Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-02
DESTRUCTION OF TsE ORPHAN ASYLUM


This custom does exi. in surrounding tribes.
DESTRUCTION OF TIE ORPHAN ASYLUM
PHILADELPHIA. Jan. &1.-rae cn,nently tleplor;,-
bic and heart-rcndins part of tins calamity remains
To he told IrOm twenty 10 twenty five of tie poor
orphans, inmates of the house, are missing and at
present, when write, il not asceriaincd what
has been their fate The idea that even some of these
have persisted IN the co"fiasraon, is almost haI
rowing 10 DC borne vet II is too probable as the
children saved were sua;ched up from tlor beds or
dragged from The midst OF the raging element by
their intrepid deiiverers. The watchmen We are tod
were particularly active III the rescue o. the orphans
The names OF Robert w Nuer and John Butcher
have been mentioned 10 those OF the two, vino
made the greatest aud mos; periluus exertions On
Tie OCCASION HE former took the last child that
was carried down The stairs and IN his eneavcrs To
BRING her oil IN safety, obliged To chamber over
the bannis,er, the steps being fire The ljc IN
nocent when he accos,ed her, begged him ia her
aftIessnesS- not TO HTOlo her Into the fire - The
screams OF the sufferers heard without the build
img-But we cannot continue, nor will our readers
desire 10 have, the full narration The names of the
orphans mIssng are comprised in the annexed list
susan Paterson, Elizabeth Wells,
Charles Alden, Irvphena Collins
John Powell, Sarah Bo,vIes
John Carson kezi,h Sreds
sarah knight, Mary Marly,
WARY Taylor, Priscilla Andrews,
Susan cannon, MARY Ann Dobell
Mary Lewis, Roxannn Smith
Eeuy Lewis, Cathdiine fertner,
Angelina Pitnian, Mary Fremer
Catlaiine Black, Mary Ann DAVIS
Mary Ann Shorthl
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 25-The dreadful rDreboJ-
ngs entertained yesterday in relation to the fate of the
orphans missing since the destruction of their Asy-
iunl, we're, we fear, but too well founded All OF
those names we published remain undiscovered or
the whole number. twentythree, twenty are girls and
the particulars which we about 10 mention. ,,u-
thorize us further 10 believe the worst. The matron
had been Ill OF pleurisy, aud bcd The day before
one win her daughter and another young woman,
an assistant, were the only adult inmates Of the edi-
hcc lie matron was the first awake, from diff
Guilty oil breathing, occasoned by the snluke The
TWO young women and herself, rescued as many of
the children as IT was practicable save in the short
interval OF time tiiat elapsed between the o,nc;,t of
their being roused, and the period when The propress
OF the flames rendered it necessary for ihen to re-
treat The natron mentions that this interval was but
u few minutes. The girls slept in the THU d story and
II appears bu, TOO certain that the FIRE had gained so
much head before they awakened as 10 render
their escape exceedingly difficult. Mr. Butcher the
Waterman OF the ward III which the asylum stood,
was first drawn TO the building and rescued several
of the children from the 2d story MIR Nuiter the
watChnlan OF the adjoining ward, was next on the
ground. he latter attempted to ascend the stairs
aone but was driven back by fear of the smoke and
flames, which were bursting out. He went up, how
ever IN company with the other, and found on the
stairs, several of the orphans, whom they extricacd
Nuitcr mounted again Tie floor of the I'd story and
found himself enveloped in a sufocating smoke-he
CROPPED among the beds, which were empIy--and then
retreated through window, over The Por,ico al the
back door. When on the Portco, hc received into
his arms, child from the hands of Butcher, and de-
scepded will! his burden by Of one OF Tic CO.
umus of The Poriico
BY this time the flames had spread and ragged with
so much fury that access by the stairs was no longer
possible. Another Waterman informs us, that about
this crisis, he heard screams, and coughing as n
from the third story. Before The engines could be
made ready TO play, the interior of the edifce was
wholly on fire
The cost of the Orphans Asylum was, we learn,
value eli
destroyed, is estimated at S3,o0o-The property was
insured at 80, 900 only.