The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-06-04
The HOIyOke Holocaust.
SOME INCIDENTS OF THE FIRE--THE BURIAL
OF THE VICTIMS.

OF 1HE VIZ
There is but little to add to the mourn
full story of the Holyoke church disaster
Many who were suppose q to be only siight-
Iy burned will die from their injuries, and
a great many who survive will be maimed
and disfgured for life. The funeral obse-
quies took place Saturday in the basement
of the half finished church which was soon
to supply the place of the tlimsy wooden
structure destroyed. An unfoi tunate incl
dent happened, when, after three quarters
of an hours work thirty-f four bodies had
been placed upon the dais. The weight
of them proved too much for the slender
structure, and the middle boards gave way,
allowing it to sink with the collins several
inches. The church had meantime become
packed with people, relatives and friends
of the deceased, who pressed about the
dais watching the movements of the work
men on aud around it. aud when the tim
bers cracked the crash sent thrill of hOr
ror through all present, as 1T was thought
that all the collins were preciptated to the
ground. But they we've spared this fresh
torture, for the dais was soon repaired and
made more secure. One lady gave heart
rending scream and was carried out i'll a
fainting fit. The ceremony of ''AdieuX,
or absoIution to the dead,'' was conducted
by Fathers Dufrisne, Primeau and Gagnier,
and consisted of final sprinkling of the
coffius with holy water while the choir
chanted prayers for the dead. The funer-
al procession was over a mile in length,
hundred and thiIty-two vehicles, besides
several societies on foot, following the re-
mains of the victims to the grave.
INCIDENTS OF THE FIRE.
sad case was that of Joe Richards,
who was in the building with his wife
when the fire was found to be beyond con-
troll. He seized his wife around the waist
and made desperate struggle to reach the
door. He had almost succeeded when a
sheet of fire struck him in the face, tenn
porarly binding him. His wife torn
from his grasp by the struggling crowd,
and blind and burning he was pulled out
and will recover, but the woman was burn
eel to crisp and was recognized al the
MoTgue on Friday morning only by d ring
on her finger. Several ladies, not burned,
were made seriously i'll by fright, and Mrs.
John Wilkinson, who lived near the church,
became crazy and raving. The regular or
ganst of the church was absent and Miss
Ida Meuner played for her. The latter's
lover escaped, but finding that she was
yet in the church turned back to save her
and both died in the flames. She tainted
at the commencement of the panic, and
was afteIward found suffocated by the
smoke, but very little burned or dsfgured.
One man in the gallery saved his wife and
four children by his wonderful presence of
mind. When the panic commenced lie
commanded them to stand perfectly still.
Then going to the window he dropped
them out one by one, and thus saved the
lives of all with scarcely any injuries.
y stOnc-cutter, some of whose family
were III the burning house, asked some
friends to put him into a window. They
hcsitated, and he said if they did not do
so he should 90 in through the burning
doorway. They finally helped him in, and
he was able to save two or three persons.
Joseph Chattele, " ho persisted in attempt
ing to save his mother, leaves wife and
four little children. Mrs. Marie Roberts
married but a week ago last Sunday, was
burned to death, while her husband, who
was seated in another part of the church,
was rescued from amid the flames by the
heroic John Lynch. One of the most touch
ing incidents of The disaster was the death
of Mr.. Lep:enx, a French Canadian, who
but recently arrived in this country. He
saw his wife surrounded by the flames, and
taking off his oyercoat, rushed tn her res
cue, and caught her i'll his arms, but some
how or other his strength abandoned him,
and lie could not retrace his steps. Both
wife and husband, held in each other :
embrace, met with the most terrible of
deaths. Mr.. Boulanner If - to