The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-22
A FRIGHTFUL CALAMITY,
AN EXPLOSION THAT SCAT
TERED DEATH AND FIRE.
A Dynamite-Laden Ship Blows Up at
the Wharf in Santander, Spain
Scores and Scores Of People Per-
ish-About 1855 Bodies Recovered

the Wharf in Santander, Spain
Scores and Scores of People Per
ish-About 1855 Bodies Recovered
Many Houses Wrecked.
A terrible explosion occurred a few plghts
ago at Santander, Spain. The ship Cabo
Machicaco, with cargo Of dynamite, was
| lying at quay. In some way she caught
fire. A largo crowd soon gathered, aud tho
police, who were unaware of the dangerous
! character of the ships cargo, made NO at
| tempt to drive them away. Suddenly there
was terrific explosion that shook the city
| to its foundations. An official despatch says
| that the bodies Of 165 persons have been re-
| covered. The search was still in progress
Many persons were then missing. About 100
persons were under treatment for injuries
received. The damage to property amounted
| to several million dollars.
The vessel was discharging 1000 tons Of
| iron and many barrels ofpetroleum and -four
and several wine casks. The Captain had
declared only twenty cases Of dynamite,
otherwise he would not have been allowed to
dock. ..
The fire started at 8 o'clock a. m. in the
coal bunkers. The customs officers and
police fastened to remove the twenty cases
Of dynamite, which were soon landed at q
safe distance from the vessel. A tug was
then chartered to tow the Cabo Machicaco
seaward.
Meantime desperate efforts had been made
to quench the flames. The Captain and crew
of the steamer Alfonso XII boarded the burn
ing vessel to help fight the flames. They
worked for An hour and half without sue
cess. At the end o. that time the fire reached
the petroleum. ~ ....
Then came series OF awful explosions as
the flames went from barrel to barrel Of pc
troleum until they reached the contraband
dynamite The tug had just been moored
alongside the vessel and many townspeople
had gone aboard either to satisfy their Gu
riosity orto help extinguish the fire. Then
came the explosion Of the dynamite.
All on board the Cabo Machicaco, and
many along the deck were blown to atoms
The tug vanished. The quay, with its enor-
nous crowd Of spectators, rose in the air;
The people were scattered in every direction.
into the sea and up on the land.
Firebrands fell in showers over sea and
land for radius Of q mile and half. The
Cabo Machicaco's anchor was hurled 300
yards, and fell on the balcony Of house,
which it completely wrecked 1t theE sank
deep in the pavement below.
The shock was felt in every part Of the
city. Houses rocked to their foundations,
and more than 100 were set on fire by falling
firebrands. The destruction In the harbor
was equally appalling.
The launch OF the steamer Alfonso XII,
which was lying alongside, and which con-
tame. al OF the crew not aboard the Caoo
Michicaco, vanished with the others. The
survivors ashore fled shrieking, leaving the
promenade adjoining the quay strewn with
dead and dying and mangled remnants OF.
human bodies. Wherever the terrified fuSi-
tives turned they met only frightful destruc-
ton.
Horror was added to horror In the wrecked
and burning buildings. from, which came
piteous cries for help. Many Of the fugitives
were thrown down and trampled upon. Num-
bers are said to have lost their reason. The
people were too panic stricken to think OF
ANYTHING but saving their own or relatives
lives, and ignored their burning property.
When night fell the sky luridly reflected
the fires burning f1ercely in various parts of
the city. Mendez Nunez street, running par
allel with the quay, was ablaze from end to
end. In the binding light and heat the
bands of rescuers worked to e1tricate the
dead and wounded.
On every side were scenes of indescribable
confusion and overwhelming grief. The fire
burned unchecked throughout the night.
Block after block sank in ruins. Every street
near the water front was filled with the noise
of crashing buildings.
The people were terror stricken. Thou
sands abandoned their homes and fed to the
fields or outlying villages. Others remained
to search franticslly among the heaps OF
ruins and half-burned bodies for their lost
friends or relatives. Children whose pa
rents were dead wandered weeping through
the streets, calling for help.
SAINT; nder Is fine port in Spain, on the
Bay of Biscay. 1t contains $4,000 inhabl-
rants, and has unusually fine public build
ings for a place Of its size. 1t is busy and
thriving town, aud has derived much OF its
importance from its trade with the West In
dies and South America.