Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-11-09
HUNDREDS KILLED.
A Shipload Of Dynamite Explodes
at Santander, Spain.
1t scattcrs Death and Destruction Through
the Town-Over 500 Killed and 400
Injured dire Completes
the Ruin.
BLOWN INro ETERNITY.

SANTANDER, Spain, Nov. 6.-By the
explosion of ship load Of dynamite
Friday night hundreds of persons were
killed and half of the town destroyed.
Crowds were on the quay watching the
vessel burn when suddenly her
dangerous cargo blew up, in
stantly killing the daring fire
fighters and spectators. scatter
ing parts of the burning boats all over
the city and wrecxing many buildings.
Fire followed the explosion, which
many took for an earthquake. and be-
fore it could be checked half the
town was in ruins. In the excite
mcnt the number of dead was placed
at 1000, but 800 is probably nearer the
correct figure. Among the dead are
the governor Of the province, the pre-
feet, the chief of police and two judges.
Latest Estimate of Losses.
Fifty private houses on Mendos and
Vigos streets were destroyed by the
flames. In addition to these losses,
several important public buildings and
valuable archives were burned before
any Roadway could be gained on the
fire.
Official kilograms state that many
bodies have been recovered from the
bay Of Biscay and from the ruins The
material losses chiefly consist of the
great number of houses burned and
which are valued at e50O,OOO
According to official kilograms the
latest accounting shows that 800 per-
sons were killed and $50 wounded
Driven Mad with Fright.
The effect of the explosion upon the
inhabitants of Santander was bewild-
ering For some time after the dis
aster they We're positively stunned
with dismay and then followed panic
during which 100 people are re-
ported to have gone stark mad, while
the vast majority were SO paralyzed
with fear and shock that they were IN
capable of moving TO the assistance of
the dying or of making any effort 10
extinguish the flames. which sprung up
from a mass of buildings and which be-
gan to spread with the most threaten
ing rapidity. The quay and prone
made close 10 the scene of the explo-
sion presented the most sickening
sight ever witnessed. Mangled and
blacllened corpses were scattered here
and there or were in teaps in many
eases upon the wounded and dying,
whose fearful shrieks of agony filed
the air and struck terror into the
hearts of those who after time sum
noned sufficient courage to venture
near
Blown Into the Sea.
over 100 are said to have been pre-
ciptated into the sea by the explosion,
and there beneath tins hail of blood,
wood and iron they met death with the
crews Of the unfortunate steamer and
the tugboat which was about TO tow
her into the bay. On board the tug
boat were many citizens of Santander,
who were taking part in the work Of
rescue. All of them have disappeared
forever
Train Wrecked by the shock.
A train from the province which was
Just arriving at the railroad station
when the Cabo Machichaco blew up
experienced the force of the explosion.
wa, wrecked and set fire to and the
majority Of its passengers were burned
to death before any assistance could be
furnished them.
Santander was lately among the most
prosperous towns in Spain, but the dis
aster which has ovcrtaken it win take
many years to repair.
Victims win Number 1000
Madrid, Nov. The number Of
dead, missing and injured at Santander
is still unknown. 1t is certain that the
number will reach 1000 Many per-
sons are dying from their wounds. and
several are expected TO die as result
OF the fright they experienced at the
time Of the explosion. Lopez Doriga,
naval officer, who was an eyewitness
of the explosion, asserts that there
were at least 1000 cases Of dynamite
of thirty-hve kilos each on board the
steamer
Arrival OF Immigrants.