The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-11-06
DEATH AND DISASTER
The Might Of Dynamite illustrated In
The Santander Explosion.
SCENES OF AWFUL HORROR
The Force OF the Concussion Sent
100 CRATIC the Bottom OF the
Sea-Tons of Iron Ore
Shot Skyward.
copyrighted 1898 BY Associated Press. I

IUopyrlghted 1898 by Associated Press.l
MADRID, Nov. 5.-The terrible disaster
which wrecked the port Of Santander and
destroyed hundreds Of lives sent q thrill
OF horror throughout Spain. Every piece
of news which reaches Madrid not only
confirms tho most sensational reports,
but pictures the disaster in moro vivid
colors than hitherto. The story of the
great disaster as gathered for the ASSOC
ciated press Is as follows: The Cabo
Machichaco. Spanish steamship bclong-
ing to Bilbao, caught fire about 3 o'clock
Friday afternoon. The origin of tho fire
is unknown, but IL was soon beyond the
control of tho ships crew. The local fire
department and detachment OF the civic
guard were sent To the scene and leading
municipal authorities aided in the effort
to save tho steamer. In the meantime
thousands of people had crowded to the
quay and throngcd the promenades con-
tigiious to il. The fire quickly ignitcd the
petroleum which formed part Of the
cargo.
Twenty cases of dynamite which were
registered on the ships papers had boen
carried ashore, but the ship also had on
board 4so cases moro which did not mp
pear OH the papers and of which tho
authorities had no knowledge. About
80 o'clock the ships boilers burst with
u terrific report aud soon after there was
| another terrible detonation. Tho steamer
seemed to open in half, sending blade Of
fire skyward, over which crown Of
| smoke rested for several minutes. The re-
port was Of such awful intensity that It
| shook the earth for miles around, caused
houses to tottcr, smashed every window
n, ~ ~,n -h~, A.
air with mass of flying iron, burning
wood. blackened tim5crs and scorched
beams, which soon after foil on tho
ncighboring houses. scattering death and
| destruction wherever il crashed down
| ward.
Tho explosion shot tons of iron ore,
which composed the majority of the ships
cargo. into the air. where il mingled with
the burning Fragments of the steamship,
tugs and wooden quay, as we'll as
with the mangled bodies of hundreds Of
unfortunate people who were hurled up
ward; and the falling of this horrible
mass can be botter imagined than do
| scrbed. The flaming splinters set fire To
hundreds of buildings. causing frightful
panic. The fierce explosion of the dyna-
mite caused such a conclusion that ID ac-
| tually sank 100 small craft in the harbor,
in addition 10 setting fire to large num-
Der of other vessels and starting onfiagra-
tions upon several of tho larger ships. in-
| Guiding the Alfonso XII., which vessel, as
/ already cabcd to the associate press,
caught fire SO suddenly and burned SO
fiercely that 40 of her crew lost their lives
on board of her. The damage to the
foreign shipping is said to bc very great.
For sometime after the disaster people
were positively stunned with dismay and
horror. and then followed panic, during
which 100 people are reported to have
gone stark mad. while the vast majority
| were SO paralyzcd with fear and shock
that they were incapable OF moving to tho
assistance OF the dying. or making any
effort to extinguish the flames, which be-
gan TO spread with most threatening
rapidity. Along the quay and premedadc,
mangled and blackencd corpses wero
scattered here and there or In heaps, in
many cases upon the wounded and dying.
whose fearful shricks Of agony filled the
air. More than 100 people arc said to have
been precipitated into the sea by tho cx-
plosion and there met death. A train just
/ arriving was wreclscd by tho explosion. II
caught fire and the majority OF its passen-
gcrs wcro burned TO death.
Soon after the explosion whole blocks
| opposite the quay werc blazing. and other
i portions of tho city were also in flames.
| In the midst of the horrible panic, q few
| men retained presence of mind enough to
| ride to the nearest railway station and
| send telegrans to the government and
| authorities of other cities, imploring sue
cor. Tho cities of yalladolia. Burgess, Bill.
| bao and Barcelona Immediately took steps
to assist the stricken city. Fro engines.
physicians. medicine aud food were soon
sent to relieve tbs distress. Large forces
Of troops wcrc also despatched.
Tho monetary loss sustained Is enor-
nous. The loss OF life has not yet been
determined. but some hundreds of dead
bodies have been identified. while others
will never be recognized from among the
mass of blackcned trunks. heads and
limbs which have been gathered together
In heap. 4 man was killed by n piece
of iron falling at Pcna castillo, two kiio-
meters distant from where the steamer
blew up. The steamers anchor fell SOC
yards away from whore tho explosion took
place. Many details OF the explosion and
fire are still lacking. owing TO the fact that
telegraphic and postal communication
has not been renewed. Santauder was
lately among the most prosperous towns
in Spain. but the disaster which has over.
taken il will take many years To repair
The whole country Is indignant at tho
criminal conduct of the captain and crew
of the Cabo Mlchichaco. as well as tho
criIninality of those who shipped the con-
traband is) cases of dynamite, the gen
cral opinion being that the government
must take immediate steps to punish the
people who shipped the dynamite, as tho
death of the captain and crew of the
steamer is but poor compensation TO TIA,
thousands of victims aud the destruction
of property caused by their criminallty.