The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-05-29
THE HOLYOKE FIRE.


Intense excitement has prevailed at South
1lolyoke in the neighborhood of the burn
ed church and at various points to which
the burned were carried. Wild efforts
were made by people who had lost their
heads to rush pell nell into the burning
building to rescue their friends, and it was
with difficulty that they were kept back.
This was particularly the case with the
parents who had one first impulse, and
rushed from the church to save their own
lives but suddenly remembered that they
had left children behind to perish. Actual
personal violence had to be used in several
cases to keep the women back. All about
the streets men, women and children were
wandering, piteously inquiring if their
friends had been saved. Many incidents
of the saddest and most touching character
are reported. Those engaged in pulling
out the bodies noticed that almost every
woman had bracelet on her wrist and all
had evidently worn their best for the spec
ial occasion. 1t Is a disputed question
whether both of the front doors were
available for escape. There are those who
state positively that one of them was closed
and that it was impossible to open it on &C.
count of the crush. One man, it is assert
ed. went to the closed door, and flourish
ing club threatened violence to anyone
who came near, in order to get the crowd
away, but without success. Others state
as positively that both doors were open.
The church society was established about
seven years ago and Father Dufresne had
been the only pastor. The parish IN
cluded all the French Catholics of the
city. whose number is estimated at from
1900 to 1900 persons. The church was
about 100x60 feet. Two stories were built
entirely of pine, with galleries on the sides
and north end, which were about twenty
five feet WIDE There were two doors in
the north end, and yestibule, from which
two doors opened into the body of the
church. The galleries opened into the
vestibule. AT the rear end was another
door, by which few persons escaped. I'M
mediately upon the breaking out of the
flames all the occupants of the galleries
rushed TO the east door aud crowded so
that they fell upon one another and choked
up the doorways with their bodies, piled
in all ways, seven or eight feet deep, and
here most of the lives were lost. From
this mass Chief Mullin rescued one young
woman after having taken two dead bodies
from above her. 1t was almost impossible
to face the flames, and Chief Mullin and
others had their clothes almost burned
from them, and they were badly burned
themselves about the hands. In the rear
of the church was the priests residence,
which was also destroyed. The walls
were pulled down, after the fire was near
ly put out. One woman jumped from the
highest window down upon the front steps
breaking an arm, but she is not known to
have been otherwise injured. A man with
two children in his arms jumped from q
window and escaped. One poor woman
enveoped in flames shrieked out, 'For
Gods sake, save me" and she was dragged
out by John Lynch. The latest TO the Re-
publican from Holyoke says 1t is not
quite certain that all tho bodies have been
taken from the ruins In the haste to get
as many as possible from the building be-
fore it fell, many were taken but short
distance, and 1t is possible that few more
may be taken from the debris.
SPRINaFIELD, Mass, May 2S-Noon.
The bodies of fifty persons, burned to
death at Holyoke last night, have been
identified in addition to those of fifteen or
twenty who were at once removed to their
homes by their friends. Nearly seventy
have died and some forty more are more
or less burned or otherwise injured. The
hero of the disaster was John Lynch, a
brave fireman. who was first to respond to
the alarm. He described the scene when
he reached the burning church as appall-
ing. Wedged tight and immoveable in the
doorway was a dense mass of humanity
from six to eight feet in height. None OF
them were able TO stand up right from the
terrible pressure of the crowd behind,
while upon aud oyer them sheet of flame
rolled like wave, streaming far out into
the open air. Without moments pause
to consider their danger, Mr.. Lynch and