Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-01-21

when rushing 10 the various outes all found closed
and that loud screams Ut horror
burst from the desparg multitude For few moments
the heart piercing cries Of pershng women were in
creasing they gradually grew fainter and fainter and
awful silence reened within that horrible furnace
broken only by the angry roar OF the names or tue crash
of falling BY the lurid glare within could DO seen
hundreds of human forms, some with faces elevated IN
prayer to Him before whose throne they were rapidly
Fastening others with eyes eagerly strained ana hands
outsetched towards the outer air. mporing that asss-
lance that it impossible to give mothers cssPing
their little ones close and seeking to SHIELD their darnes
from the flames already clustering their own desParng
features; children cngng in the phrenzy OF despair TO
those who would have gladly died them but could only
die with them.
The news sprea rapidly through the city and in an in
credbly short space of time, Minister, Mr. Nelson
Dr. Silvey American Consul at Vapo Henry Meiggs. and
bis nephew Henry M Keith, w. Eaton, George Cotton
C. T. Pearce, and number Of other Americans, were
upon the spot hewng down doors and rushing into the
flames drag out the few whose proximity to the doors
rendered it possible 10 reach them. Don Claudio Mantle
rola Don Custodio Gallo and ID. Antonio Gallo and
number of Cheans also aided in the good work but the
majority Of the bystandes parsyzed by the fearful sight
stood aOof while the Oregners at the most imminent risk
of fs dragged out the living the manned, and the dead
until the falling tinbers and ram Of FIRE from above ex
nguished every hope of saving another victim The most
habreadth escapes testified the heoism OF these noble
spirits who, unappaled BY the fearful scenes within the
church. ceased their exertons until it was but too
evident that soul renamed alive OF all that null
titude
The criminal neglect to take the most ordinary precau-
tons against fire. alarm has been earuly atoned
Of the three thousand persons within the ple but ve
or six hundred escaped, and most of them wounded.
scorched, and naked The vast crowd became wedged
together and fanng with heat terror and pressure lost
the ability to help themselves second the efforts OF those
who risked their lives to save them. 1t only BY
almost superhuman effort that few were dragged
from the tightly packed Of human beings at the tar
Oily opened outlets and Of those few, great majority
only lived few hours.
The rescners approaching too nearly the dense mass OF
victims time and again seized by the outstretched
Of numbers and only saved by their own
struggles, aided by their companions from Dehiad but
who could Withstand the mporng gestures OF those who
upon the very threshold Of salvation, fearful and
agonizing death swiftly approaching
Inside the church, and within few steps OF the main
door fronting upon the plaza group OF perhaps two
hundred from the white haired and venerable woman to
the infant of tender years. On tho right hand knelt
beautiful girl of seventeen years. yet untouched
by the eager flames that poured down from above and by
her side her sister and mother locked in ech others arms
within the reach of those without who and anon dash
ed reckessy through the corchng doorway and ineec
tualy grasped the clothing limbs of the nearest With
ing with terror the horrible group swayed to and fro the
weaker gradually sinking forward and falling never to
again while the stronger bated with desperate ener
gy reach the saving hands that struggled desperately
to reach them But all in vain and IN an awfully
brief space of time the wall of flame became impossible
the entire floor of the church was sea OF fire. fed by the
clothing of the victims and intensified by the dropping
lamps The roof fell in the towers followed and the
bery with swnl crash fell the doorway bury
the scorched and kissing bodies of those whose suffer-
ing was over.
The scene without the church was heart rending The
streets filed with the dead and dying, and hundreds
rushed ranticay to and fro calling upon the of
loved knelt in the streets to pray, were
carried off by their friends ravng in their grief while
sOme distracted at the thought Of wife child perishing
rushed franicaly into the church and
Hundreds were taken to the hospitals and to the neghbor
ing private houses All the physicians of the city were
upon the spot minsterng to the injured. At midnight
the flames spent for want of material to feed upon, had
lowered, and by morning had entirely ceased The spec
hyf f1au nAa rhahy hnrr
Two thousand cOrpses, every stage of carb0nlzatOn
from backened cnder to the slightest scorcb lay in heaps
around the several exit DOORS the last struggle painfully
Wis BILE 10 the eager position the outstretched hands, the
staring eyebsls The upper portions Of the bodies were
with few exceptions dsfgured beyond recognition; the
lower extremities scarcely touched by the ames
The officiating priests although heavily incumbered
the with clothing succeeded in escaping, with
out single exception and the same paper which pub
lsbed to-day list of over two thousand victims whose
names known gives also q list of church ornaments
plate rescued valued thousands Of dollars Three
u neghboring palatal mansion filled with fur
nture carpets curtains and pictures saved from the
try while few PAGES beyond perishing, ia rghtfu
torture, hundreds of fra aud helpless human beings.
1t is announced this afternoon that but bodies
have been recognised out of than two thousand vic
Tins Seven dwellings have been closed and sealed by the
auihortesDot soul having returned Of either of the
families living therein.
Deep and loud is the indignation manifested by the press
and the public at the criminal indifference Of the priest
hood to the safety Of their regcongaon and the Govern
ment has been earnestly bet0ught TO the ruins OF the
Inflated Compana" to the ground and to forbid in future
the Illumination ofchurches night services The priests
rebel and insist upon rebuilding the i'll fated pile, which,
upon Tuesday last for the third time destroyed by
fire. Public Indignation is rising and threats have been
publicly made that if the authorities do not demosh the
walls the people will do it for them
am c0nscious how fesby the foregoing details portray
the horrible of torture 1t my misfortune to wit
ness. No human pen could possibly convey the awful
reano language could depict the heartrendng nature
of the spectacle Santiago to day city of mourning
the entire Republic is partaker in her grief
Lest it be wondered at that the fire allowed to gain
snch Roadway may mention that Santiago city of a
hundred thousand Inhabitants possesses but three engines
all out Of order and badly managed fires being extremely