The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-06
THREE HUNDRED LIVES
LOST IN BR|NY WATERS
Italian Steamship Sirio, With 800 Souls
on Board, Wrecked Off Hor-
migas Island.
Captain Commits Suicide-Panic as Soon as the Vessel
Struck the Sunken
Reef

t1C
Cartagena, Spain, Aug. 5.-A TERRIBLE
marine disaster occurred last evening off
Cape Palos. The Italian steamship Sirio,
from Genoa for Barcelona, CadiZ, Mon
tevideo and Buenos Ayres, with about 800
persons aboard, was wrecked off Hormi-
gas Island. Three hundred immigrants,
most of them Italians and Spaniards,
were drowned
The captain of the steamship commit
ted suicide
The bishop of San Pedro. Brazil, also
was lost, and il is reported that another
bishop is among the missing.
The remainder of the passengers and
the officers and crew got away in the
ships boats or were rescued by means of
boats sent to them from the shore.
A number of fishermen who made at
tempts at rescue were drowned
Saved in Pitiable Condition.
Those rescued from the vessel are now
at Cape PaioS in pitiable condition, be-
ing without food or clothing.
The SiriO struck rocky reef known as
Bajos Hormigas and sank soon afterward
stern first. HormigaS Island lies about
two and half miles to the eastward of
Cape Palos.
The Sirio was owned by the NaVlgaZiOna
ltaliana, of Genoa.
Before he committed suicide the cap
tain declared the steamer had 645 passen-
gers on board and that her crew num-
bered 127 men. The SiriO had so passen-
gers when leaving Genoa, but additional
Spanish passengers were taken aboard
at Barcelona, where the vessel touched
few hours before the disaster.
Wild Panic on Board.
The disaster occurred at 3 o'clock yes
terday afternoon. The steamer was
threading a difficult. passage through the
Hormigas group, where the Bajos Hor-
migas reef is continual menace to nav
igation. The vessel began to settle rap
idly Immediately after she had struck,
and terrible scene of confusion and
panic ensued on the vessel. The fisher
men along the coast sought to render
every assistance and sent out boats which
brought many survivors ashore. Most of
the officers and crew of the SirtO are
among the saved. The survivors have
gone into camp on the main square of the
town at Palos.
Heart-Rending Scenes.
Narrowing scenes are enacted as the
stricken families anXiOusly seek beloved
members among the rescued. A mother
who lost her three children went insane.
The doctor of the Sirio gave up his wife
and child as lost, but they were finally
brought in by one of the rescuing boats,
and the scene at this family reunion was
most affecting. One of the boats sent out
by the fishermen brought in twenty-four
passengers.
The condition of the survivors is most
deplorable They have lost everything
and are without money, food or clothing.
The maritime authorities Of Cartagena
have dispatched tug TO the scene car
rying relief supplies. The buildings OF
circus and poor house are being used
as temporary quarters for the survivors.
The latest reports from the cape say
that three boats have just brought in a
number of rescued.
Captain Blamed Himself.
An additional sadness is added to the
catastrophe owing TO the fact that a num-
Der Of fishermen who were conducting
rescuing operations were drowned in con-
sequence of the OYerturning of a boat.
The captain of the Sirio just before he
committed suicide attributed the wreck
70 his own imprudence- TIE Sirio left
Genoa Aug. 3
Extent of Disaster Unknown.
All the ships books were lost 1t is
impossible at present to ascertain the
fun extent of the disaster. Nine-tenths
of the passengers were Italians and the
remainder Spaniards. All the survivors
have been landed at Cape Palos. The
Inhabitants provided them with clothing
and nOurishment. Thirty were landed at
Hormigas Island about three miles from
the tragedy. Fishermen brought in the
first news of the laundering of the SriO
and It created CONSERVATION here. Boat
loads of the shipwTecked passengers and
crew began TO reach shore shortly after
the news became known.
Passengers confirm the fearful nature
of the calamity.
From the broken narratives of the ter
ror-stricken survivors il would appear
that il was the intention of the captain
of the SiriO after leaving Barcelona TO
call at CadiZ before proceeding to Brazil.
Captains Fatal Error.
The captain in order to shorten the route
and gain time proposed to pass as close
as possible TO the dangerous rocky lodges
surrounding the Hormigas Islands. With
out any warning and while running at
full speed the Srio crashed upon the
rocks with terrific force. A few minutes
after the vessel sank beneath the waves
The passengers were in a state of horror
and panic. Crowds rushed forward. push
ing each other and fighting for ,laces 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 abandon the child
and try 10 save herself alone. This she
refused to do. declaring that she preferred
that they die together. Both eventually
were picked up alive from the water.
Officers Were PowerIess.
In the midst of this panic the captain
and officers of the Sirio endeavored in
vain to restrain the people, restore SEM
bIance of order and organize a system of
Hfe-saving. This was not accomplished, !
for the vessel suddenly either broke IL
> half or glided off the rocks and fOundered
I'm deep water. The captain purposely
sank with his ship.
The archbishop of San Pedro went down
with the vessel while blessing the drown
ing passengers. The other bishop. VINO |
was first supposed 10 have been drowned, !
has since been reported safe. He is at |
Cartagena.
A Steamer engaged in rescue work has |
reached port. She has on board the bodies |
OF several infants.
The Austrian consul at Rio de Janeiro |
was saved but lost a large amount of |
money when the vessel went down.
The government has issued Instructions |
that every possible measure for the re-
lief Of the stricken people shall be taken. /
fleet of trawlers providentially hap |
: pened to be only about 100 yards away |
\ when the Srio struck. Notwithstanding
Il he great danger the shippers of these