Year: 1876



 Escape of n Thousand Children--Fstal

 COnseduenoes Fortunately Averted.

 The terrible church holocaust at Hol- yoke several months since came near being repeated in St. Mary's Catholic church, on Union street, Boston. On account of the fine weather the edihce was more than usually filled at the nine o'clock mass. In fact, not ouly the body, aisles and corridors of the church were packed with wQrshipers, but even the yard and the sidewalks in front were densely crowded with a surging and pressing throng, all anxious to gain ad- mittance to the interior. In the vestry or basement below there was, at the same time, gathered nearly 1000 chil- dren engaged in Sunday school exer- ciSes. and here it was that an accident occurred, which came near resulting in loss of life almost beyond calculation. It seems that in removing a curtain or drapery which covered statuette of the Virgin Mary portion of the folds was waited into the blaze of a burning can dle. Almost instantly it ignited, and the flames darted up the ceiling, along the floors, across the altar and around the light oornices and ornamental wood work, which existed i'll abundance at the rear of the vestry. Of course there en- sued an indescribable panic among the children, and this was soon communi- cated to the fieor above, where mass was at the same moment being celebrated. Some of the teachers and older scholars, with presence of mind and quickness of action which was truly remarkable, immediately tore and smothered the burning gauge, and others at the same moment, with their overcoats and heavy clothing, managed, by what may be de scribed as superhuman efforts, to quench the burning woodwork.

 Whsn this was done and all danger from fire was at an end the doors leadiug to the main entry of the church were closed and locked by some of the teach CTS and the threatening danger among the children was over. This, however, was not the case on the floor above. The cry had been raised that the vestry was on fire and immediately there was the widest alarm and confusion. The OK treme warmth of the weather had ad- mitsed of many of the windows being opened and out of these many jumped indiscriminately to save themselves from what they believed the alternative of roasting alive. Many also jumped out of the galleries into the body of the church below, bruising not only them selves but frequently those upon whom they fell.

 This scane, however, so full of terror and excitement. incredible as it may seem, was not attended with any serious consequences. Very many were bruised in the jam toward the doors and win dows, but the most seriously injured that could be found was woman who re- ceived broken leg by jumping from the gallery. Fortunately, the windows were only few feet from the g.ound, and any serious injury by jumping from them was almost impossible. The or dinary means of egress, too, were ad- mirable, consisting of three large doors to broad vestibule, and from there three more spacious openings to the street. The few moments the panic lasted, however, were full of alarm, and the shrieks of the women and the shouts of the men terrified the whole section of the city in which the church is situated. The event, as might be expected, was quickly magnifed into a terrible ca. la1nity, and the scenes of melancholy confusion among those who had friends in the church were painful and numer- ous. At the best the affair was an un- fortunate one even ill the absence of fatal consequences, and, when taken in connection with the late terrible affair at Holyoke. it will not be surprising if somo legislative action is taken to guard against such calamities as are now pos sible in every Catholic church through out the country.