The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-05-28
Death i'm a Catholic Church
Seventy-ffvePeople Burned
Refreshing Rain in the
: West.
The Army Worm in South
ern Illinois.
TwoYoung Ladies Drowned
A Dishonest Postal Clerk
Sent to Prison.
Result of the Boston Drug
Store Explosion.
TwOYOungL Ladies Drowned
Chicago Elopement.

SPRINGFIELD. Mass, May 27.-One of
the most terrible disasters in the history
of Massachusetts occurred to night in the
burning of the French Catholic church at
South Holyoke during the evening services.
involving the death of 66 men, women and
children. The exercises had nearly closed
and vesper service was being sung when
the draperies on the altar caught fire from
candle and the wall being low and the
flames creeping up the building was set on
fire. The audience numbered about 700.
The people in the body of the church es-
capped, but on the stairway leading from
the gallery human beings were packed in
dense mass struggling to reach the floor.
AS the flames rushed toward them many
leaped to the floor and were trampled to
death. The gallery skirted 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 66 dead there are
enough fatally wounded to carry the total
loss of life up to Is.
The exercises had nearly closed when
the flames from a candle caught the dra-
perry around the statue of the Virgin Mary,
streamed up and caught the building.
Immediately panic ensued and the peO-
pie rushed for the doors. There is but
one entrance to the gallery, and that from
gallery. The people there were packed
in solid mass struggling to clear them
selves as the flames rushed in that direc-
ton, and this soon became blocked, rem
dering an exit impossible. Many jumped
over the sides of the galleries on the crowd
beneath and were trampled on and killed.
Many were pulled out by the arms and
feet so badly burned that they lived but
few hours, the flesh peeling off on being
touched. Some were taken out without
any flesh remaining on their bones The
screams of the liYinR, ,and the means of the
dying, made deafening tumult above the
orders of the pastor, who worked most he
roically and was personally instrumental in
saving many lives.
The priests residence joins the church
on the rear and many escaped through
the entrance Leading to the house back of
the altar. The house was burned.
The Sisters of Mercy from the convent
were soon on hand. carrying the wounded
and holding services for the dying. Father
Dufresne also held services. His mother
was among those terribly burned. Father
Dufresne lost almost everything in his res
idence, SO rapidly was the building con-
sumed. The large wooden tenement
block Of Jos. Perritt was also consumed
A church was thrown open for the re.
ception of the dead and wounded and sew.
eral deaths occurred in the building during
the night. Several were taken to the New
York mills boarding house and physicians
gave the wounded the best medical care
Those too badly burned to recover were
put under the effects of morphine anG
passed away without struggle.
While the exercises were being held
over the dying the most intense quiet pre-
vailed. Rough labcrers knelt upon thu
morgue and in the streets the wailing o.
the multitude was pitiful to hear.
| KANSAS CRY, May 27.-Rain has beer
falling in torrents for the past twenty-fou
hours. The rain is reported to be genera
throughout the country. Some damag
has been done to the fences, railroads ant
crops Great numbers of grasshopper
have been destroyed by the food. TIL,
Missouri river. opposite the city is blac'
with them. 1t is thought that the bulk o
the insects in this vicinity have been de
stroyed. The feeling Of dread is rapidl
giving way to one of rejoicing, and Gov
Harding will doubtlessly be called on t.
! issue proclamation of thanksgiving an
praise.
! CAIRO, Ill. . May 27.-The army worm ha
|: appeared in Alexander county, and is de
J stroying crops at a fearful rate. One farr
of $50 acres of corn was destroyed in fey
hours on Monday, although forty men wer
fighting them. Other ravages are reEol
J ted.
There are reports of young grasshoppeI
in this city, but we have not been able
determine their truth.
|, Boston. Mass, May IA dispatc
from Arlington, Mass, states that the yact
Edith was capsized on the lake yesterda
by gust of wind, and I. P. Prentiss an
fiye young ladies, named Maria Hill, Laur
Sands, Mary Bacon, and Alice and Mimi
Wellington were thrown into the watel
Alice and Mime Wellington were drowl
ed. Prentiss kept the other ladies aho,
until they were rescued.
GoDERIcH, Ont, May 27.-The schoont
Nina, bound from Michaels Bay to Goderic
sprung leak Monday night and went dow
in the middle of Lake Huron. The ere
took to the small boat and had desperal
struggle to reach land, owing to the gre,
quantity of ice in the lake. They arrive
| here last night greatly exhausted, afts
J being 4S hours in the yawl with only
loaf of bread between them.
HARTFORD, Conn, May 27.-Daniel
Hayden, the dishonest postal clerk in th
Hartford Office, who was detected in rifllin
letters few weeks ago, appeared in ii
! United States Court to day and pleade
guilty, and Justice Shipman sentenced hi
to three years imprisonment in the Come
ticut State Prison.
New YORK, May 27.-Last night Hem
Rex, q private watchman, shot and kille
John G. McKenna, aged IA years, c
Twelfth street, for teasing him. Rex W,
arrested.
. Boston, May 27.-A thorough scare
) was made through the night in the ruiz
: of the exploded building on Washingtc
8 street, but no more bodies have been di
s. covered. Total, three dead, three seve
lely injured, and twenty-five slightly i
ijured. Several other persons. who refusf