Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-01-30
SATURDAY MORNING, JANUARY 30, 1864.
OLD SERIES, VOL. "a, NO, 10.

| brief half hour from the breaking cut of the
! fire the whole interior of the church was Il
lake of flames, rising far above the heads OF
the shrielSing sufferers. while the hundreds
Of bodies massed immovable together burn
cd like so many blocks of wood.
Through the lurid flames arms could be
seen extended in supplication, mothers fold
ing their daughters to their burning breasts,
aud, while the iellish light painted up the
distorted features, loud above the roar of the
/ cracking rafters and rushing flames rose the
comminglcd shrcks of over two thousand
victims, Dante, in his widest vision, never
dreamed of such hell as this. Had the
roof fallen in now what suffering had been
spared The fire reached the doors. Ef-
fort after effort was made to break the COM
pact but still living mass.
Strong robust men were seen struggling
tc eXtricate themselves, but in vain; and all
this within few feet of hundreds of specta-
tors Trees in the plaza were cut down
and thrust in over the burning heads but
it was too late The smaller branches were
almost Immediately reduced to ashes, or
when the BODY OF the trees was withdrawn
those branches taken hold Of remained in
the victims hands.
1t will seem scarcely credible that any vet
lived and yet so it was. a moment more,
however, aud all was over. Amid the flames
blackCned heads might he seen swaying to
and fro, then .Jaifhg yrOm tie ~tyuiders The
mass near The door was now immovablc in
death, and hundreds of the coal-back statues
retained their kneclng posture.
1T last the root fell in with crash like
mighty thunder. The gorgeous beltry still
stood, and, wrapped in flames, made scene
around bright as MONDAY and then, with
dull, soddrn sound, the mammoth bells fell
from their high places,
CITY LIFE ~ SANTIAGO.
Santiago, as ! have often told you in con
yersstion and in letters, is unlike any city in
the world in this, that here all the wealthy
families Of the Republic reside and rs you
may readily imagine, in II city where there IS
50 little immigration. these families are more
or less connected. Al are we'll known to
each other, and, in a work, form one large
family. The blow has thus struck home to
tie heart OF every one.
SHAMEFUL DEcEPTIoE.
Our correspondent mentions an incident
that betrays the most bareiacel and crimi-
nal hyprocrisy on the part Of the priests of
the church that has been burned 1t is that
they actually had a lctter-box in which let
-
received. 1t was called the letter-box OF
Mary lie says We have seen letters from
this box (Which the Governor has in his
keeping now, in which simple minded girls
asked from the clergy their photographs MS
momcntoes of their iciiled features We
have seen Others il cypher = =
The people of Santiago did respect their
pretended teachers. To-day we DO not say
they despisc them, nor that they curse them,
but they have been completely unGeceiYed.
Under the mask Of charity these have been
conccalng the most refined sciishnoss. the
mos. atrocious hardihood. The door of the
vestry was closed that they might get out
rotten mattings and moth eaten carpc!G.-
This fact alone might be sufficient to carry
conviction to those who, unhappily, are not
yet convinced.
.l'EELING AGAINST THE CLERGY.
reaction has taken place here against
the clergy Public opinion demanded at
once the conversion Of the church into Il
public square. VE;S has been and is violent
~ opposed by the clergy and their tormija-
BILE party The tanatu.sm Of these and its
manifold abuses, among which is considered
foremost the late disaster, is the subject of
conversation in every circle. The papers
are full of the h.ttcrest lnvectivc ON both
sides ct this question. Thousands of dollars
are offered to rebuild the temple, and force
Is threatened if It be attempted. ACCUSE
tions Of the viest conduct are brought
against the clergy, In my next | will give
you the continuation OF this awful 6rama.--
Terrible as has been the lesson, Chill will
profit by it. We may hope for more liberal
ity and less fanaticism. From out oi the
still smoking ruins of the Compauia may
yet rise the bright light of religious liberty