Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-19
HALF A HUNDRED
MEN ARE KILLED
Explosion Of Dynamite at Pinar
del Rio. Cuba. OemoIishes Bar
racks of Rural Guards.
TWENTY-ElGHT BODIES FOUND
Forty Injured Taken TO Hospital
Many Thought Disaster Caused
By Comets approach

Havana. May 19-UuW the ruins
have been more thoroughly examined Dr..
VIII not Doe known positively how many
lives were lost when the rural guards
barracks In the city of Pinar del Rio
was demolished by an explosion OF
dynamite late yesterday.
There is reason. however 10 believe
the fatalities did not exceed 80. The
wounded viii number more than 100.
II is almost certain the explosion re-
suited from the accidental fall OF a case
of dynamite fron the hands OF am
employ OF the public works depart
Wnnt who. with others, was engaged In
loading ON wagons % cases of tho exc
plosiye which were TO be- transferred
from the barracks Go the government
magazine in the city.
Many injured are believed 90 be still
pcnned under the debris. Work of eX-
Treating the victims was continued
throughout the night by torchught.
Among the bodies recovered were those
" Capt. Alfredo RaNena OF the rural
guards, his wife and three children.
With the exception OF "a daughter,
Gractella, the whole family persisted
The body NJ Lieut.. Dihigo Of the rural
guards and those Of a score OF privates
also have been recovered
Andrea the daughter OF 4. Gomis,
The Spanish consul at Pnar del Rio,
could not be- found today and it is be-
lieyed she was killed. Senior Lcagrc
engineer OF the province, also is
thought TO be among the dead.
The quantity Of dynamite exploded
was nearly three tons. The buildings
destroyed were massive structures. Tho
government wireless station was
shaken 10 pieces The explosion caus-
I'd great terror among the inhabitants.
many Of whom thought the disaster
was caused by the approach of Hal
lcy's comet.
This morning 2S bodies had been re-
covered and 40 injured persons had been
taken 90 the hospital
The barracks was a massive struc-
ture ~ Spanish architecture and was
situated on an elevation just outside
the city 10 the north Near the main
building was long row of officers
quarters. The barracks was occupied
by four troops Of rural cavalry and
employees Of the public works depart
ment. During n recent alarm over the
alleged activities OF cOuspirat0rg the
government ordered all the dynamite
i'm tho possession Of contractors re-
moved 10 the barracks. Recently 10
was decided o. transfer the explosive
Co Havana. and the work Of packing
IL began yesterday
The workmou, the only witnesses Of
the cause OF the accident. were blown
10 pieces Al the first explosion the
barracks building was shaken to its
foundation and the nearby officers
quarters tottercd. At the second OK
plosiou the walls Of all the buildings
crumblod. burying those whom they
had contained
AT the same moment shower of
hrOkpu hits Of masonry rose and fol-
on the northern part OF the city Many
of tho rural guards as well as Of the
public works employees We're killed in
stantly
Gen. Montcagudo. commander OF the
rural guards. has gone 20 Piuar del
Rio 10 aid In the work OF rescue and
the care OF the survivors