Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1864-02-02
AyyFUs. Disaster An CHIET.

An awful disaster occurred in Santiago, the
capital of Chilli, on the 9th OF December. The
immaculate Conception was being celebrated in
the church of the Jesnit5 1t vas ahout7 O'Clock
in the evening, and the crescent of light (gas>
that formed the pedestal for the Virgin Mary
fred the wood upon which il rested, and the
flames Sprung wildly over the building. There
@ere ten thousand persons in the church. Tho
suddenness of the ire was awful. The dense
mass of women r:shtsnoa out of tdeiI scnsos,
numbers faiating, aud ali entangied oy their
long swelling dresses, rushed as those VINO knew
thai death was at their heels, to the one door,
which soon became checked up. Fire was ev-
cry where. Streaming along the wooden ceiling
II flung the camphene lamps, hung in rows there,
among the struggling women.
In moment the gorgeous church was sea of
fame Michael Augs!os fearful p,cture of hell
was there but exceeded. Help was sll but inn
possible. A Hercules might have strained bis
,lrength in vain to pull one from the serrled
| mass OF frenzied wretches who piled one above
| another as they climbed over to reech the air,
wildly fastening the grip of death upon any one
escaping, in order that they might be dragged
out with them. w omen seized IL the embrace
of the flames were seen to undergo a transforma-
tion as though by an optical delusion--tlFst dag
zDg bright, then horribly lean and shrnnk up,
black statues rigidiy fixed in writhing attitude.
The fire, imprisoned by the immense thickness
of The walls, had Geyoured everything combasti-
bic by 10 O'Clock, and then, defylnS the slcken-
ing stencil, people came to look foc their lost
of the burning were hu-hed in DEATH was horri-
BILE. 1t was the silence ofthe grave, unhroken
but by the bitter wall or fainting cry. OVER
TWO THOUSAND SOULS hal leaped through that or
deal of fire to the judgment seat OF God.
| More than FIVE hundred persons of the highest
| cast perisec the greater part young girls be-
| tween fifteen and twenty years OF age. One mo-
Their persisted with her five daughters. Two thirds
of the victims were servants. Several houses
have beea noticed by The police as empty, be-
J cause ali their inmates have persisted.
The latest information is that seventeen hum
dred bodies hare been recognised. Three thou
sand, at least were in the building. and 1t is not
| yet known how many have escaped.
How TO CURE DEsERTIoN.-A writer in the
Mobile stRegister" suggests the 1cilowlng plan
! to cure deseiton:
| l'he necessity for the return OF all absentees,
/ 20 tho army will be sufficient excuse for troub-
ling you with my suggestions
| y |. Let Congress define desertion 10 include
absence without leave for--days
| 2. Let Congress pass law compelling all
commanders ci regiments, battalions, and sep
| arate companies, to publish for two weeks (after
each lnuster) in three newspapers OF the State
from which tue men came, the names OF all Off
GERS and mon absent without leave for--
DAYS.
5. Let Congress place deserters on the same
footing as men who, having furnished substitutes
attempt TO leave the country-that is, declare
them alien enemies. They are really worse.
4. Let every marriage with deserter be ilie-
i GAL This will stop the breed. Shooting does
not euro dcserticn except in the man who Ia
/ shot.
i The army cannot attend to tne enemy in front
(the Linco and the enemy in real [desertersI
at tie same time. Let women and old men at
J home mako hnne so much more disasreeable
than eailtSo Sor the GeseItsrs that thsy VIII prefer
camp.