Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-11-06
In Heaps in the Streets Of San.
tander, Spain.
BODIES IDEsTIFED BY HUNDREDS
And Nrmbe: That Will Never Be
Known Hurled Into the Waters
Of the Bay.
SCENE OF IMOescRIsAsLe HORROR

A Shtpload 0f Dynamite ExplOdea, Throw
ing Bedies, Parts q DodSes, lrsa, wsoa
and Other Debris HigA In the Air-A
Rain of Destruction Follows = Fire
Threatens the City with Devastation
FrigAtfal Death and Havo~-One Hum
dred People Go Ravins Ssad-Loss OF
Life variously Stated at from 500 to
Thousands.
MADRID, Nov. 6-ICopyright. 1893. by
the Associated Press. 1.-The terrible disas-
ter which has wrecked the port of Santan-
sent a thrill Of horror throughout Spain.
Telegraphic communication with the death
and fire-stricken locality has not yet been
reopened, and the particulars concerning
the horrible calamity reach here in drib
lets and by a roundabout way. such as dis
patches from outlying towns. The Asso-
cia;ed Press however, is enabled to fur
nish what is regarded in this capital rs
complete story Of the disaster so TAR as
known. Every piece of news which reaches
Madrid not only confirms the most sensa
tional reports but pictures the disaster in
more vivid colors than hitherto portrayed.
Done by Contraband Dy Mantle.
The story OF this great disaster in brief
is as follows: The Cabo Machichaco a
Spanish steamship belonging to Bilboa,
caught fire Friday afternoon while the
steamer was alongside the quay discharg-
ing part OF her cargo, which comprised
nearly 1000 tons of merchandise, though
the main part of this cargo was iron ore
and number of sacks of -four, barrels of
wine, many cases Of petroleum and over
500 cases of dynamite OF which only twen-
, ty cases We're declared on the steamer s
manifest. The remaining $50 cases of dyna-
mite were contraband, aud to the shame
: of the shippers Of this contraband dyna-
mite IL has caused immense loss Of life
and vastdamaEe to property.
| Removed Tweaty CAses of Explosive.
Flames broke Gu, from the coal bunkers
and soon ragged so fiercely as to be beyond
control Of the ships crew though the latter
promptly look steps to smother the flames.
! Tuey failed and called on the local aut hor.
ities for help and the fire department and
civic guard responded, headed by local
municipal officials. Tue provincial gov.
the spot. displayed the greatest activity
in directing the operations, and upon
learning that the ships manifest showed
that there were twenty cases of dynamite
on board had it all taken ashore.
Crowds rarons the Scene OF Peril
\ tug WAS then summoned and ordered
to tow the vessel out cf danger Of setting
fire 10 the what. and buildings thereon
| Meantime thousands of people has
gathered at tie quay and on the street,
contiguous. The fire from the ship.
bunkers spread quickly and ignited tn,
petroleum which formed part OF the carg,
which the authorities had for some reaso,
or other failed TO remove when the twent,
case, of dynamite were taken ashore A
about i:s0 p. IN. a detonation on boar,
s owed, as it afterwards turned out, tha
the boilers had burst, and soor after thec
was another terrible detonation heard.
Rained Death On the ThrOng.
| The steamer seemed to open in half
sending blaze OF fire skyward, over which
crown OF smoke rested for several min
utes. A report of such awful intensity
was heard that it shook the earth for mile
around, caused houses to totter. smashed
every window within the radius of riff
shot, filled the air with mass Of hyin;
iron, burning wood, blackened timbers
and scorched beams, which soon after fell
q dea; h-deaiing hail, upon the neighbor
ing hou -es, scattering death and destruc
tion wherever it crashed downward.
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