The Portland daily press., 1893-11-06
niDE THE EARTH QUAKE.
Explosion Of a Cargo Of Dynamite
at Santander, Spain.
THE LOSS OF LIFE ESTIMATED in
THE HUNDREDS.

Portions OF Two Ships Were Hurled to the
the Quay We're Blown Into Fragments
and Fire Burst Out in Many Places
People Leaped Into the Water in Fear
All the People Panic Stricken.
Santander, Spain, November "A
terrible explosion occurred here last
night in which it is estimated 300 per-
sons were killed. The shock of the ex-
plosion was so great that the residents in
the furthest parts of the city thought an
earthquake had occurred and that the
place was about to be destroyed. The
ship Volo, with cargo of dynamite.
was lying at a quay last evening, when,
in some way not yet explained, she
caught fire. A large crowd soon gathered
in the vicinity, and the police, who were
evidently unaware of the dangerous
character of the ships cargo, made no
attempt to drive them away. The gov
ernor of the province personally directed
the efforts of the fremen to extinguish
the flames, though he was fully aware of
the danger he and the other fire fighters
were in.
While every effort was being made to
guench tile flames there suddenly was
heard a dull roar, followed by report
that shook the city to it's foundations.
Every house around the quay was
wrecked, their walls being blown down
as though of cardboard.
The governor has not been seen since
the explosion. His secretary, sswho was
standing beside him when the explosion
occ urred, says that he was stunned by
the shock. When he regained his senses
he looked for the governor, but could not
find him. 1t is feared that he was killed
and that his body was blown out into
Guard and many officials and workmen
were badly injured.
The town was at first completely
paralyzed by the disaster and no attempt
was subsequently made to extinguish the
fire that was communicated to the adja-
cent quays by flaming brands thrown by
the exploding dynamite. Afterward
an attempt was made to extinguish the
fam es and kilograms were sent to Val
encia, Bugos and Valladolid asking that
engines be sent on special trains to
fight the fire. The Volo belonged. to the
Vasco de Andaluza company.
The horror of the disaster rendered the
people helpless. 1t is impossible to OBJ
tain a connected story from any of the
eyewitnesses of the explosion. Those who
saw it and lived are in such state of ex-
citement that they can make only the
widest kind of statements. There is no
question, however, that aside from the
money loss entailed by the destruction of
houses, quays and shipping, it is one of
the most appalling disasters that have
Europe in recent years. The loss of life
is simply enormous.
Some of the estimates placed the num-
ber of killed and injured at upwards of
athousand. Later, when the people and
officials become more collected and a
systematic investigation can be made, it
is proba BILE that the loss will be found to
be less, but it can be said that it will be
very heavy. The streets in the vicinity
of the quay where the explosion occurred
are impossible, being filled with all sorts
of wreckage from the houses blown down
1t is certain that number of living
persons are under the ruins, but the
authorities and people are SO helpless
that little attempt is being made to aex-
tricate them.
A number of soldiers were put at work
today clearing away the debris, but their
task is being reformed in a perfunctory
way. Already they have come across
masses of human flesh, the sight of
which has made them sick, and they
hesitate to push their work with any
heart, fearing the sights that they know
III IL 4Ioi,, 10 hon
The hospitals are filled with the in
jured, and the physicians are doing
everything in their power to alleviate the
agony of the terribly mutiliated persons
writhing upon the cots
At the time the Volo blew up the
Spanish steamer Alfonso XII. was lying
alongside of her. The steamer was COM
forty of her crew are missing, and it is
certain that every one of them was killed.
The force of the explosion may be
Judged from the fact that portions of the
Voio and Alfonso XII. were thrown into
the middle of the town, carrying death
and destruction with them. 1t will be
necessary to send troops here from other
cities to aid the officials.
The explosion damaged many vessels
in the harbor. The Pre- ect and colonel
of infantry are among the victims.
Many of the bodies of those killed we 9
blown into the bay or into streets a con-
siderable distance from the quay. The
telegraph lines were almost completely
wrecked. The nearest telegraph station
from which depatches car. be expeditions
ly sent is eight miles from the town.
A train which was entering the station
when the explosion occurred was fired by
the flying pieces of burning wood The
station began to burn moment later.
The station master was burned to death
and many passengers were suffocatd.
Dozens OF persons living near the bay fed
from their burning houses and in terror
threw themselves into the water.
The ministers of finance and the interior
left Madrid for Santander this afternoon.
Many local officials were on the quay
with the governor when the explosion
occurred Behind them stood thousands
OF spectators who had been attracted by
the flames, which shot up above the
masts and Redeemed the sky. The
explosion lifted the whole structure of
the quay into the air. Firebrands and
fragments of wood and iron fell like
hail on the houses two hundred yards
from the water front.
Troops were sent early from Santona,
sixteen miles from Santander to pull
down the buildings rendered unsafe by
the explosion and to help put out the fires
which were incesSantlV breaking ont II,