The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-12
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER'S CHURCH.
Fathers Merrick and Langcake on
the Late Disaster.
FUNERALS OF THE REMAINING VICTIMS

The mission for women which has been IA proaFes'
at St. Francis Xaviers Church closed win the ce's
bration OF high yesterday. and smilIr sereso
services Tor men began in the evening and VIII be con
tnued throughout the week. beginning each day VILE
a service at five O'Clock the morning and endno
with a sermon by OF the missionaries anu tue
bcnedction of the blessed sacrament In the evening"
Father Slerrck pastor OF the church, after making
the usual announcements before the sermon yester'
day. alluded TO the crowds which had attended the
mission and said that now, with the memory oil Inc
great sorrow which had upon pastor and people
in the terrible occurrence OF Thursday night last. ns
realized moro than ever the necessity OF Obtaining
larger accommodations for tho congregation. the
times were not prvpitious for the erection Of
a new edilce, but he felt that God would
provide means. In the meantime he exhortea
his congregation not 10 be unnecessarily tim'o'
as scarcely possible there could be any
rcal cause for panic In that church. Tho building he
thought had well tested by the pressure ofthe
excited crowd struggling to get away, and no break or
strain had resulted. Tho eddce was strong In REL
erence to which the catastrophe occurred
Father Mcrrick stated that there was on Thursday
night fire extuguisher behind the altar and another
In the gallery There was also dozen buckets oi
water, each marked "kre," kept constantly on hand,
and reserved exclusively for an emergency. II the
whole altar he said had been In blaze II would haVs
been cxtinguished In two minutes. All these prepa.
ra,ions had been made by Father Peletier, whose
duty II was to attend to that matter. In view OF all
these Father Merrck said there was no occasion
for II unnecessary, he said, Tor MN 70 re-
peat that each ono should accustom himself 10 pre-
serve presence OF mind In moments OF danger ~
thinking OF the matter beforehand, and that ABOVE
ALL every should keep still until he knew what no
ought TO do.
At the opening OF the Mems Mission in the evening
tho church crowded, tho lower part OF the edlce
and the gallery beng completely filled. Father Lang
CAKE previous to the commencement oil tho regular
scrvices said:-"Bciore We proceed further snouio
like to say few words to you the subject Of keep
Ing quiet and cool The sad affair OF last week should
warning sufficient to prevent the recurrence OF sucn
calamity II Is the saddest part 0i inc anas 70 ,ns
aud Of exit as perfect US can be expected
The way do in all cases OF fire and the preserve
be the least danger 10 any body
We have compiled with the requirements OF thelaw,
and church deemed safe by the Fire Department
~ the great safeguard against and pre-
yentive OF accidents. ! remember, when quite lad,
attending a crowded meeting. Suddenly tEere was an
alarm OF fire aud the people rushed Tor tho doors.
There would have been many injured but for the pres
enco OF mind OF Unitarian minister VINO commanded
and the iears OF people subduod Go out quietly.
do not push the only way TO get out OF any crowded
| building is by ieaving II in all orderly manner"
| FUNERALS OF THE VICTIMS
The funerals OF the Two remaining victims of the ter.
rble panic in the Church OF ST. Francis Xavier SIX.
teenth street, took place yesterday ana inc romans
conveyed TO Calvary Cemetery for inter-
ment, followed by large c"ncoursc Of mourners
| MRS. SPENCER
From an carly hour in the morning the corner Of
| Ninth avcnus and Sixteenth street, where MIS-.
| Anna Spencer and her young son. Michael Spencer,
aged Fix years, resided was crowded with people.
The Of Mrs. Spencer lay in the front parior OF
| No SO Ninth avenue on u catafalquc, ana at
the foot Of her coffin was placed the one
containing tho body OF her young son. throughout
Saturday night candles burned around the casses anu
mourners filled the rooms. BY half.past ono o'clock
| yesterday tho streets IN the neghborhocd were
blocked with carriages and people, thousands vcweu
atnco mt vat
nct into the house SO great tho crowd Both cas-.
ke,s were laden down with rare and beautiful flowers
sent in by friends ana bearing touching "no aPP'o-
The funeral stared half past for the cemetery.
und sixty five carriages counted III the process
| sion T6e funeral Services were held at the house,
| but funeral services were celebrated IN the small
chapel IN the Calvary Cemetery.
ANNA FORBES.
Tho funeral Of Mrs. Anua Forbes was arranged 10
take place u; ono O'Clock. from 4l9 East Nineteenth
street. and, us IN the previous case great crowds oi
persons assembled in and around tho house, ana
discussed again the terrible calamity In al us
bearings. There no funeral services until the re-
mains arrived at Calvary Cemetery. Mrs. Forbes was
widow of forty, ana leaves children. Her remains
| were enclosed in handsome silver mounted walnus
caske flowers strewn plentiiully around tho
room IN which the body lay. IL was three O'Clock be-.
| fore tho funeral procession started tor tho burial
| GROUND solemn high requem mass for tho rspose
Of her soul will be celebrated on Tuesday morning IN
tho Church Of the Epiphany, Second avenue and
MRS coUGnrLS's
The same sad met with at No 2O3 Vest
| Twenty.ttth street, where tho body OF Mrs. Mary
Cougniin was laid preparatory TO burial She was
sixtyeight years OF when she met he: death, and
was the mother OF a largo family, all OF wnom are
| grown up and married. There we're many friends ana
relatives present. among them being Colonel Demp-
sew of the sixty-ninth regiment, whose eldest sou
was burned In Brooklyn Theatre fire. In the case
OF Mrs Cougn also the funeral services were held at
the grave The funeral cortege was quarter Of nile
long
ELIZA MAsTHRSoN.
Tho remains Of Eliza Masterson were laid out IN Z
rosewoo casket and surrounded throughout the
night at No los Seventh avenue by s0rrowing riendx
Wrcuhs of tube and several oil tea roset
and es wero laid the casket. The funeral startee
| ut three O'Clock Tor Calvary Cemetery. The iunerM
| services werc performed In the chapel.