Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-11-09

with a cargo Of dynamite was lying at II
quoy, when in some way not yet explained.
she CAUGHT fire 4 large crowd soon
gathered in the vicinity, and the police,
who were evidently unaware of the danger
Gus character OF the ships cargo. made no
nttempt TO drive them away.
The governor of the province personally
directed the efforts Of tine iremcn to eN-
,nguish the flames. though he was fully
aware Of the danger ne and the other fire
fighters were iu
Suddenly there was heard a dull roar, fol-
lowed by a report that shook the city to its
foundations. Every house around the quay
vas wrecked the walls being blown down
n, though made of cardboard.
The loss of life cannot yet be stated with
any degree of accuracy. 1t is known. how
ever thai many person, were killed, and
that "a very large number We're injured
The governor has not been seen since the
explosion His secretary who was stand
ing beside him when the explosion occurred,
was stunned by the shock. When ne re
gained his sense, he looked Tor the governor
but could not find him. 1t is feared that ne
was killed aud that his body was blown out
into the bay. The commandment Of the Civic
guard and many officials and woranen were
badly injured.
The town was completely paralyzcd by
.l, ai.,.+, ,,,I m ,tt.,,,,, ,.,. ,,I,-,
uuently made to eXtnguish the fire that was
communicated TO adjacent quays by flaming
brands thrown 10y the exploding dynamite.
The hospitals are filled with the injured,
many of whom are terribly mutilGted
At the time the CObo Machicaco blew up
the Spanish steamer Alfonso XII was lying
along side Of her. The steamer was com
pletelv DESTROYED. Al her officer, and 10 of
her crew are missing. and il is certain that
every one of them was killed
The force Of the explosion may be Judged
from the fact that portions of the wrecked
steamer and Alfonso MI. were thrown into
The middle of the town carving death and
destruction with them
1t will be necessary to send troops here
from other cities to aid the officials
The los, Of life was simply enormous.
Some of the estimates place The number of
killed and injured at upward of 1000
Later. when the people and officials became
more collected and made Il systematic
investigation. they aScertaiued that the
loss was less but it was very heavy never
theless.
The streets in the vicinity of the quay
where the explosion occurred are impossible.
being filled with all sorts of Wrcckage from
the houses blown down.
.,... .e .,,, ,,...,
"
MADRID Nov o.--De'lai'hes from san
tahuer thIS evening coilllllit me report OF
1as' msht maj the vessel "hich was blown
up was 'he Ntp' Ai"ch'c"'"' 2he was 'lS-
70 'oIV ,''i9 y. a - '1 IN i''''. 20
sacks The cantoin had declared only 20
cases of dyunmite Otherwise he would not
have been allowed to dock
The fire started at 3 o'clock on Friday of
ternoon il the coal bunkers. The customs
officers and notice hosten,d to ra,uove fine %
rases of dynnmire which soon wore landed
at q safe distance from tine vessel 4 1ur
was then chartered to tow the Cobo NIachi7
ceco saovord Meantime de.narata offort.
had been made to ouench tbo flames The
cantain and crew of the steamer Alfonso
Xii boarded the BURNING vessel to holm FIGHT
the faines They worked foro nm ho,ir and a
half without sucrcss
At the end of that time the fire reached
fine petroleum. Then came y series of awful
explo,ions ms the flames want from, borroI
Ia horrol IF nntroIanm rnti tI,nv roochod
tbe contrab,nd dynamite The m~ had
bern moored ALONGSIDE the vessel oui many
towns naople had pona n.nurd either f.
satisfy their ru,.iost\. or to bolu cxtinmpisb
the fire Then came fine evnIn.ion Of fine
dynamite An an board fine cain, N,cbic.-
co md nlono the dock were Iloyn to
oto,ns The tu,- vanished The n,,ay. vim
lis cuormous crowd Of sn.rtot,,. rose slowly
in fine air w. raonIo scnttornd in a,-a,.y
direction into the s., m, mn tb, land
VI VI
over the sea aud land for radius Of a mile
and a hall The Cabo Machicaco'S anchor
was hurled SUI yards and fell ON the bal
cony OF a house which 1t completely wreck
ed. Vt then sank deep in the pavement be
low. The shock was felt in every part OF
the city. Houses rocked to their founda
tons ana more than 100 were set on lire by
falling iire brands.
The destruction OF the harhor was equally
appalling. The launch Of the steamer Al
1on'o the 4Wcllth. which was lying along
SIDE aud contained all the crew not aboard
the Machicaco, vanished with the others
The survivor. ashore fled Shlieking. leaving
the promenade adjoining the quay streWl