The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-06
Heaps of Burned. Torn Corpses
Lie in the Streets.
AWFUL POWER OF DYNAMITE.
Human Beings Carried High in Air,
10 Be smashed in the Fall.
Many Boats sunk by the Coneassien-
The Citizens, Stunned by the ExpIo-
sion, Enable TO Help the Bleeding
Wounded Held In the Barning Debris.
tcopyrish.ed. 1888, By the Associated Pre.s,

which wrecked the port of Santander and
destroyed hundreds of lives sent thrill
of horror throughout Spain. Every piece
OF news which reaches Madrid not only
confirms the most sensational reports. but
pictures the disaster in more vivid colors
than hitherto. The story Of the great
disaster as gathered for the Associated
Press is rs follows:
The Cabo Machichaco. q Spanish steam
ship belonging TO Bilbao, caught tire about
3o'clock Friday afternoon. The origin Of
the fire is unknown. but it was soon be-
yond control of the ships crew. The local
fire department and detachment of the
civic guard were sent to the seeae, and the
leading municipal authorities aided in the
effort to save the steamer. In the mean
time thousands of people crowded to the
quay and thronged the promenades con-
tiguous 10 il. The fire quickly ignited the
petroleum which formed a part of the
cargo. Twenty cases of dynamite which
were registered on the ships papers had
been carried ashore. but the ship also had
on board 4s0 cases more which did not ap-
pear on the papers aud of which the au-
thorities had no knowledge.
About 40 o'clock the ships boilers
burst with a terrific report aud soon after
there was another terrific detonation. The
steamer seemed to open in half. sending q
blaze of fire skyward, over which 3 crown
of smoke rested for several minutes. The
report was of such awful intensity that it
shook the earth for miles around; caused
houses TO totter; smashed every window
within the radius of rifle shot. and filed
the air with mass of flying iron,
burning wood, blackened timbers
and scorched beams, which soon
after fell upon the neighboring houses.
scattering death and destruction wherever
it crushed downward. The explosion
shot tons of iron ore, which composed the
ships cargo, into the air. where it was
mingled with burning fragments of the
steamship. tug and wooden quay, as well
as with the mangIed bodies of hundreds of
unfortunate people who were hurled up
ward, and the falling of this horrible mass
can be better imagined than described.
The flaming splinters set FIRE to hundreds
OF buildings, causing frightfui panic.
The force of the explosion of dynamite
caused such conclusion that it actually
sunk hundreds OF smaller craft in the har-
Dor. in addition TO setting fire to large
number of other vessels and starting con-
fiagraiions upon several of the larger ships,
including the Alfonso XII., which vessel.
as already cabled to the Associated Press.
caught fire so suddenly and burned so
fercely that forty OF her crew lost their
lives on board. The damage to foreign
shipping is said TO be very great.
For some time alter the disaster the
people were positively stunned with dis
all
panic, during which hundreds of people
are reported to have gone stark mad, while
the vast majority were so paraiyzed with
fear and the shock that they were incapa-
bic of moving to the assistance of the dying
or making any effort to extinguish the
flames. which began to spread with the
most alarming rapidity.
Along the quay and promenade mangled
and blackened corpses were scattered here
and there or in heaps, in many cases upon
the wounded and dying. whose fearful
shrieks of agony flied the air. Over q
hundred people are said to have been pre-
cipitated into the sea by the explosion and
there met death. A train just arriving
was wrecked by the explosion and set on
fire. majority OF its passengers being
burned 10 death. Soon after the explosion
whole blocks opposite the quay were
blazing, and other portions Of the
city were also in flames. In
the midst OF the horrible panic
n few men retained presence of mind
enough to ride TO the next railway station
and send telegrams to the government
and the authorities of other cities, implor-
ing succor. The cities of ValladoIid.
Burgess, Bilbao and Barcelona iInmedi-
afely took steps to assist tho stricken city.
Fire engines, physicians. medicine and
food we're soon sent to relieve the distress.
Large forces of troops were also dis
patched. The monetary losa sustained is
enormous.
The loss OF life has not yet been deter
mined, but some hundreds Of dead bodies
have been identified, while others will
never be recognized from among the mass
OF blaekened trunks. heads and limba
which have been gathered together In a
heap. man was killed BY piece OF
iron falling at Pena castillo, two kilometers
distant from where the steamer was blown
np The steamers anchor fell 800 yards
away from where the explosion took place.
Many details of the explosion and h.e are
still lacking. owing TO the fact that teie-
graphic and postal communication have
not peen restored. Santander was lately
among the most prosperous towns in
spain, bus the disaster which has over
taken il viii require many years to re-
pair.
The whole country IS indignant At the
criminal conduct Of the captain and crew
OF the Cabo Machiehanco as well as the
eriminality Of those who shipped contra
band 4s0 cases Of dynamite. the general
opinion being that the government must
take immediate steps to punish the people
who shipped the dynamite. as the death
Of the captain and crew of the steamer Is
but poor compensation TO thousands Of
victims and the destruction caused By
their crimiuality.
LoxDox. Nov. 5.-The Madrid CORE
spondent OF the TsHnes says: Up 10 the
time Of sending this dispatch Id bodies
have been identified and buried AZ san
tander.