Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-01-21

icii ifohi oioi'i uisSi1uplhS lHtlr lnfam-
mable contents on the Inflated victims
wrapping them In an instant In flames
IL is doubted if one in ten escaped; ana
of those who did the most part We've so
burned or otherwise injured that death
has sintsensued.
Persons I'm the street report that over
the barricade of bodies within the door.
ways, they could see individuals in ths
center of the church running hitler and
thither amid the flames, while II was
impossible TO render them the slightest
assistance, Nay, that IL was out OF the
question 20 eNtricate even those who
were near the doors, This, at distance.
seems quite ineXplicable; but, from The
energetic character Of some who sought
to render the sufferers aid, we are snre
il must have been out OF the question
or ii would have been done.
At the end of an hour the fury of the
contiagration had passed, and then, OF
all that immense number of persons
for whom escape had been impossible
not soul survived. The belfry had fan
en-, and so had much of the roof, while
the walls Were left standing. Aud now
imagination fails TO depict the horrors
OF the occasion.
Where just before had been gathered
the eite OF the city, the female portion OF
the most refined families of the land
nothing remained but ifeless bodies
blackened and charred in death; some
piled up in all imaginable confusion.
some in rows yet knecling, some with
the heads burned of, others with limbs
consumed, while the rest of the BODY
had not suffered even lesion Thns
matrons and maidens, their servants and
children, had persisted In common
ruin.
To some houses not soul returned
Mothers with families OF daughters had
disappeared. Husbands vainly sought
from street to street and house 10 house
their wives; brothers their sisters, and
parents their children. ....
The first Intelligence was brought here
by telegraph that five hundred had per.
ished; it was hoped that this would
prove to be an eXaggeration but the
next day the number was six and then
eight hundred then thousand lit
was then thought the tale of horror
could not proceed further
And It II has, until now seventeen
hundred names have been published OF
persons missingand the remains of more
than two thousand have been borne to
the cemetery These in some isolated
cases have been recognized, but the
overwhelming mass have been perfectly
undistinguishable For four DAYS a
crowd of laborers was at work extract.
ing the remains and nearly two hundred
cart loads have been carried TO the Gene
terry, Fifty men We're there employed
opening an immense excavation to re
ceive them; a number that proved 10 be
insufficient, and had to be augmented.
The fire occurred on Tuesday evening,
and on Saturday evening the fearful task
had not been fully completed.
Perhaps never, in any land. has n ca.
lamity 50 dire and unmitiaated so sud.
den and awful, 80 heart rending and hor.
ritying, been recorded.
Connected with the fire already record
cd there are incidents narrated that give
rise TO the bittcrest reflections. For in.
stance, through the yestry of the church
there was an opportunity for some TO
escape. BY this avenue a Miss Arm
strong did escape, besides another lady.
but then the door was closed in order to
have more room and freedom for remov-
ing articles of furniture, even TO benches
candlesticKs, erucitxcs. and sQ forth,
We give am extract from the pen of our
special correspondent dated December
I1th
Yesterday we stated that the clergy
and servants of the church. while that
multitude of females was burning. were
busy in saving the miserable furniture of
the vestry.
To-day we have seen images of saints,
silver ornaments and paintings in the
adjoining houses that had been saved in
the midst of the confusion. We have
seen large image with its gilt frame
work in the cigar shop on the corner of
the square; we have seen thousands of
trifiing objects that were got out instead
OF the perishing victim, inanimate stocks
instead OF human beings
The priests are generally condemned
Tor imprudence in the decoration and
illumination of the church. and heart
lessness in saving their own property
while two thousand persons were diving
a horrible death. Among Others who
fastened to the burning building to give
assistance Were Mr. Nelson, U. s. Minis.
ter, DIR. silvey, u $. Consul. Mr.. Rand.
Secretary of Legation, and Henry Meips,
Unfortunately but little could be done,
1t is thought that at the end of fifteen
minutes all who were not near the doors
Were suffocated
The people of Santiago subsequently,
demanded the entire demolition of the
edifice. The priests strenuously opposed
the popular demand, and even threatened
ecclesiastical censures; but the Govern
ment considered it necessary to Weld to
the popular pressure and TO decree the
demolition of the building.
The Valparaiso Mercury of the 18th
December, says; A Hercules might
have strained his strength in vain to
pull one from the serried mass OF fren-
zied wretches who, piled one above an.
other, as they climbed over to reach the
air, wildly fastened the grippe of death
upon any one escaping in order that
they might be dragged out with them.
Those who longed to save them were
nnnJnoI 10 he