Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-11-10
AWFUL DISASTER.
Three Hundred Persons Killed
By an Explosion in Spain.
LOO HOUSES BURNED.
No One Knew that the EXPLOSIVE
Was on the Vessel-The Wharr,
Crowded with People, Raised
in the Air-The Sh p'S Anchor
Hurled into the Town.

inthe Air-The Sh p'S Anchor
Hurled Into the Town.
The steamship Cabo Machcaco, from BIZ
bao with a cargo OF dynymite, lying at
quay in santander, Spain, took fire Friday
evening. An explosion followed which re-
suited In the killing of about three hundred
persons, including the governor, prefect,
chief OF police, two judges, twenty-seven
civic guards, and the whole police force ex-
cept two members
The bodies OF 1865 persons had been recov>
cred SO far. Many persons are missing. One
hundred and ninety persons are under treat
menr for injuries. The damage to property
amounts to several million francs.
A train which was entering the station
when the explosion occurred was set on fro
BY flying pieces Of burning wood. The sta
ton began to burn moment later. The sta"
tion master was burnt to death and many
passengers were sufocated Dozens OF per-
sons living near the Bay Of Biscay. fled from
their burning houses and in terror threw
themselves into the water.
The steamship was discharging 2,c0o tons
of iron and many barrels Of petroleum and
-four and several wine casks. The captain
had declared only twenty cases Of dynamite.
Otherwise he had rot been allowed to dock.
The fire stated at o'clock Friday afternoon
in the coal buukers. The custom officers
and police hastened to removed the p casks
OF dynamite, which soon were landed at q
safe distance from the vessel A tug was
then chartered to tow the Cambo Machicaco
seaward. Meantime desperate efforts had
been made to quench the flames. The
captain and crew of the steamer Alfonso tho
Twelfth boarded the burning vessel to help
fight the flames. They worked for an hour
and q half without success. At the end OF
that time the FIRE reached the petroleum.
Then came a series of awful explosions as
the flames flew from barrel to barrel OF Pc
troeum until they reached the contraband
dynamite. The tug had just been moore1
alongside the vessel and many townspeople
had gone abroad, either to satisfy their curl
osity or to help extinguish the fire.
"Then came the explosion Of the dynamite.
All on board the Cabo Machicaco and many
along the dock were blown to atoms. The
tug vanished. The quay, with its enormous
crowd OF spectators, rose slowly In the air.
The people were scattered in every direction
into the sea and on the land. Firebrands
fell in showers over sea and land for a radius
OF mile and a half.
The Cabo Machicaco's anchor was hurled
800 yards and fell on the balcony of house,
which 1t completely wrecked, 1t then sank
deep in the pavement below. The shock was
felt in every part OF the city. Houses rocked
to their foundations, and more than one
hundred were set on fire by falling fire.
brands.
The destruction in the harbor was equally
appalling. The launch Of the steamer Al
fonso XI., which was lying alongside and
contained all the crew not aboard the Mach
icaco vanished with the others. The sur
vivors ashore fed shrieking, leaving the
promenade adjoining the quay strewn with
dead and dying and mangled remnants OF
human bodies.
Wherever the terrified fugitives turned
they met only frightful destruction. Horror
was added to horror in the wrecked and
burning buildings, from which came piteous
cries for help. Many of the fugltives were
thrown down and trampled upon. Numbers
are said to have lost their reason The people
were too panic stricken 10 think OF anything
but saving their own or their relatives lives
and ignored their Turning property.
When at last few persons with some
presence OF mind collected it was at once
resolved to telegraph an appeal for help to
the government and to the municipal au-
thorities OF other cities. Every available
surgeon was summoned to the scene, and
such supplies OF medicines, stimulants, ban
dages, &C., as could be hurriedly collected
we're distributed where they could do the
most good.
When night fell the sky luridly reflected
the fires burning fercely in various parts OF
the city, Mendez Nunez street, running
parallel with the quay, was ablaze from end
to end. In the binding light and heat tbs
bands Of rescuers were collected to extrlcate
the dead and wounded. On every side were
scenes of indescribable confusion and over
whelmng grief The fire burned unchecked
throughout the night.