts Of Santander was be-
For some time after the dis
nster the people were positively stunned
with dismay and horror, and then fol-
lowed panic, during which hundred
people are reported to have gone stark
mad, while the vast majority were so
with fear ana shock that they
were Incapable Of moving to the assistance
of the dying or Of making any effort to
extinguish the flames which sprany up
irom mass Of buildings, aud which be-
,an e. sptead with the most threatening
apidity.
Siciening Scenes
The quay aud promenade close to the
scenc of the explosion presented one Of the
most sickenng sights ever witnessed.
Mangl,d aud blackened corpses were
scattered here and there or were in heaps
with shreds of human bodies
piled In many cases upon the wounded
aud dyinl, whose fearful shricks of agony
filed the air. Over 100 people are said TO
have been preci pitaied into the sea by the
explosion, and there beneath this hail OF
blood, wood and iron they met death with
the crews OF the unfortunate steamer and
the ;uxboat, which was about to tow her
into the bay. On board the tugboat were
many citizens of Santander, who were TAX
Ing part In the work of rescue; all Of them
have disappeared forever
a train from the provinces. which Just
arrived at the railtoad station when the
Cabo Machichaco blew up, experienced the
force Of TIE explosion, was wrecked and
set fire 10, and the majority of Its passen-
gers were burned 20 death before any as
sistance could he furnished them.
Soon after tie explosion whole blocks
upon Mendez Nuncz street, parallel with
ths quay. were blazing, aud other portions
OF the city were Ia flames.
The cities OF VallGdslii. Burgos. Bilbao
and Barcelona were quickly aroused by
appeals Foe assistance aud immediately
took steps 20 assist the stricken city.
Beyond Recognition.
The loss sustained by property owners
and by poor people who had lost their all
through the explosion and fire Is immense.
The loss of life Is not yet determined, but
some hundreds of dead bodies have already
been idenfflsi. white others will never be
recognized from tho mass Of blackened
trunks, heads and limbs which have been
gathered together An heaps around the
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