The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-02-27
FrIghtfuI Loss o Life in Ireland.

FIRE IN WoRK-HoUsE-Loss of Tfre8ty-aine
LiUeS.-The Cork Examiner contains the following
details OF a disastrous occurrence at Killarney, one
OF the auxiliary work-houses in that town, having
been consumed by fire, and another having fallen
in, killing about thirty of the unfortunate inmates
Our local reporter has furnished us with some
oil the particulars connected with the burning Of
one branch work house, formerly the College, and
the fall of loft in another, called the Brewery,
which occurred in Killarney on Monday, Jan IA.
The consequences were indeed frightful, and have
plunged the whole district into gloom. The fire
burst out about ii o'clock, p. M when the cries of
the wretched inmates from the windows for assist
ance, TO save them from the most terrible of all
deaths, were truly appalling. After ladders had
been procured, the work OF rescue commenced
| most nobly. Every man We'd with his neighbor in
his efforts TO save life Protestant and Catholic
clergylnen, magistrates, physicians police and
peope-all did their duty. But the result was a
reported loss of three lives. The most dreadful
part OF the business, however remains to be told.
The cry of fire, and the livid glare of the flames,
which forced its way into the Brewery (branch-
house), awoIe the sleeping children Alarm for
parents, friends and relations in the other hoEse,
made distraction and confusion. They beheld the
burning pile from the windows. In their eagerness
TO 80 forth they rushed madly to the doors and win
dows, but they were locked or fastened. They then
sought an unused loft for the purpose of egress.;
bd the rotten planks gave way. Twenty-eight
females were instantly killed and as many more
frightiully mutilated."
The following is from a correspondent:
KILLARNEY, Jan. Is, 1SJO.-This town was
last night the theatre of melancholy series Of
events, involving the destruction of human life to
a very serious and deplorable extent. The oapa-
cious and beautiful building, formerly known
The College but for months in the possession of
the guardians Of the poor as hospital was found
to be on fire at 10 o'clock So eliectually did the
10. with nf
the edi6ce to leave il blackened heap of ruins
IN about two hours after the alarm first given.
IL contained f62 patients In the morning, and this
day leaves, it is said Is OF them missing. No
erton that humanity could suggest, was omitted on
the part of the artisans to save life and no aid could
be more efficient than that afforded by Mr.. M Lean,
the Superintendent Of the Lunatic Asylum who
placed body OF his most active and courageous
masons at a ladder, saying to of the Catholic
priests, tRev. Mr.. McDonadD believe yon
have influence here, sir; hold by this ladder,
| and depend your life on Madden )" and we'll this
Madden did his work Child after child descended
amid cheers On the other side, the south OF the
building, extraordinary exertons made on be-
half OF the poor sufferers with astonishing
With the exception OF one girl, who Tell accident
ally, all who could be reached landed safely. DR..
Murphy, the medical officer oil the p0orhousc, had
narrow escape in his successful exerlions to save
child The police, under their very efficient Sub
| Inspector Dubardieu, were most useful. The medi-
| cal men of every grade and also the Catholic and
Protestant clergy, were assiduous in their attention
| to the poor sufferers. Meantime, as the burning
advanced an alarm was raised in second auxiliary
work house, the Brewery, tenanted by nurses and
| girls. They could see the fire distinctly, both
| buildings being only few hundred yards apart.
| They became clamorous that the doors Of the dor
mltories should be unlocked, and as the person in
charge in the act Of doing so, portion Of the
| flooring which they stood gave way hurrying
to instant destruction 27 growing girls and two
| nurses. Ones heart sickens at awful calamity
as this was proved, and God grant it may prove a
salutary warning to all parties who instructed
with the carrying out of the Poor Law Act as to
| the amount OF caution and care they are bound to
exercise in the selection of branch work houses.
In the present instance, and giving every credit to
the humane body of guardians of this union, fear
| much sufficient was not observed with regard
to this norton of the Brewery-because being the
common passage from the domltory to the open AIR,
it should be inferred that constant yet successive
pressure would be upon il, and this ought to have
been provided for, Besides, if one argued from the
| numbers who suffered from the falling in OF this
rlckety concern, including both those who lost their
lives and those who were more less injured by
fractures Of limbs, conusions, etc. there could be
no extraordinary pressure on it. believe thsacci-
dent, as well as the first at the College, was
unforseen-unooked ior--one OF those casualties
which might have been prevented, but was never