New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-08
DESOLATION IN SANTANDER.
A THOUSAND PEOPLE DEAD. WOUNDED
AND MISSING.
DISTRESSING SCENES AMONG THE RUINS
DIVERS OVERCOME ny HoERoR-A SPANISH
NAVAL OFFICERS DESCRIPTION
TUT, EXpIOSION

DIVERS OVERCOME ny HoIROR-A SPANISH
NAVAL OFFICERS DESCRIPTION
OF THE EXPLOSION.
Madrid, Nov. THE latest details concerning
the terrible disaster at Santander on Friday
night show that the number OF dead' 'h'ss'ns
and wounded is fully 1000 The people have not
yet recovered from the effects of the catastro-
phe. and are entirely apathctic paying no at
tention to business but standing about the
streets discussing in low tones the awful caianl-
ity which has befallen the city. Men and
women living near the waterfront who provi-
dentially escaped from the wreck of their homes
can be seen standing in numbers near the huge
masses of debris which fill the streets waiting
to recover the bodies of those known to be under
the ruins The scenes in the neighborhood OF
the destruction wrought by the exploding dyna-
mite are sad in the extreme, ana whenever
body crushed and mangled beyond recognition
is removed from the ruins heartrendins wall
goes up from the women, VINO lear that 'he
sba neless mass of flesh may be all that remains
NJ ono ~ their loved ones There Is no doubt
that many of the dead will never be identihed.
Many Of the dead were buried yesterday. the
headless and mutated body of the Marquis dc
Pomba was among them. The services were at
tended by large crowds Of people, ana many
distressing scenes were witnessed Many OF 'he
fragments Of bodies found near the quay were
buried in common grave
The divers who were employed to recover the
bodies in the bay have been so appalled, at the
number Of the dead and the grewsome appear
ance of the corpses that they have refused 10
continue their work. and have begged the Of
ficials not to insist upon carrying out their en-
gagements The authorities granted their petit
N
irons are employed in searching for the dead
who were blown into the bay. Some or the
bodies show that death was caused by drown
ing and not by the shock Of the explosion IL
IL believed that many persons were rendered
partially unconscious by the explosion ana their
bodies thrown far out into the harbor. They OF
course were drowned. for in the terrible confu-
sion no one thought Of attempting to save
the lives Of those thrown into the water III
fact those near the scene were thrown into
wild panic and had thought of saving any
one but themselves.
Lopez Loriga a Spanish naval officer. states
that when the fire broke out on the Cabo
Machicaco he. with number OF other officers
went alongside the steamer to lend their aid
in extinguishing the flames The commander
OF the port, finding that It was impossible 10
fight the fire with the means at hahd' gave
orders that the steamer should be towed from
the ouav and scuttlcd The fire spread So
rapidly however. that it was impossible to
make towing lines fast to her. The commander
Of the port then ordered that the steamer be
sunk alongside the quay. Her sea-cocks were
opened allowing water to flow into her bu'
the water entered slowly The vessel began
10 sink by the head. but In the mean time
the fire continued TO spread aft burning fiercely
Tho captnin OF the steamer Alfonso XII, seeing
that It would take considerable time Tor the
vessel to sink entered a launch with a huihn De,
Of his men carrying tools TO cut through III"
plates Of the Cabo Naohicaco for the purpose
Of giving free access To the water
AZ this tine Senior Ioriga left the quay
lie pushed his way through the crowd. when
had IA jhercd 70 witness the novel spectacle
OF a steamer OH fire, and was behind n cart
nftv yards from the quay. wnpn the explosion
occurred he remembers hearing n terrific
roar and then he fell half-stunrcd. under the
cart lie IL sure that the vehicle saved his
life for A. ne fell shower Of rails bars. joists
and other wrcckagr passed through the AR
where he had been standing. moving down the
spectators Ike blades of grass. the Can"
Nachicaco for an instant was lifted clear out
If the ,,ate- The forward part Of her hull
warped around ana curved toward the stern
and falling back into the bay. she sank. tn"
y.rsals wing near her heeled over with i'm
mcnsc holes blown in their sides and as they
righted quick.y filed and sank.
senior Torga adds that when he regained full
pcsscysion of his senses h" found the dead and
r,.in, Ling around him in every direction.
HuiIGings along the waterfront had been
v'reckcd and rs he looked he saT Il number
Of them lettering to their TALL. as the frightened
inmates. with terror pictured on their faces
sought 10 makc their escape. In some cases
the Nc ing inmates had almost reached places Of
safety when hundreds Of tons Of stone ana
brick came topping upon them, and their cries
Of fear suddenly hushed beneath the
debris The air momentarily dark"ncd with
clouds of dust. and then long tongues Of flame
assembled from the wrecked buildings and in a
few minutes the whole waterfront near the ex
plosion was mass Of fire. The scene which
followed battles description. The houses left
standing had every window smashed. Roofs.
many Of them OF tiles had disappeared and liz.
tie except the walls of the houses was left
standing Men. women and children. frantic
with fear. ran amessly To and fro. crying
screaming and wrnEing their hands helplessly
| The panic terrible in its intensity. lasted for
hours. and when the peoplc realized the full
| extent Of the disaster which had befallen them
| they were paraiyzed.
During the night the ghouls which infest
| every city snealcd about the ruins stripping
the dead and wounded Of their clothing and
| money The thieves entered the dismantcd
houses and seized and carried off furniture and
everything else which they could realize money
upon. Few families In the city escaped with
ont furnishing at least one victim.
| senior Gamazo. Minister Of Finance. who at
once proceeded from Madrid to Santandcr when
the extent of the calamity became known. Is
! doing everything in his power To awaken the
authorities to the fact that they must arouse
| themselves and set about repairing the damage.
| AS soon rs NJ aTIlN'u Nv Ht""i"'.''' NV wv
officials and expressed to them the sympathy
! of the Government. He also assured them OF
the sympathy Of the Queen Regent, who. he
said. had wept upon hearing of the calamity.
! When Senior GamaZo saw how helpless the
authorities were he took the administration of
affairs into his own hands. He tclcEraphed
| to Valladolid ordering that medical stores.
nurses and other help be sent AT once to san
lander. subscription for the relief of the
sufferers was started. Senior GamaZo heading II
with "a gift of $1,000 behalf of the Gov
| crnment
THE RIOTING NOT IN AMSTERDAM.
| London. Nov. THE statement In a dispatch from