Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-12-28
LITTLE ONES PERISH.
ELEVEN CHILDREN BURN TO
DEATH AT QUINCY, IL.
several More Fatally Injured IN the
Flames Frightful Tragedy occurs
While Rehearsing Hundreds OF r"-
81. Francis Parochia1 Building.

Mi S m
eleven persons were burned to deatn'
eight others fatally burned ana nan q
dozen injured in the most narrowing uiS-
aster of years in Quincy, Ill, at Q clocA
Friday afternoon
While a score or happy children were
on the stage in the auditorium OF Of.
Francis Catholic school rehearslns lor
n Christmas entertainment, the garments
of one Of the children came IN contact
with a burning gas jet In an instant
fine flames spread over her. Inc Httie
ones screamed and as they and the SIS
ters rushed to each others assistance
the terror of the situation appalled, them
and n panic followed. The fire depart
ment hurried to the scene and the name
were auicklys extinguished, but there re-
NAMED the task of taking out charred
bodies and of rescung the little ones
who were lying in half-suffocated an
guish. 49,.
The dead are: Irena Freiburg, May
wavering. Mary Althoff, Bernadina
Freund. Colletta Middendorf, Mary
Hickey, Wilhelmina Guttendorf, OiiVa
Timpe. Addie Futterer, Josephine
BONNIE, AaTSdIeI w uihSA"
In the hall at the time of the calamity
there were between 500 and 600 pupils
of the school and number of children
from Saint Aloysius' orphan asylum, near
by. They had been invited to attend
the dress rehearsal, which had begun
early liz the afternoon and eight numbers
on the program had been given before
the tragedy occurred. The ninth num-
| inf Of
and every one Of the little girls, ranging
from to II years of age, who were TO
take part in it is either dead OF fatally
burned.
The girls were just preparing to take
their places OH the stage, when Laurena
Menke, who was adjusting her mask,
came in contact with the gas jet III the
dressing room. In an instant she was
enveloped in flames and as she ran
screaming among the other girls their
clothing was set on fire.
The screams of the sisters and horror
stricken girls behind the curtains start
ed panic in the front part OF the hall
and before any of the girls whose cloth
ing had been set on fire had emerged
from the stage the juvenile audience
was rushing pell nell down the stairs to
the street Oscar Kaufman, 8 years old,
leaped from a third-story window, but
suffered nothing more than broken nm
ger. But for. the fight against the flames
made by Father Andrew and the sisters
the list of dead and injured would have
been much longer. Probably the sad
dest sight was that presented by little
Bernardino Freunde, who ran down the
stairs with nearly all of her clothing
burned off and threw herself into the
arms of man, crying, Il am BERTHE
Freund," and fell lfeless to the floor
The excitement inside the building was
soon intensified by the situation without.
Crowds congregated in an instant and
parents soon came searching with anX-
ious eyes for their little ones. The land
ing at the third floor was a combination
of hospital and morgue. Bodies charred
to a crisp were lying there, side by side
with forms in which life still remained.
Father Andrew was seriously burned
about the hands. Prof. Musholt and
Sisters Theotama, Ludwiga, Redultha
and Ephren were also badly burned in
rescuing the children who ran through
the halls and around the building, Shrek
ing and begging to be saved.
st. Francis school is where the mem
bers of the congregation of st. Francis
Catholic Church, one of the largest and
most flourishing in the city, educate their
children. 1t is a handsome new building
across the street from the imposing
church. In the rear Of the church is the
st. Francis monastery, and in the block
adjoining is st. Francis Solames Col
lege, one of the largest of it's kind in the
West. All of these institutions are To-
Gated in the northeast part Of the city.