TERRIBLE DISASTER IN A CHURCH.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1689, 17 July 1875, Page 2

TERRIBLE DISASTER IN A CHURCH.

FIBE AND GREAT PANIC

SEVENTY-FIVE PERSONS BURNED OR CRUSHED TO DEATH. During the evening service in the Erench Catholic Church, Holyoke, near Springfield, a taper caught fire in the light trimmings of the altar, and spread rapidly over the walls. Ihere were seven hundred people, who rushed wildly to one narrow entrance, while those in the galleries jumped down uponthe mass below, from whence they were driven by tbe increasing flames, only to live for a few hours—the flesh dropping off their bones ; others with nothing but their charred, bones left. The mass of wailing people in the streets were relatives of those who had suffered this most horrible death. The flames of the burning building, the gathering of the dead for identification, the comforting of the dying, all made a scene never before witnessed in the city. The latest revised figures of the Republican concerning the losses by the Holyoke disaster give the killed at 71 ; fatally burned, 22, and otherwise burned and wounded, 27, making a total of 120 victims of the catastrophe. Of the dead 55 are females and 16 males. SCENE IN FRONT OF THE CHUECH. A telegram of the 28th says : " Intense excitement prevailed last night in Holyoke, centering opposite tho church at which the disastrous lire occurred, at the various points to which the burned were carried. Wild efforts were made by the people to rush pellmell into the burning building to rescue friends, and it was with difficulty they were kept back. This was particularly the case with parents, who, on the first impulse, rushed from the church to save their own lives, but, remembering they had left their children behind to perish, returned impetuously. Actual personal violence had to be used in several cases to keep women, back. . All about the streets men, women, and children were watching, piteously inquiring if friends had been saved. One woman was positive her husband had perished, and could only be quieted by an assurance from a friend that he had just been walking with him. ONE OF THE MOST TOUCHING CASES was that of two little girla about tsvelve years of age, who rushed for the entrance of the building while the fire was at its height, thinking to find their father and mother, who were within. They could only be restrained by an officer who took them in his arms. It is a disputed question whether both the front doors were available for escape. There are those who state positively that one of them was closed. It was impossible to open it on account of the rush. One man went to the closed door, and flourishing his club, threatened violence to any one who came near, in order to get the crowd away, but without success. Others state as positively that both doors were open. THE CURUCH SOCIETY was established about seven years ago, and Father Dufresne had been the only pastor. The parish included all the French Catholics of the city, whose number is estimated at 2,500 persons. The church was erected in 1870, entirely of pine ; was about 100 by 60, two stories, wiih galleries on sides and the north end, about 25 feet wide. There were two doors in the north end and vestibule, from which two doors opened into the body of the church. The galleries opened into the vestibule. At the rear end was another door, by which a few persons escaped. Immediately upon the breaking out of the flames all the occupants in the gallaries rushed to the east door, and FALLING UPON ONE ANOTHER, choked up the doorway with their bodies piled in all ways, seven or eight feet deep. Here most of the lives were lo3t. From this mass Chief Mullen rescued one young woman after having taken off two dead bodies from above her. The Chief and others had their clothes almost burned from them, and were badly burnt about the hands. In the rear of the church was tho priest's residence, which was also destroyed. The walls were pulled down after the fire was nearly put out. One woman jumped from the highest window down upon the front steps, breaking her arm. A man with two children in his arms jumped from the window and escaped. It is not quite certain that all the bodies have been taken from the ruins. In the haste to get as many as possible from the building before it fell, several were taken bub a shore distance, and it is possible a few more may be taken from the debris. AS APPALLING SCENE. The hero of the disaster was J. Lynch, a brave fireman, who was the first to respond to the alarm. He desciibes the scene when he reached the burning church as appalling. Wedged, tight and immoveable, in the doorways was a dense mass of humanity, none of them able to stand upright from the terrible pressure of the crowd behind, while upon and over them a sheet of fire rolled like a wave, streaming far out into the open air. Without stopping to consider their danger, Lynch and Chief Engineer Mullens rushed into the flames, spurred on by such piteous cries as : " For God's sake come and help us !" and began pulling at the bodies. A moment later and a well-directed hydrant stream from Mount Holyoke struck the brave rescuers, and undoubtedly saved them from being burned alive. DRAGGED BURNING PROM THE FLAMES. The first persons drawn out were burning, but they passed directly through the stream of water, and the flames were extinguished. Some poor creatures fell fainting on the long flight of wooden stairs leading down to the street, and a few were able to walk. By this time the entire fire department had arrived, and worked with such energy and will that when the fire was extinguished the charred wooden walls of the structure were standing, and were pulled down by the hook-and-ladder men in order that the search for the bodies might be made. Only a few minutes elapsed after the water struck the flames before the fire was out, but the destruction to life during this brief period was terrible. Some SPRANG FROM THE GALLERY WINDOWS and were injured. One person appeared at the window completely wrapped in flames. After struggling an instant he fell to the ground dead and unrecognizable. Hundreds of men went to the wreck as soon aa opportunity offered to search for bodies, and a force of police was organised to keep back the crowd which had gathered. The greater number of bodies were found in the fatal entry way, aome of them burned to a crisp. The body of one woman was found in the seat she occupied, with the clothing burned entirely off. A FLHSHY WOMAN, weighing some hundred and eighty pounds, was dragged screaming from the mass of flames. She was carried a short distance from the clinch _n. placed on the grass, while the flesh actually peeled off her back, and in a moment she fell over dead. The last to get out of the church was a man with his wife and little girl; the father took up his daughter and rushed with her to a place of Bafety. Louis Langlors, of the' Riverside mill, went in to render aid, when a little girl came tumbling down before the door, under the feet of the throng. Though he burned his hands sad'y in doing it, he was able to pull her ou l, but the little girl was badly injured. A young woman beat _it a-window-pane and jumped to the ground safely. A old woman of 60 went to ;he same opening, but hesitating to jump the was PULLED INSIDE BY THE JECAIR >y a brutal fellow. He jumpif clear, and ' ihe fell and was seriously injured. Of a '> amilyof five four J got out alive, one little - [irl of twelve yearajbeing burned. She wa* <'

sought by her little brother, and at last w discovered dead. John Lynch, a maso finding people pressed in at the bottom of the church door, pulled many down who were on the top, thus saving a dozen lives. Ex-Constable Casey describes the scene as he saw it with a glass from the top of the Hutchins' House block. The whole affair was over in fifteen minutes. He could plainly see through the blazing rafters and roof the poor pc pie running about. LARGE BLACK SPOTS could be seen in the flames, and a half minute later these spots went out with a brilliant light, which was succeeded by a dark flame. Mr. Roberts, with his family of four children, saved his daughters by forcing them out of the door, but his boy, a bright lad, perished in the flames. Many people were badly injured by jumping from the gallery windows. Annie Hibbert and a child six years old escaped from the building after their clothing had become ignited. Many persons had their limbs broken in attempting to escape. THE dead and injured. The bodies of fifty persons have been indentified, in addition to those of fifteen or twenty others who were removed to their homes by their friends. Nearly seventy have died and some forty more are more or less burned or otherwise injured. One girl was terribly burned and moved to the, House of Providence. One girl escaped from the gallery by jum_ing on the back of a man who carried her out, while her sister, who was with her was burned. It is estimated that 200 or 300 were taken to other houses, some of whom must die. In Pascal Pouynette's family there is one dead and two dying. In the family of Francois Dercy there are four slightly burned and one missing, A Coroner's jury was summoned to-day. The excitement continues so groat that it was judged best not to attempt taking evidence, and the inquest was adjourned till Monday. PANIC AT THE FUNERAL. Forty-eight of the victims of tbe disaster in Holyoke were buried on May 30 The services were held in the basement of the new Catholic Church, a la-ge crowd being in attendance. The coffins were placed on a dais raised in the cent.. of the room, and after some thirtyfive coffins had been there placed the platform gave way, causing a momentary panic. One woman shreiked and fainted and was carried, out, but the excitement soon subsided. The funeral orations were delivered by Fathers Primoan of Worcester and Glazeer of this city, and a procession over a mile long followed the remains to the French Catholic cemetery at South Hadley Falls.