Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-08-10
GRIM TRAGEDY
OF THE DEEP
italian Passenger Steamer Strikes a
Reef Of the Coast Of Spain
and Goes Down.
FrightfuI Scene Aboard the Sinking
Vessel-Inmigrants Use Their
Knives.

steamship Sirlo from Genoa for Bar
celona, Cadiz, Montevideo and Buenos
Ayres, with about 500 persons on
board. was wrecked off Hormieos is
lahd. Ihree hundred immigrants,
most OF them Italians and Spaniards.
were drowned.
The captain OF the steamer commit.
ted suicide.
The bishop Of San Pedro. Brazil. al
so was lost and it is reported that
another bishop is among the missing
Inc remainder OF the PASSENGERS
ana the onlcers and crew got away
IN the ships boats or were rescued
Dy means OF boats sent to them from
the shore.
A number of fishermen who made
attempts at rescue were drowned
lhose rescued from the vessel are
now at Cape Palos in a pitiable conQ.-
ton, being without food or clothing.
The Sirlo struck rocky reef known
as BaJos Hormigos and sank soon at
terWard, stern first Hermigaos island
lies ABOUT two and a half miles 10 the
eastward Of Cape Palos.
Inc Slrlo was owned by the Nayiea-
zlono Italiana of Genoa.
Fishermen Save Many.
before ne committed suicide. the
captain declared the steamer had Gas
passengers on board and that her crew
numbered 121 men. The Sirio had
go passengers when leaving Genoa
but additional Spanish passengers
We're taken on board at Barcelona
where the vessel touched few hours
oeiore the disaster. The disaster oc-
CURED at O'Clock Yesterday after
noon. The steamer was threading !
dlhlcult passage through the Hormi-
COS group. where the Bajos Hormigos
ieei is continual menace to naviga-
uon. The vessel began to settle ran
idly Immediately after she had Struck
ana terrible scene of panic enSueJ
on the vessel. The fishermen along
the coast sought to render assistance
and the boats brought many of the
Survivors ashore. The survivors have
gone INTO camp on the main square
at me Palos. Narrowing scenes are en-
acted as the stricken families any.
louSiN seek beloved members among
the rescued mother. VINO lost hoy
three children, went insane. The doe
lor OF the Sirio gave up his wife and
child as lost but they were fnauy
brought in by one of the rescuins
boats, and the scene as this famil>
LAS reunited was most affecting. one
OF the'boats sent our by the fishermen
Drought in II passengers.
The condition of the survivors is
most deplorahle. They have lost cv
tr!ihin& ana are without money. f0oj
u clolhlhS. Inc maritime authorities
OF Carte@ane have dispatched = ING
70 The scene carrying relief supplies
of min,
mouse are being used as Temporary
quarters for the survivors,
The latest reports from the Cane
say that three boats have just brought
IN a number of rescued.
Additional sadness is added To the
catastrophe owing TO the fact that a
number OF fishermen who were con
quoting rescuing parties were drown
eu by the oVertumin2 of boat. The
captain OF the Sirio, just before ne
committed suicide attributed the
wreck to his own imprudence. The
Slrio legt Genoa August ..
All the ships books were lost. It Is
impossible at present TO ascertain the
full extent Of the disaster. Nine
renths of the passengers were Italians
and the remainder Spaniards. All
the survivors have been landed at
Cape Palos. The Inhabitants provided
them with clothes and nourishmenf.
Thirty We're landed at Hormigos is
land about one mile from the tragedy.
FISHERMEN brought in the first news
OF the laundering of the Sirio and Il
created CONSERVATION here. Boat loads
OF the ship wrecked passengers and
crew began reaching shore shortly
after the news became known
Passengers confirm the fearful ~,
ture of the calamity.
From the broken narratives of the
terror stricken survivors it would ap
pear that 1t was the intention OF til,
captain after leaving Barcelona 10 ca
at CadlZ before proceeding 10 Brazil
The captain in order to shorten tn
route and gain time proposed TO pas
as close as possible to the dangerou
rock Lodges surrounding the Hormigo
islands. Without any warning an
while running at full speed, the Siri
crashed upon the rocks with territi
force.
Ship Goes Down.
A few minutes after the vessel san
beneath the waves. The passenger
We're in a state of horror and panic
Crowds rushed forward, pushing eac
other and fighting for places in til
w" VI 1iiS boal Many lSil anu " I'll
trampled TO death. Dozens of me-
and women threw themselves into tn
sea. A young mother, who was ca,
rying her babby was advised to abar
don her child and try TO save hersel
alone. This she refused to do. dc
claring that she preferred that the
die together Both We're eventual
picked up alive from the water.
In the midst of this panic the cal
tain and officers of the boat endea
ored in vain 70 restrain the peopl
and restore a Semblance of order an
organize a system of life saving. Thi
was not accomplished. for the yesse
suddenly either broke in half or Clio
ed off the rocks and foundered in dee
water. The captain purposely san
with his ship.
The Archbishop of San Pedro wen
down with the vessel while blessin
the drowning passengers. The othe
bishop who was at first supposed [
have been drowned has since bee
reported safe.
steamer engaged in rescue wor
has reached port. She has on boar
the bodies of several infants
The Austrian consul was saved. bu
lost a large amount of money whe,