Milford chronicle., 1906-08-10
STEAMER WRECKED.
300 DROWNED
Italian Vessel Struck Reef OFF the
Coast Of Spain.
DUE TO CAPTAINS NEGLIGENCE

i0out 500 persons on board. wa
wrecked of Hormigas Island.
Three hundred emigrants. most o
them Italians and Spaniards. were
drowned
The bishop Of Sac Pedro. Brazil!
also was lost and it is reported that
another bishop is among the missing.
The remainder of the passengers
and the officers and crew cot away in
the ships boats OF were rescued bv
means Of boats sent TO them from the
shore. number of fishermen who
made attempts at rescue were drown.
ed. These rescued from the vessel are
now at Cape Pa!os in a pitiable con
dltion. being without food or cloth
ing.
The Siro struck a rocky reef known |
as Bajos HOrmigas. and sank soon af-
ter stern first Hormigas Island lies
about two and half miles 10 the
eastward O. Cape Palos.
Before he committed suicide the
captain declared tie steamer had 645
passengers on board. and that her
crew numbered 127 men, The Sirio
had 90 passengers when leaving
Genoa. but additional Spanish passen-
gers were taken on board at BARGE.
Iona where the vessel touched a few
hours before the disaster.
This steamer was threading q din.
cult passage through the HormiRas =
group, where the Bajos Horm!gas reef b
A a continual menace to navigation h
The vessel began to settle rapidly i'm. U
mediaeN " she had struck, and a terri. a
BILE scsne Of confusion and panic on. n
sued on boay, The fishermen along
the coast soueb, to render every as
sistance in their oo,.,,er and sent out W
boats which brought many survivors "a "a
ashore. Most Of the otlcsSs and crew ',- ~.
OF the Sirio are among the sa$60. ~,
From the broken narratives NJ Rhe -
terror-stricken survivors it would an VA
pear that it was the intention OF the leA
captain Of the Sirio. after leaving Bar. age
eelona. to call at Cadiz before proceed. Ne
ing TO Brazil The captain. in order OOO
% shorten the f6ute and gain time, 'aSI
10 pass as close as possible o, olic
10 the dangerous rocky lodges sur e''o'
rounding the Hormges Islands With 'ie
)ut any warning and while running at "o'
ull speed the Sirio crashed upon the u
'ocks with terrific force A few min "
,eraatb .bo -. u 7,i' w 'eS9e. 7'nh freq
80 -. .e ne passengers unit
'rowds rushed forward. pushing each -
ther and lighting for places in the a,'..
ow of the boat Many fell and were - ~.
rampled to death. Dozens Of men and -
'omen threw themselves into the sea.
young mother who was carrying her
aby was advised to abandon the child
nd try to save herself alone. This she
sfused to do. declaring she preferred Fko
lat they die together Both even lhS
tally were picked up alive from the D.
ater.
The Italian emigrants, with knives Ss'
their hands and without regard for
e women or children. fought with the
eatest brutality for the possession of m
e buoys and boats. Many were killed M
wounded, including several men,
rs of the crew. who were attacked pup
emigrants. ",
Eye witnesses give awful pictures Of
3 brutal panic on board For half RI
hour the emigrants were masters /
the situation. One report even M faetc
ties, the correspondent continues.
It group of emigrants approached
9 Of the ships boats which already -
S full and which was about to be --
nched, and dislodged the people. N
ling several with their knives. Just L.
they were about to occupy the boat
mselves, another body of armed en-
'nls no..o eame up p, and and ,d fierce fight for FAl
n
catastrophe owing to the fact that ST.
lumber Of fishermen who were
Quoting rescuing operations were Caned
wned in consequence of the over. Tobacco
ling of a boat
he captain OF the Sirio just before Tor
killed himself attributed the wreck
lis own imprudence.
President Grants Respite. THE