The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-28
THE UNHEEpED WARNINGS.

4 THE UNHEEDED WARNINGS
THE TERRIBLE CALAMITY AT SANTIAGO, CHILL
On ne feast OF the Immaculate Conception
December g 1863, Santiago, the capital or the Re-
puol OF chill. visited oY the mott terrible
calamity that has ever been known Ia connection
with cnurca. The Church OF the Jesults, one or
the most magnificent edidces in south America
4 was crowded TO sunocauon. An eye witness thus
describes the scene:-
\ A few mlng'es before seven O'CLOCK and when
h the religious performance was about to commence.
they were stl lighting the last lights In the
n chancel when the portable gas in the hall moon OF
canvas and wood that formed the pedestal or a
colossal Image OF the Virgin Mary began TO burn
one OF the cxtremties or the apparatus. Some
one III, he'd on the rising name and succeeded Ia
smotherlng It, but pya fatal rebound the gas COM
pressed by the EFFORT, burst ont with rcdoubled
vgor at the other extremity or the false half
moon. Immediately fierce flame rushed up.
The people VINO thropgei the church new toward
the sacrtsty crying water, waterW while the
women, who flied the nave, arose in tumultuous
confusion, screaming for help. The fire spread with
wonderful rapidly to rhe reredos OF wood
and hangings, and thence attracted by the cur
rent OF air that always circulates between the
upper boarding and the roof rolled through the
4 church. In lew moments all over head was a
4 succeeded in escaping, for in this church the
sexes were separated by an iron grating, and the
women had fed as far as the middle OF the cnurch
IN state OF tie most terrible CONFUSION. Blu. the
headlong hurry, the faintng, the obstruction Of
| the be-shaped dresses and tho frantic eagerness
TO gain the street, which, by q culpane impru-
dence, gave access the fresh air only toward
the open space in front and the small court on the
west side OF the church. That obstacle was the
barrier OF death.
And now what appeared most horrible was that
seeing the salvation OF lives within reach OF our
arms. IL was Impossible to save even one OF the
\ victims. piled upon another on the very
threshold. Hardly had the noble men, who de-
voted themselves TO save lives at the peril or their
own. seized by the arms or the clothes 4 pros
tlate form than The other women, mad with terror
from the nearuess OF the fire, clutched the victim
about to be saved, ana. In some cases. dragged
those who came to help them into that nery vor-
tex. II was almost impossible to extricate even
one from that heap or despalring wretches and TO
undo that CHASTITY knot. But the IRE accom-
plisned that which bafle1 man and the passage
into the doomed church was cleared only when that
impenetrablc phalanx OF beautiful precious life,
vas a handful OF cinders. At midnight the smok
Ing ruins OF the fatal temple-so a silent
charnel hcuse-were visited, and BY the light OF
lantern every step showed TO the appalled, gaze
fearful groups OF carbonized corpses, that pre-
served stil the supplicatng despsirtng attitude
Of their frightful martyrdom."
Three thousand women, comprising the beauty
and fashion OF Santiago we're IN the church. and
10000 camphene lights illuminated the edifce.
When the IRE occurred the scene was terrible.
women, seized IN the embraces or the Names
were seen TO undergo transformation, as though
by an optical delusion; first, dazzlingiy bright,
then black statues, rigidly Fixed in agony. The
silence, after the piercing screams were hushed
In death, was horrible. II was the silence OF the
grave unbroken but BY bitter wall or fain ting
CRY. over 1000 souls mad passed through that or
deal OF frc TO the judgment seat or God.
TIE SYRACUSE BAPTIST CHURCH DIsAsrER
on the evening OF the 2sd or June, 1874. While a
strawberry festival in progress in the Central
Baptist church or syracuse, n. Y, without any
premoniton the moor gave war, preclpitatlng the
people into the story below. The number In the
room was varousy estimated at the time
from 500 10 500 The effect was appalling
berond conception. The descent o. the
moor was accompanied with a terrible crushing
or ttmbers while from he throng OF humanity
went up q dismal vail OF despair, accompanied by
shreSs Tor aid. The nremen and police were
quickly on hand and at work clearing away the
denris. with view 10 the rescue OF tho m.
fortunates. TIC scene both within and without
the euincc was heartrending. Fathers and
mothers searching for their children, husbands
looking Tor wives. wives inqulriug for nus
bands. brothers for sisters aud children for their
parents, OF whose fate al was uncertainty and
dread The work was vigorously but slowly pros
ocuted ana before midnight the living and dead
had been taken our. Investigation showed that
thirteen persons had been killed outright and 107
more or less seriously injured. II was shown, on
the Coroners inquest, that the supports OF the
noor were very imper ect, rendering It incapable
Of sustaining the immense weight there was upon
IL.
THE CATASTROPHE AT SURREY GARDENS.
LONDON, ENGLAND.
In October, 1855, at the service on sunday morn