The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-01-08
HORRIBLE HOLOCAUST!
FearfM Fire at the Convent OF
NOtre Dame.
TWenty-seVen More Lives Added tt
the long List.
Terrible Scenes and Incidents OF
the Blaze.
Burning OF q Conyent-Twenty
Seven Lives Lost.

Seven Lives Lost.
st. Louis, 6.-The following dispatch
from Belleville to the Associated Press
gives further particulars OF the frlghtful
calamity: The fire at the convent OF
structive of life and property that Belle
Vile has ever experienced. A visit to
the scene this morning found the fire de.
partmept still on duty endesvoriDg to
esench the flames SO as to preserve in
recognizable shape the bodies o. the vic
Tins. When the ruins were sufficiently
cooled men went to work to bring out the
bodies. It was q terrible sight. At times
the searchers wonld find two or three
ehsrred masses buddled close together,
seemingly seeking protection in one and
another from the advancing and terrible
flames. Two bodies were found in the
rear part of The building burned into an
unacceptable mass, but the majority
we're found beneath where the dormi-
tory was situated. They seemed
TO have sought shelter in this
Eoom, too late to recognize that
their escape was impossible. The flames
beneath, eating away the supports, let
dewn the floor into the seething vortex
Of fire and smoke. The less OF life 10
much greater than was mentioned In lsst
nights brief dispatch. Instead OF being
two, as at frat supposed, the total known
deaths is twenty-seven, twenty-five only
of which are pupils, and FIVE sisters,
among the latter the Sister Superior. On
the fourth floor the pupils and boarders,
With three Sisters, slept; on the third
floor the remsiniBR sisters slept, ind on
she second, or the floor above the bsseN
nent, what are termed orphans,
slept. On the second floor the
inmates escaped and we're saved
The FIRE bad its origin in the furnace IL /,
the basement, and when discovered the |
floor Immediately above was sbiszs End |
volumes of smoke were rapidly pouring |
through the stsirwsys, corridors and |
halls Of the building. By the time the |
sleepers were thoroughly aroused 81
avenues OF escape were filed with blind |
ing smoke, then panic ensued, and |
it is for the Imagination to paint the sor-
rcwful and hesrtrending picture. rhe
extreme cold retsrded the work of the
fremen. Even if they could have
reached the scene without delay, they
could have been of but little service in
resouing the victims. There aIe no lad.
dsrs in the fire department and no pro.
visions for such deplorsble emergency
had been made by the managers ofthe
institution. The unfortunate victims,
therefore, were powerless to relieve
and those who were
witnesses of the horrible holo~
csust were unable to assist them.
The manner of escape of esch Of the sur
yiYors could not be learned. Daisy
Ebermsn was slightly injured; Agnes
Schneider jumped from q window, but
was net dangerously injured; Lou Mott
was quite badly hut; Dens Horn and
Fannie Brinker, seriously, but not fatally
injured. At pm. there had been eleven
bodies recovered from the ruins and the
sisters and friends OF the unfortunstes
had succeeded in Identifying the follow
ing: Miss Werman. Miss Strunck. Miss
Manning, Miss Heinzelmen, Miss Isch
and Miss Pulzee. The bodies could only !
be identified by the clothing or rather q
portion OF the clothes, which having been
saturated with water had escaped the
flames. All that now remains of .he
famous convent Of the Immaculate Con-
ception are the charred broken walls, and
in the debris there yet Temains the bodies
OF several unfortunate victims. The
building and furnishings vera valued at
-EUn SoO. WV w fOjVOOg ih1uACo AOA |
SIS. 900.
st. Thomss. Mo, 7.-Search for tho
dead at Belleville was resumed this
The bodies we're all near each
other, and the Mother Super:or's body
seemed to be the centre for the CHASTITY
circle Of black remains. A bone was
picked up here and upon being drawn
came loose from soma particles of roasted
flesh. Her burned ssull was found, and
also an arm, while the trunk burned into
D solid crisp was dug sup Immediately
under them. There was an awful ex-
humatiou and more than once the work
men faltered because of the sickening
sensations which overcsme them. 1t
seemed The horrid heap would never be
exhausted, and every few minutes there
was the report that new body had been
aiken out. Sbreds of burnt clothing
,lupg TO the sickening mass. 1t was i'm
possible almost to find any identity ofthe
bodies, the fire having efseed every
inc of countensnce and form. The bodies
q some instances chung together and the
leap IS 1t was uncovered to the eye was