The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-05-28

SrRlxGFIELD, Mass May 29-One Of
the most terrible disasters in the history
of Massachusetts, occurred tonight, in
the burning of the French Catholic
church. ut South Holyoke, during even
ing services, involving the death Of sixty
,ix men, cnand children. The cXcr-
ci-es had nearly closed and vcsper
service was being sung, when the draper
les on the altar caught fire from r candle,
and the wall being low and the flames
streaming up, the building was set on fi,c.
The audience numbered about 700.
The people in the body of the church es.
capped by stairway leading from the
gallery. Human beings were packed in
"A dense mass. struggling to reach the
floor as the flames rushed toward them.
MANY leapcd to the floor hcreath and
were trampled to death. The gallery
.y,irtrd both sides of the building, with
only one entrance from the front. The
scene was fearful while it lasted,
for the whole was over in twenty
minutes. Besides siAty-six dead there
are enough fatally wounded to carry the
total loss of life up to Scventy-fyc, There
il, one dead and two dying in the family
Of Francisco Dcrey. The priests house
which joins the church in the rear was
also burned. The bodies were taken to
Peter Movat, Main street store and
Parl, street school house for temporary
deposit. An inquest will be held 10.
morrow. The exercises had nearly
closed when the flames from the candle
caught the drapery around the statue ol
the Virgin Mary streamod up and
caught the building. Immediately
panic rnsued aud the people rushed Tor
The doors. There is but one entrance to
the gallery and that from the front. On
the stairway leading from the gallery
the people were packed in - solid mass,
STRUGGLING 10 siNar themselves as
the flames rushed in that direction
and thus the stairs became blockad"d, and
rendered exit impossible. Many jumped
over the sides of the galleries on the
crowd beneath, and were trampled on
and killed. The priest, residence joins
the church on the rear, and many escaped
through an entrance back Of the
altar. The priests eXortions
To keep order wer" frIitIess.
the screams of the living and the means.
Of the diving made deufonng tamut
above tie orders ut the pastor, who
worked most herolcally and was person.
allv instrumental in saving many lives.
One family of four, who were in the
church. are all killed. Many were pulled
out hv the hands and feet, 80 badly burn
ed that they lived but few hours, tie
flesh pceling off on being touched. Some
were taken ont with scarcely any flesh
remaining on their bones. The Sister,
of Mercy, from the convent, were soon on
hand. caring for the wounded and hold
ing services over the dyciny. Father Du-
fr,-ur also hold services. His mother was
among those terribly burned. Father
Duire.ne lost almost everything in his
ra,ideucc. g. rapidly was the building
consumed. The large wooden tenement
block of Joseph Prev, near the burned
church. was thrown open for the reccp-
ton OF the dead and wounded, and sew
rral death, occurred in the building dur
ing the night. Several were also taken
10 the New York Mills boarding
house. and the physicians gavc
the wounded the best OF medical
care. Those who we're too badly burned
to recover, were put under the effects Of
morphine and passed away without Il
struggle While the exercises were be-
nag held over the dying the most intense
cue. prevailed, and the rough laborer-
Enc.t upon the door with uncovered
heads. but abou: the Morgue and in the
serect- the wailng Of the multitude was
pitihl to hear.
one girl escaped from tho gallery by
Jumping on the back of a man, who car
-ird her out. while her sister, who Sa-
with her. was burned. Several members
of one Of the hose companies were play
inc bah near the church when the ire
broke out and the Relief steamer was
ou. tor practice. 20 that the fire depart
ment was promptly on the spot. Tn"
scenes at the door are described ~ ter
ribie. They were blocked with -trug-
ding people -eakiug AN "Alt outside
The people cleared 80 way several times,
bu. as often 10 would become blocked up
again. The Windows w"r" broken
oren. and -.verl, ,scppci in
that way. The last 70 get out Of the
church j. sad TO be a man with his wife
and ii.tlrg5ri. TIL" father took up his
daughter and rushed with her to p,sce
Of safety. Louis LongIers, of the River
side uu.l went in to render assistance,
whcaa little Girl came tumbiing down
before - door, under the feet of TO-"
thron.. Though he burned his hands
baIly IN doia- Il, u" was able 20 pull her
out, but little iajurcI. \ young woman
beat out one Of the window frames, and
jumped to the ground safely. An old
woman Of sixty went to the same opening
and hesi;attns to jump, she was pulled
inside by her hair by brutal