The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-05
Steamship Loaded with Dynamite Blown
to Atoms While at a Quay and
the City Set on Fire.
CIVIL GOVERNOR MANGLED
And Many Other Officials and
Guards Killed or Injured.
Other Vessels Sunk and Their Crews
Drowned and Railroad Train De-
mOlished- General Foreign News.

MADRID, Nov. 4. - The steamer Nol0,
loaded with dynamite. blew up, near San
lander, last night. Many persons were
killed. The Volo which had just arrived
from Cardiff, caught fire from some un-
known cause. The officials of Santander
were unaware that the Volo was loaded
with dynamite for they sent all the fire
department to the scene, the Governor of
the province, the chief municipal officers
and many of the leading citizens superin-
tending the efforts to subdue the fire
board the steamer. Suddenly there were
cries of alarm from those working about
the Volo. The news spread with rapidity
that the ship was loaded with dynamite,
and that the flames were rapidly approach
ing the terrible cargo. Before the crowd
had time to rush backward there was a
dull roar, followed by fearful burst of
flame and a deafening explosion which
blew the quay into fragments, set fire to
a number Of adjacent houses and which
smashed the windows in every house for
miles around The explosion did an enor-
nous amount of damage. Many citizens
were killed, including several representa-
tives of the municipal and provincial gov
ernments, who were watching the efforts
made by the firemen to eXtinguish the
fire. Among the prominent people believed
to have been blown to atoms by the explo-
sion is the Governor of the province, who
was last seen in the front rank of those
fighting the fire. Many others who were
upon the wharf moment before the dyna-
mite blew the ship and wharf into splinters
are missing. The inhabitants were SO dazed
by the explosion and by the rapid spread
Of the flames from house to house that for
a long time afterwards they appeared to be
utterly unable to make any attempt to
check the further spread of the fire, which,
as this dispatch was sent, was still eating
house after house and threatening destruc-
ton of the entire city. All towns and viii
lagos in the neighborhood Of Santander
have sent their fire engines to the scene
and strong and combined effort is being
made to save property. The town of San
lander is situated on headand and has
a large port in the Bay of Biscay. 1t is
the terminus of a railway from Madrid.
Further details received here from San
tander say that in addition to the officers
reported killed, the president of the provin-
cial Council and the colonel and chief
officers of the civic guard of Santander
were seriously wounded by the explosion
1t is also announced here that the whole
city is likely to be destroyed and a large
number of it's population of over $4,000
people will be rendered homeless. A dread
full panic prevails upon all sides.
Private kilograms received here say that
over thousand people met their death
by the fire and explosion. In addition, a
transatlantic steamer was burned and forty
Of her crew met death on board of her.
All those on board the tug boat along side
the fated steamer. as well as the officers
and crew of the transatlantic liner AL
phonso III. were killed by the explosion.
directing the operations on the quay has
been recovered, we'll the bodies of a
number of the officials. Among the re-
ported killed is the Marquis PombO
Ii has been ascertained that the dynamite
loaded steamer which caused this terrible
destruction was the Cabo Muchicaco, be-
steamer Volo, as at first reported The
authorities Of Santander are highly CEN
sured on all sides for allowing the steamer
10 violate the port regulations which forbid
the discharge of explosives at the quay
side. On the other hand, il is claimed
that the authorities were not aware of
the dangerous nature of the steamers car
go or they certainly would not have been
50 fooihardy as to venture on board of her
and to allow thousands Of people around
her while she was on fire.
sent to Santander, where hundreds Of doc
tors are already at work A number of
temporary hospitals have been erected in
buildings untouched by the flames and
there the doctors and their assistants are
tremity. The troops sent to the spot are
also rendering great service in blowing up
buildings across the pathway of the flames
and the district still threatened with con-
fiagration. All the inhabitants of the
neighborhood of Santander have thrown
open their houses for the reception OF the
wounded and homeless.
No definite estimate of the loss of life
has been received M to the hour this dis
patch was sent, but there has yet been no
denial of the statements made in private
and other dispatches to the effect that the
death list will be figured by the thousand
instead of by the hundreds.
The Queen Regent soon as she learned
of the extent of the disaster at Santander,
expressed a desire to go there, but the gov
ter of Finance to represent the government
and do all in his power TO relieve the suf-
ferers. The Minister, who has property re-
lationS in Santander started for that place
tonight. He was accompanied by the Sem
atorS and members of the Chamber of
Deputies from the Santander district.
1t is now officially estimated that the
| dead will number over three hundred The
number of missing and injured is enormous.
| Many of the injured are dying owing to the
| want of prompt medical assistance. TWEEN
| ty-seven civic guards and all members OF
| the police force but two were killed. Among
| the other victims are the civic governor, the
| colonel of a regiment, three naval officers,
/ the head port pilot and the judge fiscal. A
| II ajority of the passengers of train which
arrived at the moment of the explosion
| we're also killed. 1t appears that the steam
er which exploded carried five hundred
| packages of dynamite, although the officers
| only declared twenty, which were landed
| at the beginning of the fire.
Daily Firing without Result.
WASHINGTON, Nov. A. Commander
1 -, aha a. -,st