The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1864-02-04
MistrIIanrols.
rHE eREAT TaAaEpY 1N oHfI.1!

heJCer from Jne American minister.
A private letter from Hon. T. II.
Nelson, Minister to Chill, is published
in the Tsrrs Hauto Demo6tsG
r lExTKAoT1
AS soon as the alarm was given
fastened to tho spot, whlSh is btt two
squares distant from my residence. No
eye hath scon or ear heard, and no
tongue or pen can describe the heart
rending aud appalling spectacle which
presented itself II was horrible
beyond description or conception.
Within my scope Of vision were more
than thousand Woften and children,
manffestihgb by shriekS; groans and 40
tions, every conceivable form of human
agony. Tho most heart piercing cries
pervadsd the building, which wero dis;
tinctly heard at the distance of three
squares. Some &sro writhinE in the
embrace Of the feme, stretching out
their eager hands for that help which it
was impossible to give; some standing
with uplifted aims; some PROSTATE and
insensible; some kneeling With claSped
hands, evidently commencing them
selves to Him into whose ptejOhGo they
would soon be pretipitaled.
1t was my good fortune to aid in OK.
Treating a number of victims from the
fiery furnace, by dragging them from
the dOor-waysI aud I DIN happy to state
that all our countrymeu who were pres
ent, labOred fearlesSly, and encrgeticaI
~, until hope of further assistatce wal
gone. These efforts, you will perceive
by reading tho enclosed translations
have been foelingly recognized by the
Government and people Of Chill.
4 little after 8 O'Clock, the last tow
0r containing the chime Of bells, fel
with tremendous crash, and it bsoam
no lOnger possible to gits tho least aid
10 the burning Victims.
There arc but three Gre engines in In,
city, and they are small inefficient, and
we're badly served. they arrived a. the
ScenO SONS half On hour after the be.
ginning of the fire, but werc SO utter.
ly worthless as to afford no assistanc ce
whatever. The flames Subsided abou,
midnight, from mSre want Of fhGtsris'
on which to feed.
On the next morning 1 visited tn,
interior of the church, and nothing
can exceed in horror, the spectacle there
presented. Tho whole pavement o.
he building was streWn with the swol.
len and disfgured eorpses of the vic.
Tins, while near the doors were heaps ot
eharrsd objects, 0hf7 distTnguishable b,
their shape as having been human
beings. They were rapidly owed tc
the cemetery, whsfe one general grave
was dug for their reception.
The entire city is shrouded in gloom
The best and some of the most aristo
cratic families in the city are the great
Test sufferers. Many of the most clega n
and accom- plished ladies in the city per
ished. Youth and beauty and old ago
|
were overwhelmed in one common ruin
In several instances whole families wer,
swept away, and their unoccup lie,
homes are in the custody Of the civi
auth rites. ..
I made repeated efforts to save
young lady feiend, who recognized m
the moment | appeared at the door
and who, stretching out her hands
called upon me to save her. In vain
struggled to reach her over the croWde,
mass. II was impossible to grasp he
hand. In few moments her hair was il
a blaze, and l ENDURED tho torture O
witnessing tho dying agonios of thi,
lovely creatursi We we're fortunate
snough to save her sister. But if thi
Specatcle was horrible to me, what mus
it have been to the heart broken pa
rents, and husbands, brothers, sister
and children, who, looking into the Ia
terror of tho church, saw the gathering
element come rolling on in curliDl
flames, and devouring all they hslC
most dear on earth. But enough o
this night of unuttorablO woe. 1.
In few days, strong determination
was sVincod to tear down the walls o
this unfortunate church Git had alteady
been destroyed four times by fres anC
esrthquakeS) and convert its site init
aplosG, on which 1t is proposed to bulT'
an appropriate monument. AsainS
this, the priesthood protested, ant
their organ threatened violence anC
bloOdshsd, If the attempt was made
On Monday an immense meeting wa
held in front of the church, but befor,
any action was taken, a decree of tn,