The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-06-11


the most terrible disasters In the history Of
Massachusetts, occurred tonight In the
burning of the French Catholic Church.
AT South liolyoke, during the evening
service, involving the death of sixty-sjX
men, women and children. The exercise
I had nearly closed, and vesper service
was being sung, when the draperies on the
altar
CAUGHT FIRK FROM A CANDLE,
and the walls being low and the flames
streaming up, the buildingwa set on fire.
The audience numbered about seven
! hundred. The people IN the body OF the
church escaped. but on the stairway lead
ing from the gallery, human beings were
densely packed and struggling 10 reach
I the floor. As the flames rushed toward
them, many leapcd 10 the floor beneath
and were trampled To death. The gallery
skirted both sides of the building with
\ only one way out from the front.
The scene was fearful while il lasted. for
I the whole was over In twenty minutes.
{ Besides
sIxTY-sIx DEAD
there are enough fatally wounded 10 run
\ the total loss OF life up To seyenty-iye.
\ The Priests house, which joins the
church on the rear, was also burned.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
The exercises had nearly closed when
4 the flames from the candle caught the
Y drapery around the statue OF the Virgin
Mary, STRAINED up and caught the build
\ ing Immediately. A panic ensucd and the
Y people rushed for the doors. There was
/ but one entrance to the gallery and that
from the front. On the stairway leading
I from the gallery the people We're packed
y ina solid mass. struggling 20 clear them
selves as the flames rushed IN that di~ec-
I tion. and this soon became blocked, rem
derng exit impossible. Many jumped
over the sides OF the gallery on the crowd
Z beneath and were trampicd on and killed.
\ The IN tests r, sidence Joined the church
on the rear, and many escaped through
an entrance leading 10 the house back Of
I the altar. The priests eXerticns 10 Keep
order were Ruthless. The screams OF the
/ living and the means OF the dying made
( deafening tumult above the orders Of the
/ pastor. who worked most herOically. and
was personally instrumental ia saving
many lives. One family OF four were in
Z the church. and were All killed. Many
I were pulled out by the arm aud feet. 50
7 badly burned that they lived but a few
hours, the flesh pealing of on being
touched. Some We're taken out
with scarcely any flesh remaining on
Z their bones. The sisters Of Mercy
from the convent Were soon on hand car
Y ing for the wounded and holding services
over the dying. Father Duiresne also held
services. His mother was among those
terribly burned. Father Dufresne lost al
most every thing in his residence. The
Y large wooden tenement block of Joseph
Prtu. near the church. was thrown open
forthe reception of the dead and wound
Cd, and several deaths occurred in the
building during the night. Several Were
also taken 10 the New y ork Mills board
ing-house, and physicians gave the wound
ed the best of medical care Those who
were too badly burned 20 recover Were
put under the effects of mOrnhne and
passed away without a struggle. While
the exc rcises were being held over the dy-
ing the most intense Quiet prevailed. and
The rough laborers knelt on the s0or with
uncovered heads but about the m0rgue
and on the streets the wsilling OF the multi
tudc was pitiiul.
Several members Of one of the hose com
panies were PLAYING ball near the church
when the fire broke out. and the relief
steamer was ont for practice, 80 that the
fire department was promptly or the spot.
THE SCENES Al THE Doors
We're described as terrible. They were
blocked with struggling people seeking
exit outside. The people cleared the way
several times, but as oftea IL would DC
blocked up again. The Windows were
broken open and several escaped IN
that way. The last TO get out
of the church was said to be man
with his wife and little girl. The
father took up his daughter and rushed
with her to place Of safety. Louis Lon
gloss. of the Riverside Mills. went in 70
render assistance, when a little girl came
tumbling down before the door under the
49, Ia. y
s,s hands badly in doing H. he was able 20
pull her out, but the little girl was badly
injured. A young woman beat out one Of
the window frames and jumped 70 the
ground safely. An old woman OF sixty
\ went to the ssme opening and hesitaiing
10 jump she was pulled inside by the hair
by brutal fellow. He jumped clear and
she fell and was seriously injured. Oh
family OF five, four got out alive, one little
girl Of twelve bling burned. She was
teariully sought by her little brother and
at last discovered dead John Lynch,
mason. finding the people pressed IN AZ
the bottom OF the church door, pulled
many down who were ON top, thus saw
ing dozen lives.
Constable Casey described the scene as
he saw il with glass from the top OF the
Hutehins Hous, block. The whole affair
was over in fifteen minutes. He could
plainly see through the blazing raitcrs ana
frame the poor people running about.
Long black spots could be seen in the
flames. and half a minute later these spots
went out in brilliant light. which was
succeeded by dark flame. Louis Roberts,
who, with his four children. was in the
church, saved his three daughters by fore
ing them out OF the door, but his boy, a
bright Lad OF IL, perished in the flames.
Many people were badly injured by jump
ing from the gallery windows. Annie
Huber and child six years Of age es-
capped from the building after their cloth