The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-28
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

SPRINGFIELD, mass, May u, 1919.
the most terrible disaster in the history or
Holyoke, Mass, occurred tonight in the burning
OF the French Catholic churcn al south Holyoke
during the evening service, involving the
loss OF sxty-six men, women ana children.
The exercises had nearly closed aud
vesrer service was being sung, when the draperics
on the altar caught IRE from candle, and the
wall being low ana the names streaming up toe
building was set on IRE. The audience numbered
about 100. The people in the body OF the
church escaped, but on tne stairway leading
from the gallery human beings were packed in
dense mass struggling 10 escape, as the nanes
rushed toward them. Many leaped to the noor
beneath and were tram pied 10 death. The gallery
skirted both sides or the building with
only one entrance from the front. The scene
was fearful in the extreme during the rush
for the whole was over in twenty minutes. BE-
sides slxty.six dead there are enough fatally
wounded to carry the total less OF lie up to
seventy-tour. Tne recognized dead up 70 This
hour arc as fonows:-Mrs. Burgess. Ars.
Victor Norm. Mrs. Callxte Larivie, Mrs. Lavina
Mr.. Desperdlns wife aud four children, Isaac
NORM, Fabier MORGAN, MISS Ida La France, Justine
Brissan Alphonsine Morean, Mary Dancetu, Eta
Menener, the daughters or Augustus Coache ana
Alzeni Naotun.
BADLY BURNED.
Mrs. Theophile Blanchard, Mrs. Burdeaux, Mrs.
Dupont Germine Laporte, Henrietta Tlminne,
CaIixte Dutresne.
SLIGHTLY BURNED.
Louise Puquette, Louise Ferriere.
WOUNDED.
Resale Davian and Pascal Pasquette's family.
There is one dead ana two dying in the family OF
ana one missing
THE PRIESTS HOUSE,.
The priests house. which Joins the church on
the rear. was also burned.
The bodies were taken to Peter Mowatt's Main
street store ana 10 the Park street schoolhouse
for temporary deposit.
THE INQUEST.
The inquest viii be held Tomorrow at nlne
O'Clock A. NJ
The loss on the church is total, put is small, it
being on old structure There Is s40O insurance on
It and $1,000 on the priests house.
A CANDLE FLAME.
The exercises had nearly closed when a candle
caught the drapery around the statue OF the
Virgin Mary. and the walls being low II, stresmed
up and caught the building. Immediately panic
ensuea, and the people rushed for the doors. The
gallery skirled both sides OF the building,
with one entrance from the 'front.'. on the stair
way leading from tho gallery the people were
packed in a solid mass. struggling 70 clear them
sevcs as the flames rushed toward them, ana this
soon became blocked, rendering
KIT IMPOSSIBLE
Many Jumped over the sides or the galleries on
the crowd beneath, and a numb er were trampled
on and killed. The priests residence Joins the
church on the rear, and many escaped through an
entrance leading to the house back OF the altar.
SCREAMS oP'THE LIVING.
Tue priests exerrions 30 Keep order we're fruit
less. The screams OF the living AMI the means Of
the diving made deafening tumut above the or
ders Of the pastor, who worked most heroically
and was personally instrumental In saving many
hves. one family or four we're IN the
were pulled ont BY the arms ana feet 50 badly
burned that they lived but a rev hours, the resh
peeng OF on being touched. Some were
taken out with scarcely any nesh remain
Ing on their bones. the Sisters Of Mercy.
rom the Convent we're soon on hanc, car.
Ing for the wounded and holding services
over the dying, while Father Dufresne also held
many services over the dying. His mother was
among those terribly burned. Father Duirosne
lost almost everything in his residence, 80 rapidly
was tue building consumed, IL being as dry as
finder.
The large wooden tenement block or Joseph
prew. near the burned church. was thrown
open for the reception OF the dead and wounded,
and several deaths occurred in this building
during the night several we're also taken to
tue New IorK Nils boarding house. ana the
physicians gave the wounded the best or
medical care
Those who were TOO badly burned 10 recover
were put under
TIE EFFEcrs or MORPHINE,
and passed away witnout struggle. While the cx
ereses were being held over the DYING the mos. in.
tense Ques prevailed and the rough laborers knelt
upon the moor with uncovered heads; but about
the Morgue and IN the streets the waling OF the
multitude was pitIful 70 hear. Among the per.
sons il
DYING CONDITION
are Mary Lachance Mrs. Bridge, the mother OF
seven children, one o. wnom is missing
ana probably among the dead; Razautn
Briggs sophia HILBERT Annie Lapolnie,
Lacosta Eador. Charles CONNIE, burned padly.
but viii recover, a. viii probably the brother Of
Father Dufresne ana t is estimated that twenty
Or thirty were taken % other houses some 81