The Bessemer indicator., 1893-11-11
HUNDREDS OF LIVES LOST.
A Vessel Loaded with Dynamite Catches
Fire at tho Wharf At sADtandsr
spain, and tho Explosion
Causen FrtEhtfhi


Fire at tho wharf at sADtAndsn
spain. and tho Enpiosicn
Cause. FriHhtfhi
Tragedy.
Shntander a small seaport on the Bay OF
BIscay, on the northwest coast OF Spain was
The scene OF mn awful catastrophe A full
statement OF the number of lives Lost can
probably never be given, but 1t is known that
several hundred people were killed.
| The Cabo Machichaco, u Spanish ste amship
belonging to Bilboa, caught fire at about
o'clock p. m. on the Bird while the steamer
whs alongside the quay discharging part OF
her cargo, which comprised nearly 1900 tons
of merchandise, though the main part of this
| cargo was iron orc and a numLer nj etekh OF
flour, barrels OF wir-' m-n5 Gases OF petroleum
md or-- ST cases of dynamite, of which only
twenty cases were declared on the steamers
manifest The remaining 4So cases OF dyna.
| mite were conirabAnd and, to the shame of
the shipper. OF this contrnband dynamite, 4.
has eaused immense loss OF life and vast dsn,-
| Age TO property. This dynamite was con-
/ cealed under the Iron.
The fre was first discovered In the coal
bunkcrs and 1t is said to have been duo
either to spontaneous combustion or to some
carelcssne.s on the part of the engineers or
| frcmcn Flames broke out from the bunkers
at about the hour mentioned and soon ragged
go hercely as to be beyond the control OF tho
| ships crew, though the latter promptly took
steps To smother the fire. Finally, seeing
the tre was spreading in the bunkcrs, and
that the smoke was. driving the crew from
| below, the local authorities were notified the
FIRE department and detachment OF The eisic
guards being sent 10 the scene. Leading
municipal sisthoritics headed the iiremcn and
guards in the effort made to save the steamer.
| The provincial governor who was one OF tho
lrst to reach the spot, displayed the greatest
activity in directing the operations, and upon
learning that there were twenty cases OF
dynamite on board, tie frcmen were directed
TO assist the crew In bringing this quantity of
explosive matter ashore. This was done in
safety.
| 1t was believed no more dynamite remained
on board, and at 80, a tug, which had been
hastily summoned to the spot, was ordered to
tow the burning vessel out into the bay in
order that the aames might not communicate
to the wharf nnd to adjoining property, but
before this could be done m explosion on
board showed, as 1t afterwards turned out,
that the boilers had burst and soon aftcrward
there was another terrible detonation heard.
| The steamer seemed to open in half, sending
| u blaze of fire skywnrd, over which crown
| OF smoke rested for several minutes. A re-
port OF such awful intensity was heard that it
shook the earth for miles around, caused
| houses to totter, smashed every window pane
within the radius OF n rifle shot, filled the air
with mass OF aying, buEning wood, black
ened timbers aud scorchci beams which soon
\ after fell, death-dcalng hail, upon the
Il
struction wherever 1t crushed downward The
scene following the blowing up OF the steam
er is almost indescrlbablc, and the effect OF
the explosion Of these $50 cases OF dyn.mlte
will hardly be believed. The power of the
explosion shot tons Of iron into the air, where
IT mingled with the burning fragments OF the
steamship, the Iron and wooden quay aud the
bodies of hundreds of the unfortunate people
who were hurled upward at the came time,
and the falling OF the burning mass can be
better Imagined than described.
The quay and promenade close 10 the scene
of the explosion presented the most -ickening
sight ever witnessed. Mangled and blnckened
corpses were scattered here and there in
heaps, in many case. among the dying and
wounded, from whom frghtful shrieks of
agony filed the air and struck terror TO the
sufficient courage to venture near the carnage
around. Over a hundred people are saId to
have been precpitated Into the sea by tho ex-
ploslon, and there, beneath this hail Of iron
and wood, they met death with the crews of
the unfortunate steamer and the tugboat
which was about TO tow her into the bay.
Aboard the tug were many citizens who were
helping the rescue. All OF them have dlsap-
peared forever.
1t is stated that when the fire broke out the
captain OF the Transatlantic steamer Alfonso
MI. ordered her steam launch to be lowered
aud manned by nearly all hls otiicera and
crew whom he sent 10 the assistance of the
burning steamer. The steam launch with the
crew of the Alfonso MI. on board arrived
alongside the Cnbo Machichaco just moment
before the latter vessel blew up, anu conse-
qucntly they were blown TO atoms with the
crew OF the dynamite steamer.
Nothing In the shape Of attempting to
qucnch the flames was done for long time
after the disaster, as the people were too
panic-stricken to attempt to do anything, but
ran about In thousands and abandoned their
homcs after the explosion. All the stores
were closed and the energies Of the people
seemed to be at stand-tili for long time
u
SO prostrnted that their death ia anticipated
as the result Of the fright sustained. large
number OF persons are reported TO have gone
stark mad.
The cities of valladolid, Burgess, Bllboa and
Barcelona were quickly aroused by the up-
peals for assistance and Immediately took
steps to do everything possible to assist the
stricken city. Fire engines, physicians, med
lelnes and food were sent from the cities mem
toned, aud nothing was left undonc 10 re-
heve the distress. Large forces OF troops
were also dispatched to santander, the SOL
diers rendering most valuable assistance in
the work OF salvage aud rescue.
Fifty private houses were burned. In sd-
uit!on to these losses several important public
| buildings and valuable archives were burned.
| The material losses chiefly consist of tho
great number OF houses burned, and which
are valued at s2, 500, 900. They were m ,sIly
insured.
Divers, who have explored the bottom Of
| the bay In various places, found many human
! bodies According to official kilograms tho
| latest accounting shows 200 persons snre
| Killed and 450 In ured. One hundred aad
twenty-five bodies have been identified. And
| buried.
Refused One Hair Million.
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| ly refused syndicate offer of one-hnlf million
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office, 10 Randolph street, They print book
called Don't Tobacco Spit and Smoke Your