Calumet, Michigan was a copper mining town in 1913. In July of that year over 7,000 miners
struck, and almost 6 months later no agreement had been reached. Of course the miner's families knew that
their Christmas would be bleak, so the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Western
Federation of Miners gave a Christmas party on Christmas eve for the
children. Held on the second floor of Italian Hall, accessible only by a steep staircase on the left side of the building, the party
saw about 500 children receiving presents and some 200 parents watched the
festivities.
About the time the party was drawing to a close, the door at
the bottom of the staircase was opened and someone outside yelled
"FIRE!"
As would be suspected, everyone made a run for the door,
only to find it blocked from the outside. Fifty-nine children and 14 adults, most of them Finnish immigrants, were trampled and suffocated by the throng of bodies trying
to escape a fire which actually did not exist.
The youngest child killed was 2-1/2 years old. The oldest person killed was 66. A few families lost all of their children.
The perpetrators of this terrible disaster were never
discovered, thus no one was ever prosecuted.
-~~-
I have listed the names of those who died and the person who
created this list. I know
it is a long list, but for me, it is a list of Immortal Nobodies. I don't want them to be forgotten.
1. Lempi Ala..........................12
years.........................Female.......................Finnish
2. Herman Alla......................60
years.........................Male..........................Finnish
3. Sanna L. Aaltonen..............39 years.........................Female.......................Finnish
4. Syvia Altonen.....................3
years...........................Female........................Finnish
5. Wilama Altonen..................9
years...........................Female.......................Finnish
6. Will Biri..............................7
years 11 mo................Male............................Finnish
7. Ivana Bolf...........................9
years 4mo...................Female........................Croatian
8. Katarine Bronzo................21
years.........................Female.........................Italian
9. Victoria Burcar...................9
years 4 mo..................Female.......................Croation
10. Joseph Butala...................7 years
8 mo..................Male............................Slovenian
11. Nick Cvetkovich..............33
years.........................Male.............................Croatian
12. Jenny Giacoletto...............9 years
10 mo................Female.......................Italian
13. Katarina Gregorich..........10 years 10
mo...............Female......................Croatian
14. Edwin Heikkinen..............7
years...........................Male..........................Finnish
15. Eino Felpus O. Heikkinen.10 years 5
mo................Male.........................Finnish
16. Eli Issac Heikkinen...........9 years 5
mo..................Male..........................Finnish
17. Ina Isola...........................33
years........................Female..........................Finnish
18. Tilma Isola.......................5
years 4 mo..................Female........................Finnish
19. Barbra Jesic.....................25
years.........................Female........................Croatian
20. Rosie Jesic.......................5
years 6 mo..................Female.........................Croatian
21. Uno Jokepil......................13
years.........................Male............................Finnish
22. Anna E. Kalunki................9 years
7 mo.................Female.......................Finnish
23. Brida Liisa Kalunki............42
years........................Female.......................Finnish
24. Efia P. Kulunki...................8
years.........................Female........................Finnish
25. Johan Emil Kiemaki...........7 years..........................Male..........................Finnish
26. Katarina Karich.................7
years..........................Female.......................Croatian
27. Kristina Klarich..................11
years ......................Female....................... Croatian
28. Mary Klarich.....................9
years..........................Female........................Croatian
29. Johan Hendrik Koskela......10
years........................Male..........................Finnish
30. Anna Kotajarvi...................4
years.........................Female........................Finnish
31. Anna Kotajarvi...................39
years.......................Female........................Finnish
32. Mary Krainatz....................11
years.......................Female........................Croatian
33. Hilja K Lanto......................5
years........................Female.........................Finnish
34. Maria G. Lanto...................40
years......................Female.........................Finnish
35. Sulo Rubet Lauri..................8
years.......................Male.............................Finnish
36. Mary Lesar.........................13
years......................Female..........................Slovenian
37. Rafael Lesar........................2
years 6 mo...............Male.............................Slovenian
38. Arthur Lindstrom.................12
years......................Male...........................Unknown
39. Lydia Johanna Luoma..........10
years......................Female.......................Finnish
40. Alfred J.W. Lustic................7
years 9 mo...............Male............................Finnish
41. Elina Manley........................26
years......................Female..........................Finnish
42. Wesley M. Manley...............4
years........................Male..............................Finnish
43. Ella E. Mantanen..................8
years........................Female.........................Finnish
44. Mathias E. Mantanen...........10 years......................Male.............................Finnish
45. Y.H. Mantanen....................13
years......................Male...............................Finnish
46. Agnes Mihelchich.................7 years........................Female..........................Croatian
47. Elizabeth Mihelchich............5
years........................Female..........................Croatian
48. Paul Mihelchich....................9
years........................Male..............................Croatian
49. Walter Murto.......................9
years........................Male...............................Finnish
50. Edward Emil Myllykangas....7
years.........................Male...........................Finnish
51. Johan W. Myllykangas.........10
years.......................Male.............................Finnish
52. Abram Niemela....................24
years......................Male...............................Finnish
53. Maria Elizabeth Niemela.......22
years......................Female.........................Finnish
54. Annie Papesh.......................6
years........................Female............................Slovenian
55. Mary Papesh........................14
years......................Female............................Slovenian
56. Kate
Petteri..........................66
years......................Female............................Finnish
57. Saida M. Raja......................10
years......................Female............................Finnish
58. Terresa Renaldi....................12
years......................Female...........................Italian
59. Elma W. Ristel......................6
years.......................Female............................Finnish
60. Emilia Rydilahti.....................16
years..................... Female..........................Finnish
61. Heli
Rydilahti........................13
years......................Female...........................Finnish
62. John
Saari.............................5 years 11 mo.............Male...............................Finnish
63. Elida
Saatio..........................11 years 9
mo.............Female............................Finnish
64. Mary Smuk..........................5
years........................Female............................Solvenian
65. Antonia Staudohar................7
years........................Female..........................Croat/Slov
66. Elisina J. Taipalus..................6
years........................Female.........................Finnish
67. Sandra M. Taipalus...............4
years........................Female..........................Finnish
68. Edward Richard Takola........9
years........................Female.........................Finnish
69. Lydia E. Talpaka..................10
years.......................Female..........................Finnish
70. Kaisa G. Tuippo...................45
years.......................Female...........................Finnish
71. Mamie Tuippo.....................10
years.......................Female............................Finnish
72. Hilja Wualukka ....................8
years.........................Female..........................Finnish
73. Johan Peter Westola.............48
years........................Male.............................Finnish
This list was complied by Ms. Peggy
Germain. She is the author of an excellently researched book on the subject of
the 1913 tragedy entitled "Tinsel & Tears" The book is available
for only $5 + $1.25 postage. The address is Peggy Germain, 712 Pine Street,
Calumet, Michigan
