The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-06
Fuller Reports Magnify the Awful
Catastrophe at santander, In
Spain.
Earth and Sky and Sea Disturbed
by the Explosions Measures
less Force.
VsrltnbIe Hail Of Wrecka9o and Hu.
man Bodies Over the City--Firss
Started Every where.

MADRID, Nov. 5--,rhe terrible disaster
which wrecked the port Of Santandor and
hundreda of lives sent thrill OF
horror through Spain. Every piecs Of news
which reaches Madrid not only confirms
the most sensational reports, but pictures
the disaster in more vivid oolora than
hitherto. The story of the great disaster.
~ gathered for the Associated press, 10 ~
follows:
The Cabo Machiohaeo, I Spanish steam
ship belonging to Bilbao, caught ffe about
8 o'clock Friday afternoon. The origin
Of the fire is unknown. but 1t was soon be-
yond the control Of the ships Grew. The
local fire department and a detachment Of
the civic guard were sent TO tho sosne. and
the leading municipal officials aided in tbs
effort to save the steamer. In the mean
time Thousands Of people crowded to the
quay and thEonaed tho promenades oon-
tiguous TO IL. The nrs quickly ignited the
petroleum which formed part Of the cargo.
Twenty cases Of dynamite, which were
registered on the ships papers. were car.
ried ashore. but the ship also had on board
48O cases more. which did not appear on
the papers. and Of which the authorities
had NO knowledge. About 4:3O the ships
boilers burst with . terrific report and soon
after there was another terrible dstona-
ton. The steamer seemed TO open In half.
sending blade of Are skyward. over whioh
crown of smoke rested for several min
utes. The report WAS of such awfal iAtsns-
ity that IL shook the cath for miles around.
caused houses to tiltsr, smashed windows
Within the radius of . rife shot, filed the
air with q mass of flying iron, burning
hod
beams, which soon after fell upon
the neighborina houses, and scattering death
and destruction wherever 1t crushed down
| ward. The explosion shot tons OF ore.
| which com posed the major part of ths
ships cargo. into the air whore IL mingled
with the burning fragments OF tho steam
ship. tugs and wooden quay, a. we'll ~ With
the manelsd bodies of hunreds of unfortu
nate people who were hurled upward, sAd
the falling of this horrible mass oaa bs
better imagined than described.
Flaming splinters set fire TO hundfsds OF
buildngs causing . friRhtful panic. The
fierce exploding Of dynamite caused such .
concussion that IL actually sank hundTe d
small craft in the harbor. in addition 10
setting fire to large number of other YES
sels and starting q oonfagration upon
several Of the larger ships. including she
Alfonso. which vessel. as already eabled to
the: Associated press. caught FIRE 20 suddenly
and burned 20 herosly that forty men loss
their lives on board her. The damage to
foreign shipping ts said TO be very great.
For some time after the disaster psopl .
were positively stunned with dtsnay and
horror. and then followed panic. during
which hundred people are reported to
| have gone stark mad, while q vast numbes
ware 20 paEaly zed with fear and ths shock
| that they were incapable Of moving TO as
sist any of the dying OF Of making any
effort 10 extinguish the flames. which began
to spread with most thre assninR rapidity.
Along the quay and promenade manRisd
| and blaekened oorpses were scattered here
and there. or in heaps, in many cases UPON
the wounded and dying whose fearful
| sh1ieks of agony dlled the air. Over hum
| dred people are said TO have been prseipi-
tstsd into the sea by the explosion. and
there met death. A train just arriving WAS
wrecked by the explosion anu set ON tire
and a majority OF its passengers burned to
death.
opposite the quay were blazing and oShuR
| portions Of tho city were also in flames.
In the midst Of the horrible panic few
msH retained rHesencs of mind enough 10
| ride to tho nsafest railway station and send
Kilograms to the government and AUthOri-
ties OF other cities implorina suooor. The
cities Of Vail0dolia, Burgess, BilboA and
Barcelona Immediately took steps TO assist
the stricken city. Fire engines. physicians.
medicine and food were soon sent TO re-
lievs tho distress. Large forces Of troops
wers also dispatched.
Tae monetary less sustsined 10 enormous.
The loss OF life Ia not get determined bul
some hundreds of dead bodies have been
identified. while others will never be reoog-
nizsd from among the mass Of blackensd
trunks. heads and limbs which have bosl
gathered together in q heap. A man Wal
killed by . piece Of iron falling at Pen,
Casills, moie than a mile distant from
whore the steamer blew up. The steamer
; anchor fell 800 Yards away from where th'
| explosion took place.