New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-29
A NIGHT OF HORROR AND DAY OF
MORNING.

A NIGHT Or dOhhOR AMI A pAI VI
MOURNING.
~Ur VICTIMS OF The TRAGEDY MILL En-
P1oYEs-RAPID SPREAD OF THE FIRE-A DENSE
MASS OF HUMAN BEINGS TIGHTLY wEDGED IN
THE DooRwkYs AND SURROUNDED BY FIRE
DISCOVERY OF MANY UNRECOGNlZED BODIES
SCENES AT TIE TEMPORARY mEErING-PLACE OF
THE DEAD-THE FUNERAL SERVICES TO BE HELD
TO-DAY.
iBr TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUSEl
SPRINGFIELD, Mass, May 2S.-Holyoke, the
scene Of the appalling disaster of last night is of the
most im portant manufacturing cities In NewEngiand.
Irs population about 10000 ard the city contains Is
parer mills seven cotton Mills six wooden mills three
humber mills and number of machine shops and iron
manufacturers Superior water power is furnished by
The dam across the Connecticut River at that point AL
the victims of last nights tragedy employees in the
mills The French Catholic Church, which destroyed
BY the Gre bult six years ago. chiefly through the
Efforts Of Father DufTesne, who has been it's only
pastor II stood at Park and CabOt-sts., and a
wooden structure, built almost wholly Of pine. 1t
100 ct in length aud 90 feet in width There were gal
res about % feet wide both sides and in the north
end There three entrances at the fronttwo lead
nc body Of the house and the third 10 the gallery
There vac also passage az the rear which led into the
priests house The audience, which numbered about
500 had assembled IN honor OF the Feast Of Corpus
Christi Tie body OF the house well filed. end the
galleries crowded The statue of the Virgin, on the
OF TIE altar wae decorated Win nONcrt anu
drapery At 745 p the hangfngs were set on fire by
The narng Of a candle caused By draft from open
window. An artempt TO extingush the flames made
BY Lena Blair, emplOye in the NeTTiek Thread Mil,
bet shawl became igned and the fire spread TO the
walls and ceiling which were lined with tsTTed paper,
and soon the entire building wrapped in
flames. The persons in the galleries met the
crowd from the auditorium az the foot of the
stairway and the passage became clogged in the general
effort obtain egTess The nremen were promptly on
the ground quarters of the Relief steamer and Of
TIE Mount Holyeke Hose Company were near by the
church. At this time the doorvays damned with
beings, who tramped down by the pressure
from behind and the flames shooting cut overhead
The frcmen Immediately began To drag out the bodies,
and soon the hose ccmpmy- pcssn playing uson the
flames In a short time the fire exting uished, and
the walls pulled down by the hook and ladder
In order that search for the dead might be prose
euted The priests house in the Of the church. was
also burned and the flooring " the church. which is
situated west OF the old caught fire several times
but not seriously damaged. quantity OF timber
which be used in the construction Of the new
church was consumed. special police force was or
ganzed TO charge Of the search for dead bodies
among the ruins under the direction Deputy Sheriff
Ham Much credit lie due TO the police force pnd the
Fire Department. OF Holyoke for the promptness and
efficiency of their conduct throughout the whole affair
The bodies which discovered were so burned and
eharrod that in many eases they were unrecognizabe
sehooLhouse with the exception Of number that we're
identified By friends and carried to their homes Those
the schoohouse were arranged In rows upon the foor
and over each spread white sheet II was an
nounced last that opportunity for identification
would be gwen relstsve and friends Of those who
persisted in the nre at O'Clock this mornings but as
early as O'Clock over 1000 people had gathered out
side Of the fence which surrounds the schoolhouse
anxiously waiting for opportunity TO search among
dead bodies for their missing friends Shortly AFTER
8 O'Clock Deputy sheriff Ham and Coroner kingsbury
arrived, and Jury impaneled TO hold an inquest
over The dead The Jury viewed the bodies and then adj
journed in order that might be given TO learn the
in case The crowd continually increasing
appeals for admttance were made 10 the
detachment of police guarding the gate Fathers and
mothers searching for their children husbands Tor
their wives wives for their husbands and ali were eager
70 be among the first who admitted TO behold the
nourufu scene within The occurrences in the basement
where bodies placed, were sorrowfu III the ex
tene. The bodies so dsfgrred and blaekened ny
smoke that they not easily recognized ana the
search among them was marked by the cries aud
groans and shrieks of the friends who discovered
IN the eharred remains the hneaments OF those
they loved Some we're compelled 70 20 away
Without having decided whether the BODIES
Of their relatives found One Of the most pathetic
nedcnts of the day occurred when an officer removed
The from face Of Young girl. AS he did so he
said Thai was the prettest girl in the city, But his
was Just behind and had recognized the face as
that c her daughter she fed from the ROOM overcome
by the sight, and weeping and lanenting 10 her
home. An old woman came searching for her husband
who had ei; his home last night and had not returned
The wife Was afraid that he among the Victims OF
the sad catastrophe. Her search confirmed her fears
and she totered away heartbrokeD she said: He was
all had in the world; my only support" Those stand
ng near immediately offered their aid, and purse was
made up for the stricken wife.
TErOugbou dag the church disaster has been the
one topic Of conversation in the city OF Holyoke BY
boon there 1900 people about the schooi-
house The trains from Springfield carried several nun
cred persons OF the catastrophe, and large
numbers IN wagons from the surrounding country
Che gentleman WHO waited long time before he nsd an
opportunity OF cnferng the schoolhonse basement said
When he ,:lt: Before I went in wOuld nave
oven 500 badmitted. but wouldn't go in again for
$780," Before the general public VAS admitted, there
we're number OF ladies' seeking 10 gain an entrance
Who were with difficulty restrained in their curiosity 10
he The heart-rending spectacle presented ny
the bodies Of the dead. During the afternooh
us bodies in the school house were nearly AL
nsoTnasd and swatbed In sheets and removed
Ny lAeif friends. number Of watches and articles Oh
S~ey were picked up in the ruins OF The charch
iy Will be returned far possible 10 the fehas Vi inc
e~ers large Number Of coiDs were sent to Hoiyoke
nom Springfield at noon to-day Funeral services over
we dead will be held at 10 in the base
h@nt Of the new church. which adjoins the one
~s~oyed All the bodies win be brought there
.Ao The ceremonies win be conducted by the pastor
VI he church, Pzfher Dufresne. and by Father Gamer
" us city. The inter1nent viii take place under the
uon Of the city, except In eases where u1ends ooSe
F" be at their own expense. The bodies VIII iof tas
' part be buried In the South Hadley Cemetery Out
VII be taken u Canada The victims OF the disaster
all loxaa M al ln