The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-11-11
HUNDREDS OF LIVES.

Half of the City of santander. Spain. De.
stroyed and 1000 Persons kePorted
Killed or injured by the Explosion OF .
shipioad of Dynamite and the Conhagra-
tion that tFoliowed-SiGbta4 shat sickened
Hardened Soldiers a,,.r -.
MADRID, Nov. "A thousand lives
were lost and vast amount Of prop
erty destroyed by q terrific explosion
on board the steamer Machichoca
last evening" at the city of Santander,
the capital. of the province of that
name, situated little over 2oQ miles
from this city. The widest excite
ment followed the explosion, which set
fire to the town, the flames adding to
the horror of the situation. Among
those killed was the governor OF the
province and n number of leading citi-
zens and municipal officers
Rendered Helpless by the Horror of the
Disaster.
SANTANDER, Nov. 5.-The horror OF
the disaster that has befallen this city
has rendered the people helpless 1t
is impossible to obtain a connected
story from any of the eyewitnesses OF
the explosion. Those who saw it and
lived are in such a state of excitement
that they can make only the widest
kind of statements
The Most Appalling Disaster OF Recent
Years.
There is no doubt that aside from
the money loss entailed in the destruc-
tion of houses, quays and shipping, it
Is one of the most appalling disasters
that has occurred in Spain or elsewhere
in Europe in recent years. The loss OF
lite was simply enormous. Some of
the estimates place the number Of
killed and injured at upward Of 1000.
Later, when the people and officials
become more collected and a systematic
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.
Streets Rendered impossible by Debris
The streets in the vicinity of the
quay where the explosion occurred are
being filled with all sorts
of wreckage from the houses blown
down. 1t is certain that a number of
living persons are under the ruins, but
the authorities and people are SO help
less that little attempt is being made
to extricate them. 4 number of soldiers
were put at work yesterday clearing
the debris, but their task is being per-
formed in a perfnnctory way. They
have come across masses of ofhumanfiesh,
the sight of which has made them sick.
and they hesitate to push their work
with any heart, fearing the sights that
they know full well their labor will
uncover.
Hospitals Filled With the Injured.
The hospitals are filed with the In.
jured and the physicians are doing
everything in their power to alleviate
the agony of the terribly mutilated
persons writhing upon the cots.
At the time the Volo blew up the
Spanish steamer Alfonso MI. was lying
alongside of her. The steamer was
destroyed. All her officers
and forty of her crew are missing, and
it is certain that everyone of them was
killed.
The Force of the Explosion.
The force of the explosion may be
judged from the fact that portions of,
the Volo and the Alfonso XII. vera
blown into the middle of the town,
carrying death and destruction with:
them. 1t will be necessary to send i.
troops here from other cities to aid the
officials.
Great delay is experienced Is getting
reports of the disaster to telegraph
lines. There is only one working out
of the city and that is working very
slowly. Nearly all the press dispatches
are carried to points outside the limits
of the city.
Half the City Destroyed by Fire.
Even with outside assistance it was
found impossible to check the flames,
and half the city has been destroyed
by fire and explosions. The railway
station has been burned, and so rapid
was the spread of the flames that the
trains could not be hauled out They,
too, were destroyed.
1t is now estimated that 300 persons
were killed by the explosion. Many
are missing. but most of them are be-
Iieved to have gone to the houses Of
friends after their own homes
were destroyed. Among the dead
are the prefect, the chief of police
and two judges Sixty houses
we're wrecked. A train which
was entering the station when the
explosion occurred, was fired by
flying pieces Of burning wood. Tho
station began to burn moment later.
The stationmaster was burned to
ieath and many passengers were suffo-
Gated, Dozens of persons living near
The bay fled from their burning houses
and in terror threw themselves into
The water. The ministers Of finance
md the interior left Madrid for San
lander yesterday noon.
OniciaI Statement Of the Killed.
MADRID, Nov. 6.-Later dispatches
confirm the report that the explosion
in the steamer Cabo Machi-
,haca.
1t is officially stated that over 300
persons were killed, including twenty
seven civic guards, the whole police
'orce, except two members; several Of
icials, and the majority of the passen-
gers on a railway train that had just
arrived.
The number of the injured is very
arge and many are dying from lack Of
medical aid. Dozens are missing.
The queen regent wanted to 60 to
,antander yesterday afternoon. but
vas dissuaded by the ministers.
The Story of Tive Rescued ssamen.
BILBoA, Nov. 6.-Two seamen who
Iay they were aboard the steamer
Nachichaco have arrived. They say they
we're thrown a great distance seaward
,y the explosion, falling among a mass
# floating wreckage which was still
burning. They swan together for a
ong time, eventually reaching .
,oint miles beyond Santander,
rom which they were conveyed to
his place. They declare that they
lid not know there was any dynamite
Iboard the Machichaco. The. two men
we're badly injuredS They say the sea.
vas strewn with corpses.
Monks Try to Exercise the Cholera froO {
Stricken Boy.