The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-06-04
COSsTMED nv FIRE.
Seventy-aye Biveb LOst--n the Burn
ing Of the HOlyOke French Catholic
Church. t rIFIIr fNIf


tory Of Massachusetts, occurred to-day, |
in the burning of the French Catholic
church at South Holyoke during even
ing services, involving the death of six
ty-six men, women and children.
The exercises had nearly closed when
the flame from the candle caught the
drapery around the statue Of the Virgin
Mary and streamed up and caught the
building. Immediately the panic ensued |
and people rushed for 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 TO |
clear themselves as the flames rushed in |
that direction, and this soon became
blocked, rendering exit impossible. !
Many jumped over the sides of the gal
leries on the crowd beneath, who were
trampled on and killed, The priest
residence joins the church in the rear
and many escaped through an entrance
leading to the house back of the altar.
The priests exertions to keep order we're
fruitless. The screams of the living
and moans of the dying made deafeD-
ing tumult above the orders of the pas
tor, who worked most heroically, and
was personally instrumental in saving
many lives One family of four were
in church were all killed. Many were
pulled out by the arms and feet, so bad
ly burned that they lived but few hours
the flesh peeled off on being touched.
Some were taken out with scarcely any
flesh remaining on their bones. The
Gtofaro of NTa,.ox, F.ou. AZ q N,,,,,,,k ,..,,,.,,
soon.on hand, caring for,the'wounded and
holding services over the dying
Father Dufresne also had services.
His mother was among those terribly
burned. Father Dufresne lost almost
everything in his residence, so rapidly
was the building consumed.
The large wooden tenement block of
Joseph Prev, near the burned church,
was thrown open for the reception of the
dead and wounded, where several deaths
occurred, among them the brother of
Father Dufresne, and it is estimated
that twenty or thirty were taken to other
houses, some of whom must die later.
The following we're also seriously burn
ed; Mary Gading, Maryand Lucy Hicks,
Louisa Brown, ayoung chapel girl, Vic
toria Brisen, Louisa Torrier, Lizzie Mer-
cleo, and Lena Blair. A large majority
of these must die. One girl was terribly
burned, and was moved to the House of
Providence. One girl escaped from the
gallery by jumping ON the back of a
man, who carried her out, while her Sis
ter, who was with her, was burned.
Several members of one of the hose
companies were playing ball near the
church when the fire broke out, and the
relief steamer was out for practice, SO
that the fire, department. was promptly
on the spot. The scenes at, the doors
were described as terrible. They we're
blocked with struggling people seeking
exit. Outside. the people cleared the
way several times, but as often it would
become blocked up again. The windows
were broken open and several escaped
in that way. The last to get out of the
church was said to be man with his
wife and little girl. The father took VI
his daughter and rushed with her to o
place of safety.
4 Louis Langlors, of the Riverside mill
went in to render assistance, when lit
tie girl came tumbling down before the
door under the feet of the throng.
Though he buried his hands sadly IL
doing it, he was able to pull her out but
little injured. A young woman beat
out one of the window frames and Jump
ed to the ground in safety, An old WON
an of sixty went to the same opening and
hesitating to jump, she was pulled in.
side by the hair by a brutal fellow. He
Jumped clear and she fell and was ser.
lously injured. OF family of five, fou1
got out alive. One little girl of twelve
years being burned, she was tearfully
sought by her brother, and at last dis
covered dead.
John Lynch, mason, finding thepeo.
pie pressed in at the bottom Of the church
door pulled many down who were on the
top, thus saving a dozen lives.
Ex-Constable Casey described the
scene as he saw it with glass from the
top of the Hutchings' House block. The
whole affair was over in fifteen minutes
He could plainly see through the burn
ing rafters and frame, poor people run.
ming about. Large black spots could bt
seen in the flames, and half minute
later these spots went out in brilliant
light, which was succeeded by dark
flame. -1| ~ fTCl|~ JIt !
Lewis Roberts, who with his family oi
four children, were in the gallery, saved
his three daughters by forcing them oui
of the door, but his boy, bright lad oi
eleven, perished in the flames. Many
people were badly injured by jumping
from the gallery windows. Annie Hib.
bert and child six years of age escaped
from the building after their clothing
had become ignited, and many persons
had their limbs broken in attempting Il
escape. e.
% Intense excitementprevailed Iastn iehi
at Rolyoke, opposite the Church in Hol
yoke at which the disastrous fire occurr
ed, and at the various. points to which
the burned were carried. x. Wild efforti
were made by the people to rush pell
nell into the burning building to rescue
friends, and it was with difficulty they
we're kept back This was the particTi
lar case with parents who had on the
first impulse rushed from the Church tC
save their own lives, but remembering
they had left children behind, returned
impetuously. Actual personal violence
had to be used in several cases to keeI
women back all about the streets. Men
women and children were Watching pit
eously, inquiring If their friends haC
been saved. One woman was positive
her husband hadperished, andcould on
ly be quieted by assurance from frienC
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