The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-08-06
800 PERSONS DROWN
IN STEAMER WRECK
Italian Liner Sinks Carrying Hun.
dreds to Death--Accident Due to
Carelessness of the
Captain.

Cartagena, Spain, August, 5.-A
terrible marine disaster occurred last
evening off Cape Palos. The Italian
stamship Sirio from Genoa for BARGE
lona, Cadiz, Monteyieio and Bunos
Ayers. with about $40 persons on
board, was wrecked off Hormigas in
land. Three hundred emigrants. most
of them Italians and SpaniaIds, were
drowned.
The captain of the steamer commit
ted suicide.
The Bishop of San Pedro Brazil,
was lost, and it is reported that anoth-
er bishop Is among 1t e missing.
The remainder OF the passengers
and the officers and crew got away in
he ships boats OF were rescued by
means of boats sent co them from the
shore.
A number of fishermen who made
attempts at the rescue were drowned.
Those rescued from the vessel are
now at Cape Palos in pitiable condi-
tion being without food or clothing.
The Sirio struck rocky reef known
as Bajos hormigas and sank soon af
terwards stern first. Hor igas island
lies about two and half miles to the
eastward of Cape Palos.
TIE Sirio was owned by the steamer
Navigaziono Italiana of Genoa.
Before he committed suicide the
captain declared the steamer had SAC
passengers on board, and that her
crew mum bered 1877 men. The Slr,o
had $40 passengers when leaving &C.
noa, bat additional Spanish passengers
were taken on board at Barcelona,
where the vessel touched few hours
before the disaster.
The disaster occurred at 5 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon. The steamer was
hreading a difficult passage through
the Hormigas group. where the Bajos
Hormigas reef is a continual m anacs to
navigation.
The vessel began to settle immedi-
ately after she had STRUCK, ana sen.
sational scene of panic eDsued on the
vessel. The fishermen along the crast
sought to render every assistance and
sent out boats. Which brought many
survivors ashore Most of th officers
and crew of the Sirrio are among the
saved.
The condition of the survivors is
most deplorabIe. They have loAt ever
thing and are without food or cloth.
ing. The military authorities or
Cartagena have dispatched tug to
the scene carrying relief supplies.
the buildings Of q circus and a poor.
house are being used as temporary
quarters for the SURVIVORS.
The captain of the Sirio just beore
he committed suicide attributed the
wreck to his own imprudence.
The Sirio left Genoa August 3. All
the ships books were lost II is i'm.
possible at present 20 ascertain she
full extent OF the disaster. Nine
tenths of the passengers were Italians,
aud the remainder Spaniards. All the
survivors have been landed &C Cape
Palos. @t,
The captain in order to save time
passed as close as possible to the rocky
ledge surrounding the Hormigas is
lands. Without any warning and
while running at foil speed, the Sirio
crashed upon the rocks with terrific
force. A few minutes afterward the
vessel sank beneath the waves. The
passengers were in state of horror
and panic. Crowds rushed forward,
pushing each other an fighting for pla-
ces in the bow of the boat. Many fell
and were tranpled to death. Dozens
Of men and women threw themselves
in to the sea A young mother who