The morning call., 1893-11-05
BLOWN TO ATOMS.
Havoc in the City of
Santander.
: THOUSANDS WERE KILLED.
Blowing Up of Steamer Laden
With Dynamite.
SHE TOOK FIRE AT HER DOCK
And the Citizens Gathered to Save
Her, Not Knowing the Charac-
ter of Her Cargo.
THOUSANDS WERE KILLED.
SHE TOOK FIRE AT HER DOCK

MADRID, Nov. 4.-From Boo, a village
near Santander. capital of the province of
that name, comes frightful story OF ex-
plosion, fire, havoc and death. 1t seems
that last night steamer. supposed at first,
although this was an error as afterward
appeared, TO be the British steamer Volo.
arrived at Santander with cargo largely
made up of dynamite, although the fact
that the explosive was on board was not
known to the authorities. Last evening
the vessel, from what cause will probably
never be known now, took fire while lying
at her dock, and at once large crowd col
lected TO witness the unusual sight of a ship
on FIRE. The Santander Fire Department
also hurried to the scene to prevent the
spread of the flames to the other shipping.
and to the docks and adjoining houses,
and the Governor of the province, the chief
municipal officers were in the crowd super
Intending the work of subduing the flames.
In the crowd, in fact, was very nearly
every leading citizen of the city and vicin-
lily.
Suddenly, coming from no man knows
where, the dread rumour was circulated
through the crowd that the vessel con-
. tanned dynamite, and just as the people
had started, panic-stricken. from the
scene, the flames reached the terrible
cargo, and with a deafening roar it eX-
ploded, scattering death, fire and destruc-
tion on every side. The wharves. ship
ping and neigh boring 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.
Among the prominent people missing Is
the Governor of the province, who was
last seen on the dock fighting the flames in
the front rank. The others supposed to be
dead include several representa- atives of the
municipal and Provincial Government,
besides many citizens.
Fire at once broke OUT in the ruins of
the shattered buildings and spread to
those still standing with great rapidity.
The inhabitants were so dazed by the
shock of the explosion that they were IN
able for a I0rg time 20 do anything to stay
the spread of the FIRE. which as this dis
patch was sent was eating its way from
house to house, threatening the destruction
OF the entire city.
: The explosion threw down all the wires,
cutting eff telegrsphic communicate n
with the city, hence the first news is from
Boo. Finally communication was opened
with the adjacent country, and all the vii
lages in the neighborhood sent their fire
apparatus to the scene, and strong COM
:bined effort is being made TO save the rest
Of the city.
The rapid spread of the fire. prevented
any systematic attempt at recovering
bodies or learning the number of the dead.
=. 1t is reported that in addition to the
killed already mentioned, the president
of the Provincial Council, the colonel and
chief officers of the Civic Guard were seri-
ously wounded.
. Itis also said that the whole city will
likely be destroyed and a population of
over 45, 600 rendered homeless. 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 tug
boat alongside her. as we'll as the officers
and crew of the transatlantic liner AL
phonse XII, were killed by the explosion.
The body of the Civil Governor has been
recovered as well as the bodies of a num-
Der of other officials. Among those re-
ported killed is the Marquis of Pomho.
= II has been ascertained that the dyna-
'mIte-ioaded steamer was the Cabo Muchi-
.caco. belonging to Bilbao. and not Brit
ish steamer, as was at first reported.
Every possible assistance has heen sent
20 Santander, where hundreds Of doctors
are already at work. The troops sent to
the spot are also rendering great service in
blowing up buildings across the pathway
of the flames in the districts still threatened
~ it'll conflagratiou. No definite estimate
:Of-the loss Of life had been received up to
tbe hour when this dispatch was sent, but
there have as yet been no denial of the
statements made in private and other dis
patches to the effect that the death list
will be figured by thousands instead of by
hundreds.
=, Private kilograms say that over one
thousand people met death by fire and ex-
plosion at Santander. In addition trans
atlantic steamer was burned and forty OF
her crew perished
EIt is officially estimated late Tonight
that the dead will number over 300. The
Number of missing and injured is enor-
NOUS and many of the injvred are dying
owing to the want of prompt medical at