Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-01-23
THE HArrIAao HoRRoR.
Latter fro,. . Brsvs American who
Helped 60 Rescue sOsae Of the Viotinas
from the Burning Cathedral at sam
aa0a. Chile,

from Nhe AaNaA.A - S"A--
mage, Chile.
We have been kindly permitted 20 publish
the following extracts from a private letter ad-
dressed by an American to a friend In AleIau-
dria. The writer Of the letter Is a gentleman
Of the highest respe ctability and the part he
took in the attempts to rescue the poor victims
Of this most horrible calamity, Geo modestly
set forth by his own pen,) will rcndcz his
friends at home proud OF him as an American,
as We all are OF his fellow-countrymen who be-
haVed so nobly on the dreadful occasion. The
letter 10 dated Dec. 2s, 1885,
During my stay at Santiago this terrible
calamity took place, and have tale to tell, so
full Of horror, that 1t will make your checks
blanche and your blood run cold. Would to
God that had not witnessed It. The horrors
Of that night are burnt into my brain. No
human eye has ever before looked upon such a
spectacle. Nothing Of what is described, either
In history or story, will compare with this awful
visitation OF God.
Mr.. - and myself arrived at the great
doors Of the cathedral ten minutes after the Gre
had broken out; and even then am convinced
that hundreds had already persisted. Piles upon
piles Of human beings were lying within elk
feet Of the DOORS still alive, hut sloioly burning
10 death. Thank God, we were In time TO rescue
few Of the sufferers, but most OF them so
badly burnt that they lived but short time.
| We know, however, that few pulled out by
us, when all hope Of any human arm succoring
them had passed away, are still living.
But few men persisted, and the women rescued
had their dresses either burned or pulled of,
In the efforts TO eXtricate them from the burn
ing mass, and sac The grease bubbling out Of
he backs and shoulders Of sons Of those rescued.
Again and again entered the burning church
to return with some poor victim, until the heat
became so intense that no human being could
breathe the air and live. Ny hands, hair, and
face wers scorched, and my eyes and hands
are still sore from the effects Of the 1re. Once
was pulled down upon the burning mass, and
II was only by a superhuman effort that was
able TO release myself from the many hands
that grasped mewlth death grasp. With my
vest and coat burned, closing my hat, which
went up with the flames like feather.) es.
capped TO the door.
At the side doors of the Church half dozen
of my countrymen (Americans) were working
like heroes. Twenty-Five brave hearts and
stout hands could have rescued hundreds who
: petished; but, alas, there were too few Of us
The great mass Of the people were terror
stricken aud stood looking on, weeping and
UringinR their hands, unable or unwilling to
/ make any efforts to save their own country.
men.
The Americans. with a few noble exceptions,
were the only ones who had the courage 10
4 countrymen yentured too far and was never
seen afterwards. Peace be TO his ashes. The
csWardly priests gathered up all the altar furni.
ture, pictures, and saints, and escaped from
5 the private doors, locking them after them.
Curses deep and loud against the priesthood
are heard In every part Of the land, and trust
I II may be the beginning OF newera for Chile,
Tor more ridden and priest-curscd people
cannot be found upon the face of the globe.
Ny nerves have been terribly shaken by this
sad event, and even now my hand trembles and
my heart grows sick as write these details;
and would give the world, If possessed 1t,
to blot from memsry that night of horrors.
No tongue can tell, no pen can write, no ink Is
: black enough TO paint il. Every paper in
Chile has spoken OF the brave % Heretics," :" who
perlled their lives to save burning" Catholics, )"
as the following extract from one Of them will
show you
"Among the very first TO reach the doors of
the church were Mr.. Nelson (Minlster) and
Mr.. silvey, United States Consul, Valparaiso,
who exposed their lives to save victims. In like
manner did Messrs. Meigs, Keiths, and some
former employees OF the Valparaiso railroad,
, who were assembled at the house Of Mr. NJ,
about two-thirds Of mile from the scene Of
this catastrophe.
, "We met Messrs. MeigS and Keith on that
Terrible night, with horror depicted in their
iaces their clothing all torn, soaked with water
! and 90 hoarse as to be scarcely able TO speak
Upon asking Mr.. Meigs II he believed that any
persons had perished In the church, he an.
swered In voice which froze our blood thou
sands, alasp He was one Of the few and per-
hapS the only one who was not mistaken in
that bitter hour OF indescribable confusion
We have been assured that Mr.. Melgs caused
himself to be drenched with water purposely
that he might penetrate amidst the flames.
: Conduct like these Americans, is not humani-
ty, 1t 10 heroiSm."
Fortunately these sentiments are not merely
the expression of individual esteem, as two
public documents published by authority show,
setting forth in the strongest light all We have
said concerning the brotherly feeling of both
peoples May these documents and other ex-
Presslons Of gratitude convey to the citizens Of
the Union, not only in Chile, but throughout
the Universe, the expression OF the deep graft
tude which the Chilcans owe them for their
noble conduct.
The only person Visible beside these was the
Priest uRarte, who gave the suffering his bles-
sing from afar of, telling them 40 die CON
tented, for they were going to Heaven" The
supine inactivity Of the clergy In the midst OF
this terrible disaster has naturally and Justly
produced deep sensation.