Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-11-06

edge.
The force OF the exploding dynamite
caused such a conclusion that in addi-
tlon TO shaking hundreds Of buildings
of their foundations, it actually sank
hundred small craft TO the haTUor, In
addition TO setting fire TO large num-
Der of other vessels and starting con-
flagratiOns upon several of the larger
ships, including the Alfonso PHI, which
vessel, as already cabled the Associated
Press, caught fire so suddenly and
burned so fercely that forty OF her crew
lost their lives on board Of her.
Nothing is yet received concerning
the damage 10 foreign shipping but the
loss is said TO be very great.
The effect OF the explosion upon the
inhabitants Of Santander was Oewllder-
ing in the intensity. For some time al
ter the disaster the people were posi-
lively
STUNNED WITH DIsMAY AND HORROR
then followed a panic during which a
hundred people are reported to have
gone stark mad, while the vast msjori-
tv was so para!yzed with fear and shock
that they were incapable of moving 10
the assistance of the dying or OF max
ing any effort 10 extinguish the flames
which sprang up from q mass Of build
ings and which began to spread with
the most threatening rapidity.
The quay and promenade close TO the
scene of the explosion presented one or
the most sickening sights ever wit
messed Mangled and backened cOrpses
were scattered here and there, or were
in heaps, I'm many caseS, upon the
wounded and dying, whose fearful
shrieks OF agony filed the air, and
struck terror into the hearts OF those
who. after time, summoned sufficient
courage TO venture near the carnage
ground.
Over a hundred people are said to
have been precipitated into the sea oy
the explosion and there beneath this
hail of blood, wood and iron, they met
death with the crews OF the untortu-
nate steamer aud the tug boat, which
was about TO tow her into the bay.
On board Of the tug boat were many
citizens OF Santander, who were taking
part in the work Of rescue. All OF them
have dispeared forever.
A train from the province, which was
Just arriving at the railroad station
with Cabo MachichacO, experienced the
force OF the explosion, was wrecked and
set on fire, and the majority OF the pas
sengers were burned to death before
any assistance could be furnished them.
A SCENE OF HORROR.
After the explosion whole blocks upon
Mendez Nunez street. parallel with the
QUAY. were blazing and other portions
OF the city were in flames. No
one dared or cared to make any at
tempt TO stay the spread Of the
condensation, and those who preserved
enough presence of mind TO do so, ran
wildly about the town crying in horri-
fed accents the news OF the disaster TO
those who had rushed from their houses
into the streets in alarm, fancying that
the end Of the world had come.
In the midst of is scene OF horrible
manic. when men and women tore their
/ hair and cursed or prayed, a few brave
men retained presence of mind enough
/ to lump on horse back and ride 10 the
nearest railway station, where they
caused kilograms to be sent to the
government and to the authorities of
other cities, implOring succ1r for the
I wounded and asking that ire engines
/ be promptly despatched TO the scene,
| as failure 60 do 80 Immediately would
result in the utter destruction OF San
tauder.
The cities Of Valladolld, Burgess,
Bnboa and Barcelona were quickly
aroused by the appeals for assistance,
Immediately took steps to do every
/ thing 10 relieve the stricken city.
Fire engines, physicians, medicines
/ and food were sent from the cities men,
/ toned and nothing was left undOne to
\ relieve the distress. Large forces OF
/ troops were also despatched TO San
tander, the soldiers rendering most val
liable assistance in the work OF salvage
and rescue.
The property owners loss and poor
people who had
LOST THEIR ALL
through the explosion and fire is i'm
mense. The loss of life is not yet de-
| termined, but some hundreds OF dead
/ bodies have already been identified,
/ while others will never be recognized
from the mass Of blackened trunks,
/ heads and limbs which have been gath
/ cred together in heaps around the fatal
SPOT. Many of the victims, in addition,
are unknown, and there seems TO be no
way OF telling how many met their
death In the water.
The showers OF iron from the dyna-
mlte-laden steamer thrown into the air
by the explosion fell upon nearly all
I Dgrts Of the town and injured buildings
I at q remarkable distance from the place
where the steamer actually exploded,
| Some ideS OF the force Of the explosion
can be formed from the fact that man
WAS killed by a piece Of iron falling
FROM the Cabo Mschichaco, at Pena
/ Castillo, two Kilometres distance from
where the steamer blew up.
ANOTHER REMARKABLE EFFECT
OF the explosion is that the unfortunate
steamers anchor was blown up in the
air by the force of the dynamite, caus-
| ing the anchor 10 fall in street eight
I hundred yards away from where the ex-
\ ploN0n took place. 10 falling the an
/ chor smashed q stone balcony into
/ pieces and sank deep into the stone
\ pavement below. Many details OF the
I explosion aud the fire at Santander are
still lacking, owing 10 the fact that tel
/ egraphic communication with that
point is nOtrenewed, and no local news
papers have been able to appear since
\ the disaster.
Santander was Ntely among the
! most prosperous towns in Spain, but
/ the disaster which has Overtaken it
/ will take many years 10 repair.
/ The whole country is indignant at
the criminal conduct Of the captain
and crew Of the CabO Machichaco, as
well as the criminaiity Of those who