The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-23
ANOTHER CATASTROPHE.
What Followed the Terrific Explo-
sion at SaDtander.

SION GC SaDEd1Qer.
II will be remembered that on the
Sd OF last November the fine steam
ship Ca6o NIachIchaco, lying AT one Of
the central wharves OF Santauder.
took fire, aud, ~ I O'Clock in the after
noon, exploded, killing some six hum
dred persons, wounding a thousand.
wrecking scores OF houses, besides
those OF the four or five blocks that
were burned 10 the ground.
Among the houses. the interiors OF
which were left in almost complete
ruin, was that Of the American Boards
mission, IN which was the chapel and
schOoI-rOOms, and the residences Of
the pastor and schOol-teacher. II had
been recently bought and remodeled
at a cost o; some $500. and in the
month OF August it had been "dedi-
Gated"
As soon a. possible after the catas-
trophe, I commenced the recOnstruc-
ton OF the house-as hundreds OF
other proprietors in the city did Of
their houses that were in the same
plight. on the 2Oth OF this month, OF
March. our work was done; the
masOnS and carpenters, the white
washers and the painters had left the
premises. their accounts had been
paid, amounting 10 several hundreds
OF dollars, and we were ready for 3
new dedication OF the building, when,
at 9 o'clock in the night OF the I'D OF
this mouth, the city was shaken 10
it, foundations by another explosion,
which, on the instant, everybody
knew must be that Of the ill-fated
Cabo MachichacO.
For the moment all were happy 81
the thought that this time rot much
damage was done, - though the glass
in the windows was scattered III
showers. the doors and partitions
were not injured, but q the citizens
ran 20 the docks, their JOY was turned
10 horror and indignation as they
learned that three brave divers
that were ten feet under the water
and in the hull Of the wreck, and ten
or fifteen laOOrers on the dock, had
lost their lives in the explosion.
Il ! 8 bad and . sad story. Dur
ing the t~O weeks after the nrst
explosion some six hundred pack
ages OF UnexplOded dynamite
were safely taken from the wreck by
had been removing the remnants Of
freight and wreckage preparatory 20
either floating the hull or OF breaking
IL up cy explosions, 30 that L could
be removed from the place u the
wharf that Il was eLcum Dering.
Large quantities OF nitrO-glycerine
were found in the corners and ere
WAGES u the wreck, and IL was known
that l. might De exploded accidentally
a. any moment, but. - time went on
and nothing occurred, the engineers.
the workers on the wreck and the
community 81 large 20 some dsgTee
lOS. the sense Of danger, and the work
continued, not attracting a great deal
Of attention nor inspiring much fear.
- -ru.y wz= this 20 that that very
afternoon hundreds Of =trOlIeT=. enjoy
iuE the pleasant weather, had lOitered
near the wreck, watching the work
that was there in progress. Had the
explosion taken place then there
probably would have been . hundred
victims instead % the ten or fifteen 81
nine - cI0c6 al night.
But the experts consulted by the
Government a. 20 how best % remove
the wTecs, were anxious. Meeting
after meeting vas held but 10 deci-
sion wa- arrived az. ~ one time J.
Wa almost decided 20 produce an eE-
plCsiOu- under proper sac guards but
that plan wa= suspended, and a. the
last moment they were trying u dis
solve the LitrO-Zl ycerine by injecting
into the depths Of the hull hot water
and steam, and then 20 pump IL
NJ, and that work vas going on ~
day and oy night
L nov tTzL=piret that the diver- u
the employ % the company owning
the steamer had refused week ago %
~1-s longer on the wreck, on account
o. the danger arising from the nitro
SlEczrlue that had filtered through ali
tue lover spaces % the hull The Ci-
N--- who Lueu carried on the work
were three Iu the regular employ Of
the port and t-ey may well 70 down
III Li-tc-y - true heroes. Its now
-a.4 DT their friends that they yell
knew Tie danger and that they were
WoFsIIg with their lives in their
hands, in.Fe..ed % j. only Sv the
sense u 1lty. One u them, a. - in
prsseEtlnaeEt o: bis fate, that evening
tenferiy hade good-bys 70 each one
Of biz family - be left them for HE
work Two hours later parts II bic
maugief body were gathered Up from
the dock.
Not only the city Of Santardsr E,yt
the - hole country, We may cav il III,