River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-06-04
The HoIyoke Disaster.

Inc latest revised hgures concerning
the losses by the Holyoke disaster, give
the dead at Il; fatally burned %; other
wise burned and wounded 27. OF the y
dead SIS are females and Is males
A report says: The scenes last night
and too day in the school house basement,
where the bodies Of the dead were car.
ried, were heartrending in the extreme.
In some instances features were distorted
as though extreme agony had been suf-
fered before death, but many looked calm
as though smothered. All were BACKED
with smoke; some burned beyond the pos
sibility Of Identification, nothing remain
ing but the trunk.
A few incidents Of the terrible disaster
additional to those already given in the
DISPATCH are as follows:
The hero of the disaster was John
Lynch, brave fireman, who was first to
respond to the alarm. lie described the
scene when he reached the burning
church as appalling. Wedged tight and
unmovable in the doOrways was a dense
mass of humanity, from six to eight feet
in height, none of them able to stand up
right from the terrible pressure of the
n
sheet of fire rolled like a wave, streaming
far out behind into the open air. With
out a moments pause to consider their
danger, Lynch and Chief Engineer Null
len rushed into the flames, spurred on by
the piteous cries, "For Gods sake come
and help us = and began pulling out the
bodies.
A moment later a we'll directed hy-
drant stream from Mount Holyoke hose
struck the brave rescuers, and undoubted-
liz saved them from being burned alive.
The first persons drawn out were burn
ing, but they were passed directly
through the stream of water and the
flames were eAtinguiShed. Some of the
poor creatures fell fainting on the long
flight of stairs leading down to the street,
and few were able TO walk. Ry this time
the entire fire department had arrived,
and worked with such energy that when
the fire was extinguished the charred
wooden walls were standing, and we're
pulled down by the hook and ladder men,
in order that search for the bodies could
be made. Only very few moments,
comparatively, elapsed after the water
struck the building before the fire was
out but the destruction of life during
| that brief period was terrible. Some
| sprang from the gallery windows, and
were severely injured ard aud one per-
son appeared at a window completely
wrapt in flames, and after totteriug there
an instant, fell 10 the ground dead and
unrecognizabie. Hundreds Of men went
to the wreck as soon as opportunity
offered. 20 search for the bodies, and
force Of police was organized TO keep back
the large crowd which had gathered.
The greater number of bodies we're
found in the fatal entry way, burned,
some Of them, to a crisp. The body of
one woman was found in the seat she had
occupied, her clothing entirely burned
off. A feshy woman, weighing some $50
pounds, was dragged screaming from the
mass. She was carried short distance
from the church and placed on the grass,
while the flesh actually peeled of her
back. In moment she fell over dead.
One Of the most protractcd cases Of
suffering was that of Mary Dajerdan, who
was burned past all recognition and
blind. Somehow she found her way to
the hill north Of the church, and wan.
dered around there about twenty minutes
before she was found and taken TO her
home, where she died about IL o'clock
this morning, having fingered Is
hours in fearful agony.
The fate Of Annie Newer and her
lover was a touching event Of the fire.
She was the orgauist for the evening in
the absence Of the regular one, and was
cut of from escape. When the church
was burning her lover escaped, but, find.
ing that she was still within, turned to
rescue her, was overcome with the flames
and persisted with her.
A corouer's jury has been summoned
for Monday.