The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-01-17
A FIRE HORRORl
Burning Of the Convent of tho Immae-
ulate Conception at BeIleville, III.
Twenty-seven Perons Engulfed by Smoke
and Roasted by Cruel Flames.
EBeileville Qll.) telegram-y

fBelleville ul.) teleeram-I
The lives OF twenty-seven women were iosf
by the burning of the Immaculate Consep
ton Convent at this place. Many others were
injured more or less severely by jumping
from the windows of the third or fourth story
20 the frozen ground beneath.
II Is not known exactly how the fire
started The first report was that IL origin
ated in the third story, which was used rs a
dormitory. An attempt was made by the Sfs-
ters to extinguish It, but without suo-
cess. The latest and most probable
theory is that IL broke out
near the boiler In the basement. When IL
was first discovered the hoor above was
abIaze and volumes of smoke were roll ny up
and filling the stairways, halls, and corridors
of the building. BY the time the sleeping In
mates were thoroughly aroused all avenues
of escape seemed 70 be cut of by binding
smoke and flames. Then panic enss Cd, at
tended by scenes so heartrending that even
the imagination can scarcely picture them.
Forty or more of the pupils and teachers, In
spite of the terror and wild contus on,
succeeded in getting out OF the building
unframed, and were given shelter
from the icy wind In neigbborng
houses. Their companions were far less
fortunate. Many remained in the dormitory,
and, rendered helpless by fright, persisted
without making an attempt TO escape. others
rushed TO the windows, and, appalled, at tho
prospect of leaping to an almost certain
death, drew back and were either shffocated
by the thick smoke or died In the flames.
Some, Drawer than the rest, jumped from the
upper windows and were either killedor BADLY
injured. Miss Mary Campbell, teacher. Of
East st. Louis, lea Jed from the third story
and ded In a few minutes. Another, whose
name was not ascertained, climbed TO the
Of al of ha
was fatally injured.
The fire spread W tn great rapidty, and the
fire department was of little avail. The ex-
treme cold retarded the work OF the fremen,
and even If they could have reached the
scene without delay they could have been OF
but little service In rescuing the victims
There are no ladders in the fire department.
and no provisions for such a deplorable
emergency had been made bv the managers
of the convent. The unfortunate inmates
were, therefore, unable TO help them
selves, and those who were witnesses
of the horrible holocaust were power
less TO help them. The streets in the vicinity
were thronged with people anxious TO be Of
service. They could do nothing but stand
and look on or listen in silence to the appeals
OF terror-stricken parents rushing frantically
around looking for their children or waiting
over their supposed loss.
Within an hour from the time the fire was
discovered the famous Convent of the I'M
maculate Conception was reduced to ashes
ana few charred and broken walls.
AS soon as possible the work OF re-
covering the remains of victims was
begun. The tiremen poured water On
the ruins unit u lay break so as to quench the
embers and preserve in recognizable shape
the bodies of the unfortunate women. Then
volunteers were called for. and during the
day a large force of men were at work in the
ruins.
1t was a terrible sight. At times the
searchers would find two or three charred
masses huddled together. seemingly seeking
each others protection from the advancing
flames. Two bodies were found In the rear
part of the building, burned into
an uDrecognizable mass but the
majority were found beneath where
tho dormitory was situated. They
seemed 10 have sought shelter in this room
when they recognized that escape was TN
possible. The flames beneath, eating away
the supports, let down the floor with those
upon II into the seething vortex of fire and
smoke. The pupil boarders and three Sisters
slept on the fourth floor; on the third floor
the remaining Sisters slept, and on the noor
above the basement the orphans anG half
orphans slept. Those on this floor escaped.
The following is a list of the killed, missing,
and injured, as far as is known:
The dead identified:
Sister Maduedo, Sister Angela, Sister Ed
wilma, Mother Superior Mary Jerome, MARY
Campbell, Lizzie Isch, Susie Wemar, VfrGie
Heinzelman, Mary Manning, Mamie Pulse
and Gerte Strunck.
Missing:
Agnes Scaling. Mary Scaling. Martha Man
tell, Laura Thompson, Miss l.. Simott, Lottie
Pierson, Hilda Hammell, Mary Bien, Katie
Urbana, Mary Bertes, Delphi Schlernezauer,
Josie Plouder, Mamie Bailey.
Injured:
Sister Monnesee, Sister Stylites, Sister Re-
partie, Sister Paschales, Sister Daisy Ebber-
man, Fanny Brurks, Agnes Schneider.
The building and contents were valued at
SIS, 600.