Connecticut western news., 1883-02-28
The New York School Disaster.

Roman Catholic Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, Nos. 198 to POP East Fourth street, New York City, is in charge of the Sisters of Notre Dame On Tuesday afternoon fire started in closet under the stairway leading from the second to the third story of the east wing, and upon the outbreak of the flames the pupils became panic-stricken. There were 500 girls and 200 boys in the nine class-rooms when the alarm was given, and by the time the doors-which unfortunately opened inwardly-were unlocked by the Sisters, the fire had eaten through the boards of the closet in which it started and was quickly de- vouring the staircase. The children be- came frantic, and rushed through the narrow corridors for the west wing. In few seconds they were beyond control, and in their anxiety to escape blockaded the passageway.
 They were all small and some of the weaker ones tainted. As the mass pressed forward to the stairs from the second to
 
 trade gave way and between forty and fifty of the little ones fell to the floor be- low. Then escape became impossible and the children in their endeavor to get free scrambled over each other until the main corridor leading to the street be- came choked. Many of the girls died of fright. In the stampede sixteen in all lost their lives. A large number were also more or less injured.
 Officer James Nealis, of the seven. teenth precinct, is strapping fellow, strong as an OK. He says:
 "I had pretty good chance to meas ure the force of the pressure of the chil- dren in their rush for I stood in the mid dle between the crowd who were pushing that way into hall and the great heap of children who were jammed in on the stairs. When tell you that I became SO weak that it was necessary to carry me out later on, you can imagine, per haps, what an awful pressure it was, and | what 1t must have been to the little ones who were at the bottom of that fearful jam. only wonder that thirty or forty were not killed instead of half that num- Der. It was an awful place. There was great pile of children, struggling and screaming like infuriated little demons. Some of those on the stairs becko to me to take them out, but did not waste my time over any one who was right side mp and had his head free. It was the fallen ones I was after. And tell you it was 9 mighty hard job to get 'em. The only way I could work was to hold the crowd back with one hand and pull the little ones out with the other. We passed about thirty uninjured out of the church window and carried several of the wounded and dead out of the hall D The funeral of the victims of the dis aster took place on Thursday at the Ger man Redemptionist Church. Six of the eight large pillars suppor, ing the rear of the chancel had been wound with black and white crape. Four festoons of black and white crape extended from the dome of the church, ninety feet above the floor, to the bases of four of the lofty pillars which support the roof. Heavy bands Of crape were fesGooned from the front Of the main gallery, in the south end of the church, and there was g double festoon on the choir gallery above it.
 Two black-robed nuns came from 6 point near the outer door, and were met by two of the nineteen deacons of the church, who were scattered through the
 building, each wearing upon his breast z silver cross. Following the nuns ws It
 twenty-eight girls, from 6 to 8 years old
 wearing white dresses, black sashes, anc
 wreaths of flowers. They went and stood
 on either side of the main aisle, next the
 altar. Tho military company marched
 in and stood next on either side of tht
 aisle. The tolling of the chime of bell'
 in the spire was faintly heard, and the
 Narr funeral procession came up th'
 aisle to the chancel.
 The coffin was laid exactly before tn,
 middle of the altar, with the foot toward
 the altar, and the many mourners wh'
 followed it went into the front pews o1 the main aisle, and the weeping of wo
 men began to be heard. Then thirtee1 other cof6ns were borne in, each followed by it's group of mourners, and were de
 posited alternately to the right and t the left of the first, each with the foo , toward the altar.
 Six little girls dressed in white fol lowed the coffin of Teresa Koetzner an, six more the coffin of Alfonsa Fischer
 At the conclusion of the mass the cele . brant sprinkled holy water upon eacl , coffin and waved smoking oense over it.
 At the end of the services, the funera procession was formed in East Thir ] street, and moved thence into Avenue
 into East Fourth street, into First ave l nue, through Third street to Avenue ( to Seventh street. Four policemen an , the military company headed it until St
 Francis Hospital was reached, when the 3 opened ranks, and the procession passe r on. Fifty four carriages, and thirtee hearses were in line. The body of Eliz ,, Brandenburgh wss taken home by he parents to be photographed and wa s buried subsequently.
 The hearses drove at intervals anon !. the carriages. In Seventh street tn ] procession divided, 8 part going t
 Houston Street Ferry and to tn = Cemetery of the Holy Trinity, uhil