The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-06-04
To GEN. HARVEY WHITE,
President Pennsylvania Republican Con
ventiop.
A Terrible Disas,er..Dcath i'm a Burn
ing Church.

A Terrible Disas,er.-Dcath in q Burn
ing Church.
One of the most terrible disasters in
the history Of the country occurred Thurs.
day evening in the burning Of the French
Catholic church during service at South
Holyoke. Mass, involving the death OF
sixty.six men, women and children, and
"he severe and fatal injury of many
others. The exercises had nearly closed
when the draperies Of the altar caught fire
from the flames Of candle, spreading from
these to the building. The audience,
numbering about 700 people, in the body
Of the church, escaped, but in the STAIR
way leading from the galleries, human
beings were packed in dense mass,
struggling to reach the floor. As the
flames rushed toward them. many leaped
to the floor below and trampled to death.
The gallery skirted both sides of the
building with only one entrance from the
front. The scene was fearful while it last.
ed, for the whole was over in 20 minutes.
Besides SO dead there were enough fatally
wounded to carry the total loss OF life
to IS.
The priests residence joins the church
in the rear, which was burned. The scene
in and about the burning building is de.
scribed as terrible. The doors were
blocked with struggling people seeking an
exit. Several times the people inside
succeeded in clearing the passage ways,
only to see them almost Immediately
closed by the surging mass inside seeking
egress from the burning structure. Tha
screams and means fthe living and dying
made deafen;ng noise above the orders
of the pastor. who worked heroically, and
was personally instrumental in saving
many lives. One family of four were in
the church, and all were killed. Many
were got out with arms and feet so badly
burned that they lived but q few hours,
the flesh falling off on being touched,
Some were taken out with scarcely anv
flesh remaining on their bones.
The last to get out Of the church was a
man, his wife and little girl.
Louis Langlers, of Riverside mill, went
in to render assistance, when little girl
came tumbling down before the door un.
der the feet of the throng. Though he
burned his hands badly in doing it, he was
able to pull her out, but little injured. A
young woman burst out one Of the win.
dow frames and jumped to the ground
safely. An old woman of 80 went to the
same opening, and hesitating was pulled
inside by the hair by a big fellow who
jumped clear, and she fell and was seri.
ously injured. Of family of five, four
got out alive, one little girl Of IL yesrs
being burned. She was fearfully sought
for by her little brother, and at last dis.
covered dead. John Lynch, a mason,
finding the people pushed in At the bot
tom Of the church door, hurled many
down who we're on top.
Lewis Roberts, with four children, who
were in tho gallery, saved his three daugh'
ters by forcing them out Of the door, but
his boy, light lad, II years old. perish
ed in the flames. Many people were badly
injured by jumping from the gallery win
dows. Annie HILBERT, and = child si1
years Of age, escaped from the building
atter. sher. clothing became ignited, and
many persons had their limbs broken ii
attempting to escape, .'.z..' - = = =