Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-01-27
Awiul Catastrophe IN Chill. south Amer
ioa The Catholic Cathedral IN santi
ago Consumed,
TWO THOUSAND riyt nuSputb rtrsoSs ROAST.
rb no pEAru.
Especial 90 tho Freemant Joutpel1
SANTIAGO. Chill. Dec. "a. ls69


DEAR SR-lt has been thN custom for
the past livey years to celebrate the Feast Of
the Immaculate Conception Of the Blcss.
cd Virgin Mary, with great zeal and pomp,
in the Church of the Compania or jesuit
Church. The Faithful having organized
religious association, known rs tho
Daughters Of Mary" has held annual
service during a month previous to the
Sth Of December, with a grand illumina-
tion Of the Church and sermon in even
ing, at which all the members were earn
eslly entreated to be present
Every year, from the Sth Of November
to the Sth Of December, the day of the
Immaculate Conception, lasted splendid
festival in which orchestral music singing
and large quantity of incense, of lights
of oil, liquid gas, wax and every luminous
combustible in the world gliltered and
ilared in every part, in the cornices, in
the ceiling and particularly in the hgh
altar Every night the church olazed
with sea of fame and ilutlered with
clouds of muslin and gauze draperes.
1t could only be lighted up in time by
beginning in the middle OF the afternoon,
and the work Of eXtnguishing was only
ended when the night was far advanced
The church was filled with tho deyout all
day. and towards nightiall continuous
stream Of human beings, almost exclusive.
ly women, poured into the church until
every avenue was densely packed, and the
steps of the church and far out into the
plaza were filed with hushed and kneel
ing crowd. The doors Wero Htn all cioscR
save The main entrance, for the double
purpose of preventing the confusion occa.
stoned by late Comers and Of making the
voice Of the preacher more distinctly
heard Alta little before sever, the as.
sstants were finishing the grand altar the
rest of the building being fully ilumina.
ted with thousands Of lamps. most oi
them Of parqtne OIL, when, from a trans.
parent crescent, at the foot of the statue
of the Blessed Virgin, burst forth let oil
flame. The attendant endeavored to ex.
tinguish it with his poncho, but the in.
= hammable liquid penetrated the fabric
and only increased the danger.
In moment the flames darted up the
garlands of artificial flowers to the roof
the immense cnpula caught fire and the
: lamps, suspended from the roof by cords,
dropped and exploded among the dense
ly packed mass OF women kneeling be-
meath. arting along the wooden ceiling
ialready heated to the dryness of tinder
the flames ran like Kissing serpents the
whole length Of the church and rolled
in huge billows upon the compact crowc
that had instinctiyely sought the mar
entrance. During the first lew moment,
OF surprise and terror, shrieks Of sorrow
for the destruction OF their beloved churcl
resounded through the aisles Of the build
ing; but when, rushing to the various out
, let's, all were found closed save one, anC
d that one impossible, loud screams Of hor
ror burst from the desparing multitude
: For q few moments the heart-piercinl
cries Of perishing women were increasing
, they gradually grew fainter and fainter
) ard soon an awful silence reigned wi.hir
that horrible turnace, broken only by III,
angry roar OF the flames, or the crash o
falling towers. BY the lurid glare within
= could be seen hundreds of human forms
l some with faces elevated in prave
to Him before whose throne the,
. we're rapidly fastening, others with eve
+ eagerly strained and hands outstreche,
, towards the outer air, imploring that as
D s;stance that it was impossible 10 give
Y mothers clasping their little ones clos
and seeking to shield their darlinGs from
2 the flames already blisteIimg their owl
C desparing features; children clinging il
the frenzy of despair to those who woul,
D have gladly died for them, but could onl
. die with them.
i or about three thousand persons uithir
r the pile, not more than five or SIX bundre,
= escaped, and most of them wounded
: scorched and naked. The rest becam
wedged together, and fainting with hea,
terror and pressure, lost the ability +
help themselves or second the efforts O
D those kind persons who risked their live
D 10 save them. 1t was Gully by almost su
perhuman effort that some few wer
dragged from the tightly packed mass G
human beings at the tardily opened out
lets; and of those few, a great majorit
i only lived a few hours.
The rescuers, approaching too nearl
the dense mass of victims, were tim
y and egain seized by the outstretche
o hands Of numbers, and only saved by thei
J own desperate struggles, aided by thei
companions from behind. But who couI
! Withstand the imp.oring gestures Of thos
o who, upon the very threshold of salvation
saw fearful and agonizing death swift
Il approaching? Inside the church, an
g within few steps of the main door from
ing upon the plaza, was group of pc
e haps two hundred, from the white-haire
1t and venerable women 10 the infant of tel
r der years. On the right hand knelt
II beautiful girl of some seventeen years,
- yet untouched by the eager flames tn
d poured down from above and by her sic
ss her sister and mother, locked in each OF
q els arms, within the reach Of those wit
81 out, who ever and anon dashed reckless
through the scorching doorway, and i
81 effectually grasped the clothing or Hml
y of the nearest. Writhing with terro
h the horrible group swayed to and fro. Il
At weaker gradually sinking forward ar
10 falling, never to rise again, while II
Is stronger battled with desperate energy
'e reach the saving hands that struggled
II desperately to reach them. But ali was
% vain, and in an awfully brief space of tin
e the wall offlame became in,nasrobla u