Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-08-06
FOUR HUNDRED DROWNED.

fidCes IN the boats - Archbishop
Drowned.
A dispatch from Cartagena says that
the Italian steamship Sirio, from
Genoa for South America, with 800 pas
sengers on board, was wrecked Saturday
evening off Hormigas Island, which
lies about two and half miles to the
eastward Of Cape Palos. Three hun
dred OF the emigrants, most of them
Italians and Spaniards, were drowned.
The rchoishop OF Sac Pedro, Brazil,
also was lost.
The remainder of the passengers and
the officers aud crew OF The SiriO gOi
away in the ships boats or were rescued
by means OF ropes thrown TO them from
the shore. A number OF fishermen who
made attempts at rescue were drowned.
The captain of the steamship, after
admitting that the catastrophe was due
to his own imprudence, committed sui
eide by making no attempt to save him
self. Another account says he shot him
self with a revolver.
The Sirio was an iron vessel, of 4, al
tons aud 5,0l2.horsepower. She was
built at Glasgow in 1888 aud was owned
by the Nayigazione ItaliAna OF Genoa.
The Sirio struck the rocky reef known
as Bsjos Hormigas, and sank soon after,
stern first.
The steamer had Gas passengers on
board and her crew numbered l27 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 Sat
urdsy afternoon The Sirio was thread
ing difficult passage through the Hor-
migas group, where the Bajos Hormigas
reef is continual menace to navigation
The vessel began to settle rapidly inn
mediately after she had struck, and a
terrible scene of confusion and panic
ensued on board
Most OF the officers and crew Of the
Sirio are among the saved.
Passengers confirm the fearful nature
of the calamity. From the broken mar
ratiVes of the tertor-stril ken 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 lodges surrounding the
HOrmigas Islan1s. Without any warn
ing aud while running at full speed the
SriO crashed upon the rocks With ter
rible force A few minutes later the
stern of the vessel sank beneath the
waves.
The passengers were in a state of hor
rpr and panic. Crowds rushed forward,
pushing each other and lighting for
laces in the bow of the boat. Many
fell and were trampled to death Dozens
of men and women threw themselves in.
to the sea. A young mother who was
carrying her baby was advised to aban-
don the child and try to save herself
slone This she refused Is do, declaring
she preferred that they die together.
Both eventually were picked up alive
| from the water.
In the midst of this panic the captain
aud officers OF the Sirio endeavored 10
vain to restrain the people, restore
semblance OF order and organize sys.
TEN of llie-saving. This was not ac-
complished, for the vessel suddenly eth
err broke in half or glided off the rocks
and foundered in deep water The cap
tain purposely sank with his ship.
The Archbishop of Sac Pedro went
down with the vessel while blessing the
drowning Passengers.
The survivors went into camp on the
main square of the town at Cape PalOs.
Here narrowing scenes are enacted as
the stricken families anxiously seek be
loved members among the rescued. A
mother who lost her three children went
insane
The condition of the survivors is most
deplorable. They have lost everything
and are without money, food or clothing
The Madrid correspondent of the Lon
don Daily Telegraph describes the Sirio
disaster as one of the worst on record
The Italian emigrants, with knives in
their hands, and without regard for the
woman or children, fought with the
greatest brutality for the possession oil
llfebuoys and boa;s. Many were killed
or wounded, including several members
ii the crew, who we're attacked by emf
grants.
Eye WITNESSES give awful pictures OF
the brutal panic on board For hall
an hour the euigranls were masters
Of the situation They completely over
came the crew by sheer force Of numbers
and this in spite of The efforts of the
officers, who tried to save the women
and children first
One report states that a groups of
emigrants approached one Of the ships
boats which already was full aud which |
was about TO be launched and dislodged |
the people, killing several with their |
knives Just as they we're about to oc- |
cupy the boat themselves another body |
of armed emigrants came up and fierce |
fight for the possession of the lifebOat
70 lowed.
Many Of the survivors brought ashore
we're seriously wounded aud number
had sustained fractured limbs. SOme |
OF the injured subsequently died.
1t is reported that the celebrated Span
ish singer, Lola Nilanes, was among
the drowned.
CarIagena, Spain, Aug. The death
list in the wreck of the Italian steam
ship Sirio, off Hormigas Island, will
probably exceed 400. The fact that the