The herald., 1893-11-06
A HORROR or HORRORS,
The Awful Disaster at the
Port Of Santander.
1t Sent a Thrill of Horror
Throughout Spain.
Terrible Results of the Fire and
Dynamite Explosion.
Piles of Mangled and Blackened Corpses
Line the Quays-A Property Loss
That Cannot Be Esti-
mated.

Copyright. 1903, by the Associated Press.
MADRID, Nov. 5.-The terrible disaster
which wrecked the port OF Santander
and destroyed hundreds of lives cent
thrill OF horror throughout Spain.
Every piece OF news which reaches
Madrid not only confrms the most SEN
sational reports, but pictures the dis
aster in more vivid colors than hitherto.
The story OF the great disaster, as gath
cred for the Associated Press, is as fol-
lows:
STORY OF THE DISASTER.
!. The Cabo Machichaco, Spanish
steamship belonging to Biboa. caugnt
fire about o'clock Friday afternoon.
The origin Of the fire is unknown, but
1t was soon beyond control of the chips
crew. The local fire department and q
detachment Of the civic guard we're cent
to the scene, and the leading municipal
authorities aided in the effort to cave
the steamer. In the mssntime thou
sands OF people crowded to the quay
and thronged the promenades contigu-
GUS to it. The fire quickly ignited the
petroleum which formed part of the
cargo. Twenty cases OF dynamite,
which were registered on the ships
papers, were carried ashore, out the
chip also had on board 4S0 cases more
which did not appear on the papers and
of which the authorities had no
knowledge.
Az AWFUL DEToNATIoN.
About 4:S0 p. m. the ships boilers
burst With terrific report and soon
after there was another terrible detona-
tion. The steamer seemed to open in
half, sending a blaze of fire skyward,
over which a 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 emashed every window within
the radius Of rifle shot; filled the air
with mass of flying iron, burning
wood, blackened timbers ard. seorched
beams, which soon aftsf fell upon the
neighboring houses, scattering death
and destruction wherever it crushed
downward. The explosive ehot tons OF
iron ore, which composed part OF the
ships cargo, into the air, whore it
mingled with the burning fragments OF
the steamship. tug and the wooden
quay, as well as with the mangled bodies
Of hundreds OF unfortunate people who
were hurled upward, and the falling OF
this horrible muse can be better imag-
ined than described. Flaming eplinters
set fire to hundredo of buildings, caus-
ing a frightful panic.
FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION.
The force of the exploding dynamite
caused euch aconcussion that it actually
sank hundreds of small crafts in the
harbor, in addition to setting fire to a
large number OF other vessels and start
ing conflagratonH upon several of the
larger chips, including the Alfonso Kill,
which vessel, as already cabled to the !
Associated Press, caught fire 90 suddenly
and burned so tiercely that 40 of her
crew lost their lives on board of her.
The damage to foreign shipping is said to
be very great.
For some time after the disaster the
people were positively stunned with
dismay at the horror, and then followed
panic during which hundreds OF people
are reported to have gone stark mad,
while the great majority were 60 par
alyzed with fear and the shock that they
we're incapable of moving TO the assist
ance OF the dying or making any effort
to extingush the flames which began
to spread with most threatening ra-
pidity.
MANGLED AND BLACKENED CoRPsEs.
Along the quay and promenade man
gled and blackened corpses were scat
tered here and there. or in heaps, in
many cases upon dying persons, whose
fearful shrieks of agony fiiled the air.
Over 100 people are said to have been
precipitated into the sea by the explo-
sion and there met their death. A train
juet arriving was wrecked by the expo-
sion and set on fire, and the majority OF
its passengers were burned to death.
Soon after the explosion whole blocks
opposite the quay were blazing and
other portions OF the city were also in
flames.
MEASURES OF RELIEF.
In the midst OF the horrible panic
few men retained presence of mind
enough to ride to the nearest railway
stations and eend kilograms to the gov
ernment and the authorities OF other
cities imploring succor. The cities OF
Valladolid, Burgess. Bilboa and BARGE
Iona Immediately took steps to assist the
stricken city. Fire engines, physicians,
medicine and food were soon cent to re-
lieye the detrese. Large forces of troops
we're also dispatched.
LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.
The monetary loss sustained is enor-
mous. The loss of life has not yet been
determined, but some hundreds OF
bodies have been identified, while |
others will never be recognized from
among the mass of blachened trunks.
heads and limbs which have been gath
cred together in heap.
A man was killed by a piece of iron
falling at Pena CASTLE, two kilometers
distant from where the steamer blew up.
The steamers anchor fell 300 yards |
away from where the explosion took
place.
Many details OF the explosion and |
fire are still lacking, owing to the fact |
that telegraphic and postal communica-
tIon is not renewed.
Santander was lately among the pros