Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-06-27

GREAT Loss cr LurR T
we are indebted 10 friend for copy of IN,
Montreal Herald Of the 18th instant, delivered
at an early hour this morning. and containing
the following account from the Quebec Mecu
~ Of an appalling calamity in that city:
AwrUL LCALAMry-FEARruL Loss or L,tt
nv FiRE-I, has again plc,sed The Almighty ia
afl'ct our already chnstenc,l ety. las, Night
at len O'clock. fire broke ou, in the Theatre
Royal. 81. Lewis street. (fmmerly the Riding
School.) at the close Of Mr.. LIarr.lson.s exhibi
ton Of his Chemical D;orsmas. From the in
formation we have been able to CLEAN, a cam.
phlne lamp wns ovcrset, from come cnusc NJ
other, and the stugea once became enveIcped
in flames HE
The house had been dcn.ely crowded, bu,
some had fortunately left before the accident
rush was at once made to the staircase
leading trcmth bcxes, by iho.e who in the ex.
citement of,he moment, forgo, the other pas
sage Of egress ra"
In an incredibly short space of time the
whole of the interior Of the building was cnve.
loped in one sheet Of fame-.he newly cree.
ted platform covering the pit, and commun cn.
ting. at each end with the stage aud boxes,
favored the progress ofihe flames.
The writer of this article was one of the
earliest on the spot, and present OF the closing
moments Of the hapless beings who perisl,ed
from their over cxer,ons 10 escape.
The staircase communication with the boxes
was steep one, and we are Of opinion il had
fallen fiom the weight Of thoso who crowded
upon il. At least such was our opinion at the
moment.
One foot was interposcd between the haplcss
crowd and eternity! and on that space we, with
five or ak others, stood, the fierce flames play.
ing around us, and the dense smoke rcpelIng
all efforts 10 cxtricate. As far back as We could
see there wasa sea ofhcads. Of wrihing bodies
and outstre'chcd arns. Nmse there ras none
-Cuf)e1 means escaped The doomed.
At the extreme end in view there were face.
calm and resigned persons who from the fi,.
neral veil oc smoke which gradually enshroud.
cd them appeared calmly to drop into eternal
sleep. by our side was one brother striving to
"xtrcatc another, but abandonment was un.
avoiduble. One poor creature at our feet offer.
ed his entire worldly wealth Tor his rescue; the
ngonizing expression Of the faces before us can
never be effaccd from our memory.
The flames at tie time were above and a
round US but human aid was Of no avail In
five minutes from The time of which we make
mention, the mass of human beings who had bu,
short interval previous been in the eni,ymen,
Of full and sctve life. were exposed to our
view mass uf calcined homes! .e sss
Up to this hcur forty sir bDdics hare been t1e.
covered from she uias Most OF them have
bern recognizrd.A-a sfcntef loss of life than in
the two dread conflasraiions of last Summer
Sad wailng pcrVadcs the city. Scarcely a
street can he traverscd in which the closed
shutter or the hanging Grape do not bctoken a
S,idien bereavement. Fu,hers, sisters child.
ren, ofboth sexes. indulge in the deepest Ia.
meniation. Wo has fallen upon many for those
who were thus suddenly and swf,ly summon.
ed into the presence of their Creator.
INDIAN RrSAss BRIDcE FOR rHx UsE of THE
ARxr-An order has been given for the con.
t'ruction ofan Indian Rubber Bridge for the
use Of the Army in Mexico. A sirnilsr bridge
was invented some time ago, used during the
Creek war in Alabama come ten yesfs ago
The following IL a description Of il. ....-
ut consisted Of large bags, or pon,ons come.
thing like coi'on bays in shape. made Of India
rubber cloth. which being filed with ali and
attached literally together, formed bridge of
fourteen feet in width, and of any length. nc.
cording TO the number Of bags ased; npon
these were laid light timber to support boards
placed iatera!ly, which inrming smooth level
surface, admitted the passage OF wagons, horses,
&c. A detachment ofsik hundred men, with
all their arms and srcoutremenls including the
field officers, mounted upon horses, marched on
il at once, aud often remaining a quarter of an
hour in going through the evolhtions to test it's
strength they counter marched, with us much
facility as IL on terra frma. Field pieces with
their com plemeht ofmatrossess, and their cais-
sons filled " 18th ammunition, and loaded wagons.
were also driven over II with the same ease
II was said' that troop of horse arriving at
river where this bridge was. and seeing il
stretched across the stream, crossed upon il un-
der the impression that il was common b, idge
The great advantage Of this bridge is its por,a.
bleness all the ponsons and cordage for bridge
Of three hundred and fifty feet being capable OF
transportation in a single wagon whereas,