The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-06
SANTANDER'S CALAMITY.
THE DYNAMITE THAT URi CKED THE
TOWN WAS BETNG SMUGGLED.

II Was Hidden Under Old Iron-The Awful
Explosion that Scattered Death and Fire
Mills Around-An Anchor Driven
Through "a BuiidinE UP In the City-The
Fire Blazed All Night. and the Terror
stricken People Fled TO the Country-1e5
Bodies aro Recovered, and scores of
the Wounded are Receiving Treatment
MADRID Nov. 5.-An official despatch from
Santander tha evening says that the bodies Of
1876 persons killed b. the dynamite explosion
aboard ship on Friday night have been recov-
ered. The search Is still In progress. Many
persons are missing.
AT present 100 persons are under treatment
for injuries received on Friday night. The
damage to property amounts to several N lllcn
francs.
The vessel that was blown UP was the Cabo
Mnchicaco She was discharging 1000 tons OF
iron and many barrels Of petroleum and -four
and several wine casks The Captain had de-
clared only twenty cases of dynamite. other
wise he would not have been allowed to dock.
The fire started at o'clock on Friday after
noon in the coal bunkers. The customs Of
Ulcers and police hastened to remove tho
twenty cases Of dynamite. which were soon
landed at a safe distance from the vessel A
tug was then chartered to tow tho Cabo
Machicaco seaward.
Meantime desperate efforts had been made
to quench the flames Tho Captain and CROW
Of the steamer Alfonso MI. boarded the burn
ing vessel TO help fight tho flames. They
worked for an hour and half without sue
cess. At the end OF that time the fire reached
the petroleum.
Then came series of awfu! explosions az
the flames went from barrel to barrel OF
petroleum until they reached the contrabnnd
dynamite. The tug had Just been moored
alongside the vessel and many townspeople
had gone aboard either to satisfy their
curiosity or to help eNtingulsh the fire. Then
came the explosion Of the dynamite
All on bourd the Cabo Machicaco and many
along tho dock were blown to atoms. The
tug vanished. The quay. with it's enormous
crowd OF spectators rose in the mir. The peo-
pie were scattered in every direction. into the
tea and up on tho land.
Firebrands fell In showers over sea and land
for radius of a mile and half. The Cabo
Machicacos anchor was hurled 800 yards. and
iGi on te eas9ny 81 mouse wh d # com
.T6o shock was felt in every part of the city.
Houses rocked to their foundations. and more
than 100 were set on fire by falling lrebrands.
The destruction in the harbor was equally ap-
The launch OF the steamer Alfonso NIL,
which was lying alongslae and which CON
INlIeu HI Oh inc crow NOT ABOARD tne lADO
Machicaco. vanished with the others. Tho
survivors ashore fled shrieklnc.' leaving the
an dsns dns the w
human bodies. Wherever the terrified fuei-
tves turned they met only frightful destruc-
ton.
Horror was added to horror. in the wrecked
and burning buildings. from which came pite-
thrown. down and trampled upon. Numbers
are said to have lost their reason. The people
but s i " their own o. reiatives ives and
Ignored their burning nronerty;
ri sooeseS a ses
to telegraph a., an appeal for help to the Govern.
ana to the Of other
moned to the scene. and such supplies OF med
ieine; sttmulants bandaGss., &e:; as could be
When night fell the sky luridly reflected the
city Mendoz N1nez street. running parallel
with the quay was ablaze from end to end:
rescuers, worked to extricate the dead and
wounded.
s sde sfnis o. s Ths s
burned unchecked throughout the night.
Block after block sank In ruins ruins Every street
The people were terror stricken; Thousands
search iranticaiiy among the heaps, Of
Io n Trends n or reatves children whose par Psr
ents were dead wandered weeping through
the streets, calling for he p.
During Saturday morning rs many Of them
Ms possible were collected at the Town Hall.
and were fed and clothed. In the afternoon
many injured persons, insane from terror or
pain. were found crouching in alleyways and
outhouses far from the scene 81 the fire.
dend and dying. All shops have remained
closed. The streets have been deserted. eX-
cont by few mourncrs still looking for heir
Standing are rs empty as II plague tricken,
The occupants who fed on the night Of the
fire have been afraid to return to tho scene Of
the horrors VIII ch they then witnessed.
ported. One man in tho crowd on the quay
was thrown high in the air came down upon
a load of vegetables and was able to scramble
to his feet and run away
the sea- graSped II piece OF Hoatlng tim brr
and swan back to land ut some distance from
the spot where the explosion occurred. He
was too weak to climb the sea wall and re-
the water for Ave hours before Ii" was rescued
Tho aea was tossed ns II by IN earthquake.
Tremendous waves broke MP over mo water
front. and large vessels were tossed ike shells
Tho contrnband dynamite was concealed be-
meath a lot OF iron and rawhides in the hold OF
the Caho MachlcacG, ADJOINING the bunker
Queen Iiegent Christina wrote to Premier
SagRsta to-day; oi,, ,,.,.,
nil details of the cafastrophr,, and tell me
what you reGur" 10 alleviate the misfortune
TO the Mayor OF Snntander she telegraph cd
trophe that has overhrown your. city.
participate in the grloi OF all and desire all the
news obtainable'