New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-29
SCENES AND INCIDENTS DURING THE
FIRE.


WILD EXPORTS FOR THE RESCUE OF TRrESDs-
TOUCHING ISC1DENTs-TuE WOMEN EVIDENTLY
DRESSED IN THEIR BEsr-TTIE MEANS OF EXIT
IRON THE CHURCH.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass, May 2S.-Of course the
most intense excitement prevailed in the streets of Ho
yoke last night centerng opposite the church at which
the fire occurred and at the various points 10 Which the
burned persons carried Wild efforts made by
people to rush pemel into the burning building 10
rescue their friends ami 1t was with difficulty That they
were kept bacs. This particularly the ease with
parents who had, the first impulse, rushed from
The church to their lives. but sud
denly remembered that they had left children behind
TO perish. Actual personal violence had TO be used in
several eases keep back All about the streets
men, women and children wandering, p.e0usy in
quiring if their friends had been saved One woman was
absolutely sure that husband had perised and could
only he queted by the from friend that he
had Just been walking with him. One OF the most touch
ing that two little girls, about IL old
who rushed for the Of the building while the
fire at ts hight, thinking 10 find their father and
mother who within They could only be restrained
by officer. who took them IN his arms.
One OF IL few amusing incidents occurred at the rope
drawn around the plot where the wounded were laid
woman who calls herself riesmerist tried 10 pass in
when she confronted b. young man doing guard
duty She began operate upon him. expecting TO over
come his will, bu. she went away dsgusted re-
marking. That's the strongest minded man ever saw
Those pulling ont the bodies noticed that almost every
had bracelet her wrist, and al had evidently
heir best at the special occasion. II is disputed
question whether both OF the front doors # the church
were available for exit at the time of the fire There
those who state positively that Of them closed.
and that il impossible open account Of the
crush man il asserted went 10 the closed door
and fcurishing club threatened violence 10 anybody
who in order TO get the crowd away but with
Others state positively that both doors
open
The church society established about seven years
ago. and Father Dufcsne has been the only pastor The
parish included all the French Catholics OF the city.
whose number Is estimated from 1000 70 j0o pco
pie The church burned erected about $50. w:s
about by CO. stories high, bui!t 'ey Of
nine with galleries on the sides and north end about %
feet in width and cciled 10 the ridge. There were
two entrance doors tie north end, thence hdle
whence two doors opened into the body Of the church
Into this vestIbue the Galleries opened Al the rnr end
was another door by which a few persons escaped In
the rear OF church the priests residence. about
30 ny o. which also destroyed. Tho walls were
pulled down after The FIRE mostly put out. The loss
on the church total; hui il is small the structure being
cheap one while there IL 100 cf insurance on II, with
81 900 on the priests house.
Immediately the flames breaking cut last night all
the persons in galleries rushed the cast door AMI
crowded each other that they fell upon one another
and cloked up dOOrways with bodies piled all ways
eight feet deep and here most OF the lives were
lost From This mass Chief Mun rescued one young
woman after having taken OF dead bodies fr-iin
above her IL almost impossible to face the flames.
rnn fnfcf Malfn ana JvnsFS 6 Their clothes almost
burned from them. and badly burned themselves
about the hands. woman jumped from the highest
window down upon the front steps, breaking an arm
but she is not have been otherwise injured.
man with children in his jumped from awindow
and escaped One poor woman, enveoped In flames,
srieked out For Gods sake, me" and she was
dragged out by John Lynch.
The latest dispatch 10 The Republican Of this morning
saws: 1T is not quito certain that all the Lodies have
been taken the ruins In the haste TO get many
a. possible from the building before it fell good many
Of the bodies were taken but few feet from the church
for the moment, aud perhaps two may yet be
pulled from the d. Iris"