The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-06-03
ANOTHER HORROR.
disorderly

Burning of Catholic Church at South
Holyoke, Mass. Seventy Persons
Either Burned or Crushed I'd Death.
One of the most terrible disasters in the his
tory of Massachusetts occurred dn the evening
of Thursday, May II, in the burning of the
French Catholic Church at South Holyoke,
during service, involving the death of sixty-six
men, women, and children. The following are
the particulars of the dreadful calamity, as
telegraphed to the daily press:
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 streaming up
| the building was set on fire. The audience
numbered about 700 people. LIP the body of
the church the people escaped 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 beneath, and
were trampled to death.
/ The gallery skirted both sides of the build
ing, with only one entrance from the front.
/ The scene was fearful while lit lasted, for
/ the whole was over in twenty minutes. Be-
sides the sixty-sx. dead, there are enough fatal
~ wounded to carry the total loss up to seven
ty-five.
The exercises had nearly closed when the
fame from the candle caught the drapery
around the statue of the Virgin Mary, streamed
up and caught the building. Immediately
| panic ensued, and the people rushed for the
DOORS There was but one entrance to the gall
| lery, 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 impossi-
! BILE. Many jumped over the sid els of the gale
ries on the crowd beneath and were trampled
on and killed. The priests residence joins the
church on the rear, and many estaped through
an entrance leading to the house back of the
altar. The priests exertions to keep order were
| fruitless.
The screams of the living and means of the
dying made adeafening tumut above the orders
of the pastor, who worked most heroically and
was personally instrumental in saving many
lives One family Of four we're in the church,
and all were killed. Many were pulled out by
the arms and feet so badly bun ned that they
lived but few hours the flesh peeling off on
being touched. Some were taken out with
scarcely any flesh remaining on their bones.
Those who were too badly burned to recover
were put under the effects of morphine and
passed away without struggle.
While the exercises were being held over the
dying the most intense quiet prevailed, and the
rough laborers knelt upon the floor with I'M
covered heads. But about the 4Iorgue and in
the streets, the wailing of theImultitude was
pitiful to hear
One girl escaped from the gallery by Jump
ing on the back of man, who carried her out,
while her sister, 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 relief steamer was out for
practice SO that the fire department was
promptly on the spot.
Scenes at the doors are described as terrible.
They were blocked with struggling people seek
ing exit. Outside people cleared the way sew
eral times but as often it would become blocked
up again. Windows were broken open and sew
eral escaped in that way.
Lewis Langlars, of the Riverside Mill went
in to render assistance, when little girl came
tumbling down before the door under the feet
of the throng Though he bur ned his hands
badly in doing it, he was able TO pull her out
but little injured. A young woman beat out
one of the window frames and jumped to the
ground safely. An old woman of 60 went to
the same opening, and, hesitating to Jump, she
was pulled inside by the hair by brutal fell
low. He jumped clear and she fell and was
seriously injured.
:. OF family Of five, four got out alive .one
little girl of IL years being burned. She was
tearfully sought by her little brother and at last
discovered dead.
John Lynch. a mason, finding the people
pressed in at the bottom of the church door,
pulled many down who were on top, thus saw
ing dozen lives.
Ex-Constable Casey describes the scene as
he saw it with glass from the top of the Hutch
ings House Block. The whole affair was over
in fifteen minutes. Hecould plainly see through
the blazing rafterspeople running about. Large
black spots could be seen in the flames, and
half minute later these spots went out in a
brilliant light, which was succeeded by dark
flame.
Levi Roberts, who, with his family of four
children, were il the gallery, saved his three
daughters by forcing them out of the door. but
his boy, bright lad of II, persisted in the
flames.
Many people were badly injured by jumping
from the gallery windows. Annie HILBERT and
child years of age escaped from the build
ing after their clothing had become ignited,
and many persons had their limbs broken at
tempting to escape.
Later Details of the CaIamity-Heartrend-
ing Scenes as Described by Eye-Wit-
nesses.
Additional particulars of this terrible calam-
ity place the list of dead and fatally wounded
at ninety three. Fifty others are more or less
injured. The hero of the disaster was John
Lynch a brave fireman. who was the first to
respond to the alarm He described the scene
when he reached the burning church as appall
ing. Wedged tight and irnmovable in the door
ways was dense mass of humanity, from six
to eight feet IN height, none of them being able
W 5Uduu 1IOuI GlIS G6TI1D40 pressure OK /
the crowd behind, while upon and over them
sheet of flame rolled like wave streaming far I
out into the open air. Without a moments I
pause to consider their danger, Lynch and I
Chief Engineer Mullen rushed into the flames, |
spurred on by the piteous cries. sFor |
Gods sake, come and help us ]" and began
pulling out the bodies A moment later. and
well-directed hydrant stream from the Mount I
Holyoke hose struck the brave rescuers, and /
undoubtedly saved them from being burned I
alive. The first persons drawn out we're burn
ing, but they were passed directly through the
stream of water. and the flames were extin-
guished. Some of the poor creatures fell /
fainting on the long flight of wooden stains
leading down to the street, and few were able
to walk.
By this time the entire fire danartment had
arrived, and worked with such energy and will
that, when the fire was extihonished. the
charrad wooden xvsl1s of +lo c4oe.~at,,,.c, 1,ore