Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-06-02
govs1sa 13.os AxpAarMrNr,
Complete with new
TfFES AND PRESSES


the orders of the pa trr who worked mo
hrroically and was personally instrumental
in saving many lives. One family Of four
were all killed.
Many were pulled out by the arms and
feet and sosbadiy burned they lived but
few hours, the flesh peeling off on being
touched. Some were taken out with scarce
ly any aesh remaining Oh the bones. The
Sisters Of Mercy from the convent were
soon on the ground caring for the wounded
and holding services over the dying.
Father Dufrcnse lost almost everything
his residence being rapidly consumed.
Several deaths occurred in the building
during the night.
Physicians are giving the wounded the
best medical care possible, Those too bad
ly burned to recover were put under the
influence of morphine, and passed away
without struggle.
Ex Constable Casey describes the scene
as he saw it with glass from the top of a
building. The whole affair was over in 20
minutes. He could plainly see through the
blazing rafters and frames the poor people
running about. Large black spots could be
seen in the flames, and half minute later
these spots went out in brilliant light
which was succeeded by a.dark flame.
SPRINGFIELD, May 2S.--Intense ex-
citement prevailed last night in Holl-
yoke, Mass, where disastrous fire oc-
CURED. Wild efforts were made by
people to rush into church to rescue
friends. Personal violence had to be
used in several cases to keep the wo-
men back. Men, women, and children
were watching and piteously inquiring
If their friends were saved. 1t is dis
puted whether both the front doors
were available for escape. Some say
that one of them was closed and could
not bc opened on account of the crush,
while Others state as positively that
both doors were open. The church
was erected in 1870, and was built en-
tirely of pine. There were two doors
in the north end OF the vestibule, from
which two doors opened into the body
of the church. In the rear end was
another door, by which few escaped
upon the breaking out Of the flames.
The occupants of the gallery rushed
to the east door, and falling upon one
another, choked up the doorway with
their bodies, seven or eight deep. At
this place most of the lives were lost.
The priests residence in the rear of
the church, was also destroyed. One
woman jumped from the highest win
dow, alighting upon the front steps,
and breaking her arm A man with
two children in his arms, jumped from
a window, and escaped unipjured.
SPRINGFIELD, May 2S.-The bodies
Of fifty persons burned to death at
HollJok last night, have been identi-
fed in addition to 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 other
wise injured, The hero of the disas-
ter, was John Lynch, the brave fire.
man who was first to respond to the
alarm. He describes the scene, when
he reached the burning Church, as
apalling. Wedged into the tight and
immovable doorways, was a dense
mass of humanity from six to eight
deep.
None of them were able to stand up
right from the terrible pressure of the
crowd behind, while upon and over
them sheet OF fire rolled, wave
streaming far out into the open air.
Without moments pause to consider
their danger Lynch and Chief Engi-
neer Mullen rushed into the flames
spurred on by the piteous cries of
"For Gods sake come and
help us !" and began pulling out bodies.
A moment later, and well-directed
hydrant stream from the Mount Hol-
yoke hose struck the brave rescuers,
and undoubted saved them from being
burned alive. The first persons drawn
out were burning, but they passed di-
rectly through stream of water and
the flames were extinguished. Some
poor creatures fell fainting ON the
long flight of wooden stairs leading
down to the street and few were able
to walk. The entire fire department
ment had arrived and were working
with such energy and will that
when the fire was extinguished the
chared wooden walls of the structure
were standing and were pulled down
by the hook and ladder men. Only
very few moments comparatively
elapsed after the the water struck the
building before the fire was out, but
the destruction of life during that brief
period was terrible. Some sprang
from the gallery windows and were
seriously injured, and one person ap-
pcared at window completely wrap
ped in flames aud after tottering there
an instant fell to the ground dead and
Hundreds of men
went to work as soon as opportunity
offered to search for bodies. Two
forces of police was organized to keep
back the crowd which had gathered. a
greater number of bodies were found
in the fatal entryway burned, some of
them to q crisp. The body of one We
man in the scat she had occupied, her
burned OF.
A wealthy woman, weighing some
one hundred and eighty pounds, was
dragged screaming from the mass;
che was carried short distance'from
the church and placed on the grass,
while the flesh actually pealed off her
back, and in moment she fell over
dead. The scene last night and
to-day in the school house basement,
where the bodies of the dead were car
ried, were heartrending in the eN-
treme. In some instances features
were distorted as though extreme
agony had been suffered before death;
but many looked as calm as though
they were smothered; all were black
ened with smoke; some were burned
beyond possibility of naturalization
nothing remaining but the trunk.
A Coroner's jury was summoned to-
day, but the exciteme mt. continues 50
intense that 1t was judged best not to
attempt taking evidence, and the in
quest was adjourned till Monday.
Rhode Island Election.
Providence, r. l., May 25.,-lhe Gea-
eral Assembly, in grand committee to-day,
elected HenryTippett Governor, and Hen
L. 1r<at.