The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1906-08-09
800 EMIGRANTS
-
ARE DROWNED
Italian Steamer SiriO Is Wrecked Near
Cape PaIOs.
THE CAPTAIN COMMITS SUICIDE.
Vessel, Which Was Bound From Genoa for
South AmerIcs, Struck q Rocky Reef and
Sunk Stern PIrst-Archblshop of San Pedro
Among Those Lost-A Number Of Fisher
men Also Drowned.

Cartagena, Spain (By Cable). - The
Italian steamship Sirio, from Genoa for
South America, with 800 passengers on
board, was wrecked Saturday evening
off Hormigas Island, which lies about
two and a half miles to the eastward
of Cape Palos.
Three hundred of the emgrants, most
of them Italians and Spauiards, were
drowned
The Bishop of Sac Pablo, Brazil, was
drowned while blessing the passengers
of the Sirio. The Archbishop o, Sac
Pedrowas, who was also on board, was
saved.
1t is said that large number of the
first and second cabin passengers were
drowned, their cabins being the first to
go under water
The remainder OF the passengers and
the officers and crew Of the Si-iO got
away in the ships boats or were rescued
by means of ropes thrown to them from
the shore.
A number Of Fishermen who made at
tempts at rescue were drowned.
The captain of the steamship, after
admitting that the catastrophe was due
10 his own imprudence, committed sui
eide.
The Sirio was an iron vessel. Of 4,I4I
tons and 5,oI2-horsepower. She was
built at Glasgow in 1888 and was owned
by the Navigazione Italiana of Genoa.
The steamer had 645 passengers on
board and her crew numbered I27 men.
The Sirio had $40 passengers when leav-
ing Genoa, but additional Spanish pas
sengers were taken on board at BARGE
Iona. where the vessel touched a few
hours before the disaster
The disaster occurred at ) o'clock P.
NJ. The Sirio was threading a difficult
passage through the Hormigas group
where the Bajos Hormigas reef is a
continual menace to navigation. The
vessel began 10 settle rapidly immediate
ly she had struck, and a terrible scene
Of confusion and panic ensued on board.
The fishermen along the coast sought
TO render every assistance in their pow
er. and sent out boats, which brought
many survivors ashore Most OF the
officers and crews Of the Sirio arc among
the saved
Passengers confirm the fearful nature
of the calamity From the broken narra-
tives of the terror-stricken survivors it
Would appear that it was the intention
of the captain of the Sirio. after leaving
| Barcelona, to call at Cadiz before pro-
ceeding to Brazil. The captain, in order
to shorten the route and gain time, pur-
posed to pass as close as possible to the
dangerous rocky ledges surrounding the
HOrmigas Islands. Without any warh-
ing and while running at full speed the
Sirio crashed upon the rocks with ter
rife force. A few minutes later the
stern of the vessel sank beneath the
waves
The passengers were in a state Of hor-
ror and panic. Crowds rushed forward,
pushing each other and fighting for
places in the bow of the boat Many fell
and were trampled to DEATH Dozens
of men and women threw themselves
into the sea- A young mother who was
carrying her baby was advised to aban-
don the child and try to save. herself
alone This she refused to do. declar-
ing she preferred that they die together
Both eventually were picked zap alive
| from the water. =: 81 =;
In the midst of this panic the captain
and officers of the Sirio endeavofed in
vain to restrain the people, restore "a
| semblance of order and organize a sys-
TEN of life-saving. This was not ac-
complished. for the vessel suddenly eitHe.
er broke in half or glided off the rocks
and foundered in deep water, The cap
tain purposely sank with. his ship. ~