The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-11-22
BLOWN TO ATOMS.
HAVOC IN THE CITY OF
SANTANDER.
Blowing Up OF n steamer Laden with
dynamite

MADRID, Nov. 4.-From Boo. /:
village near Santander, capital oil
the province of that name, comes Z
frightful story of explosion, fire
havoc and death. 1t seems that
last night a steamer arrived al
Santander with a cargo largely
made up of dynamite, although
the fact that the explosive was on
board was not known to the auth
critics. Last evening the vessel,
from what cause will probably
never be known now, took fire
while lying at her dock, and at
once a large crowd collected to wit
ness the unusual sight of ship on
fire. The Santander fire depart
ment also hurried to the scene to
prevent the spread of the flames to
the other shipping.
Suddenly, coming from no man
knows where, the dread rumor was
circulated through the crowd that
the vessel contained dynamite,
and just as the people had started,
panic-stricken, from the scene, the
flames reached the terrible cargo,
~aTd with a deafening roar it ex-
ploded, scattering death, fire and
destruction on every side. The
wharves, shipping and neighboring
houses were torn to fragments,
and the whole city was shaken as
if by an earthquake, and windows
were shattered in every house for
miles around.
Fire at once broke out in the
ruins of the shattered buildings
and spread to those still standing
with great rapidity. The inhabit-
ants were so dazed by the shock of
the explosion that they were I'M
able for long time to do anything
to stay the spread of the fire, which
as this dispatch was sent was eat
ing its way from house to house,
threatening the destruction of the
entire city.
1t is also said that the whole city
will likely be destroyed and popu-
lation of over As, 900 rendered home
less. A dreadful panic prevails on
all sides. Engines from many
points have arrived and are making
a determined stand against the
flames.
All those on board or near the
dynamite steamer and all those on
board the tugboat alongside her, as
well as the officers and crew of the
liner Alphonse XII,
were killed by the explosion. The
body of the civil governor has been
as well as the bodies of |
a number of other officials. Among |
those reported killed is the Marquis |
of Pombo.
1t has been ascertained that the |
steamer was the
Cabo Muchicaco, belonging to Bill
bao, and not a British steamer, as
was at first reported.
Every possible assistance has
been sent to Santander, where hun
dreds of doctors are already at
work. The troops sent to the spot
are also rendering great service in
up buildings across the
of the flames in the dis
tricts still threatened with conflag-
ration.
No definite estimate of the loss
Of life had been received up to the
hour when this dispatch was sent,
but there have as yet been no
denial of the statements made in
private and other dispatches to the
effect that the death list will be
figured by thousands instead of by
hundreds.
Private kilograms say, that over
,ne thousand people met death by
fire and explosion at Santander.
In addition a transatlantic steam
n was burned and forty of her
crew persisted.
1t is officially estimated late to-
light that the dead will number
5 ;5er 300. The number of missing
md injured is enormous and many
# the injured are dying owing to
he want of prompt medical at