The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-11-07
A THOUSAND KILLED
Detailed Report of the Ex-
plosion at Santander
Friday Last.
FRAGMENTS OF BODIES BURIED.
Divers Refuse to Recover Bodies in
the Bay on Account Of Their
Condition.
BIZ cable to the United Press.

aster at Santander on Friday last show
that the number of dead, missing and
wounded is fully one thousand. The
people have not yet recovered from the
effects of the catastrophe and are entirely
apatherlc. paying no attention to BUSH
ness. but standing about the streets dis
cussing in low tones the awful calamity
that has befallen the city. Men aud
women living near the water front, who
providentially escaped from the wreck,
ing of their homes, can be seen in num-
bers standing near the huge masses of
debris that fill the stree waiting TO
recover the bodies OF those that are
known to be under the ruins. The scenes
everywhere in the vicinity of where the
destruction was wrought by the eXpIod-
Ing dynamite are sad in the extreme, and
whenever body, crushed and mangled
beyond recognition, is removed from the
ruins, heart rending wall goes up from
the women, who fear that The shapeless
mass of flesh may be all that remains OF
one of their loved ones. There is no doubt
that many OF the dead win never be iden-
tifed
M SYMPATHY OF THE QUEEN REGENT.
Sanor Gamazo, Minister of Finance.
who at once sDroceeded from Madrid to
Santander when the extent of the
calamity became known, is doing every
thing Ia his power to awaken the authori-
lies to the fact that they must arouss
themselves aud get about repairing the
damage the city has sustained. AS soon
as he arrived he summoned the town
officials and expressed to them the
sympathy Of the Government.
He also assured them of the sympathy
Of the Queen Regent, who. he said. had
wspt upon hearing of the calamity that
had befallen the thriving city. When
Senior Gamazo saw how helpless the au-
thOrities were in the crisis confronting
them he iu great measure took the ad-
ministration of affairs into his own
hands He telegraphed to Valladolid
ordering that medical stores, nurses ana
other helpers be at once sent 10 San-
tRnder.
A subscription for the relief of the suf :
ferers was started, Senior Gamazo head
lug it with gift of $1,000 on behalf Of
the government.
FRAGMENTS OF BODIES BURIED.
Many of the dead We're buried yester-
day. Among the bodies inferred was tine
headless and mutilated remains of the
Marquis de PomDa. The services were
attended by large crowds OF people. and
many distressing scenes were witnessed.
Many of the fragments of bodies found in
the vicinity of the quay were buried in a
common grave.
DIVERS APPALLED,.
The divers who were employed to re-
cover the bodies in the bay have been SO
appalled, at the number OF the dead aud
the gruesome appearances OF the corpses
that they have refused to continue their
work, and have Dra yed the officials not to
insist upon their carrying GUS their eu-
gagements. the authorities granted
their petition. and now men in boats,
with graphing irons, are employed
in searching for the dead who
were blown into the bay. Some of the
bodies, upon Il cursory examination, show
that death was caused by drowning and
not by the explosion.
Il Is surmtsed that number of per-
sons were rendered partially unconscious
by the explosion and their bodies thrown
far out into the harbor. Tney. of course,
were drowned. for in the terrible com
fusion no Que thought of attempting TO
cave the lives of those thrown into the
water. In fact those near the scene were
thrown into a wild panic, aud had no
thought of saving anyone but them
selves.
TRIED TO sCUTTLE THE SHIP.
Lopez Loriga, Spanish naval officer.
states that when the fire broke ont on the
Cabo Machicaco, he, with a number of
naval officers. went alongside the steamer
lend their aid iu extinguishing the flames.
it was impossible to fight the fire with
the means at hand, gave orders
that the steamer be towed
from the quay and scuttled. The
fire spread $50 rapidly, however, that 1t
was impossible to get towing lines fast to
the steamer. Then the commander Of
the port ordered that the steamer bs sunk
alongside the quay. Her sea cocks were
opened. allowing water to flow inro her.
but the water entered slowly. The YES
sci began to sink by the head, but in tile
meantime the fire continued to spread
AFT, burning fiercely. The captain of the
steamer Alfonso XII, seeing that it would
take considerable time for the vessel to
sink, entered launch with number Of
his men, carrying tools to cut through
the plates of the Cabo Machicaco for the
purpose of giving free access to the
water.
THE EXPLOSION.
At this time Senior Loriga left the quay
for a few moments. He pushed his way
through the crowd that had gathered to
witness the novel spectacle OF a steamer
on fire. aud was behind q cart, fifty
yards distant from the quay when
the explosion occurred. He says he
remembers q terrific roar, and then
he fell. half stunned, under the cart.
He does not doubt that the vehicle saved
his life, for. as he fell. shower OF rails,
bars, joists and other wrecKags passed
through the air where he had been stand
ing, moving down the spectators like
blades of grass.
The Cabo Macnicaco for an instant was
lifted clean out of the water. The for
ward part of her hull warped around
and curved toward the stern, and, falling
back into the bay, she sank. The craft
lying in her vicinity heeled over with
immense holes blown in their sides, and,
as they righted, quickly filed and sank.
HORRIBLE SCENE.
| Senior Lorlga adds that wien he re-
gained full possession OF his senses he
found the dead aud dying lying around
| him in every direction. Buildings along
the water front had been wrecked, and
! as he looked he saw pumber of them
tottering to their fall as the frightened
inmates, with terror pictured on
J their faces, sought to make
! their escape. In some cases the
| fleeing inmates had almost reached
| pl ces OF safety when hundreds OF tons
| of stone and brick came toppling upon
them, aud their cries of fear were suuA
denly hushed beneath the debris. The
air was momentarily darkened with
clouds OF dust, aud then long tongues OF
flame assembled from the wrecked build
ings, and in few minutes the whole
| water front In the vicinity of the
| ex losfon was mass OF fire.
The scene Il at followed posses descrip-
II ~. Tbe houses that were left staudink Z
had every window smashed. Roofs,
many of them OF tiles had disappeared,
| q little but the wal 8 OF The houses were
eft standing. Men, women and child IN.
frantic with fea.. ran aimlessiy to aud
fra, rging, screaming aud VIII glng their