The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-16
gAs Destruction OF the State Lunatic Asylum
at Utica

gAs Distraction Of the State Lunatic Asylum
IRON the Utica Telegraph, July 14l
fev moments AMOR eight O'Clock this morning, dense
column Of smoke was observed rising from the cupoa Of
e sSe Lunasc Asylum, located the summit Of what
s isows = Asylum hill, ana Immediately the alarm was
svsssx lsogh breadth city hsa
- "Aeyum buidings were on hrel" The church beA
e the city took up the aasm and With iron tongue sp
6nu benNput streets In such state OF hustle, COM
noon and confusion has NOT been wine sed among
wih rcd shirts, nrsmsn with white shirts, and hremen
Win scarcely no Shirt hats, caps anything else on At
fre from one end Of the city TO the other Mean while
ne crowds In the sreets thckened and accumulated
seer and fAster-the roofs Of buildings fairly groaned
under the weight Of any which they forced In
No necessity Of bearing uphe thick clouds Of black
smoke In The western horizon grew darker and volu
inous-the fire companies, with their different detach
nents, rolled and Numbered the rough pavement
while the enthusiastic encouragement OF the several fore
non, belching their "H, hi boys gave the scene
. Wild, romantic enthusiasm which only hremen in
syiro In such q moment.
Joining in the general excitement, proceeded to the
scene OF the contagraon as rapidly good seed char
tered for that purpose could carry Upon reaching
grounds found the beautiful cupoa of the building en-
ureg demolished with the front and main entrance
plete body of fire fame, looking like huge fur
race seven mes heated than the quiet place OF yore
With Its reception rooms for visites Offices reading rooms
&c.
The fire said have originated from one of the chin
neys becoming ignited about O'Clock this mornng-he
sparks and cnders from which, de'cendng through the
quented portions Of the cupoa and stealing march upon
ne lone ness of the pace, short time enveoped the
whole main building blaze. There ID nothing certain
about the origin If the fire, during the impending
element confusion find NO one TO give us more
h S' ,e sssra 'e mos
At the time Of the alarm there patients in that
portion Of the main building where the re was first ds
covered, and efforts were made to remove them from
where they were confined to place Of safety
until all hopes Of saving the grand entrance 70
futile different keepers had oil taey could quiet
Me fears Of the inmates Of their respective wards thus
leaving the subugation Of the flames few persons
who were however unequal the task The employ s
did all in their power to subdie the fire. but they worked
% disadvantage in not possessing the necessary agents for
that purpose What the loss Ia of furnish
estima except 1t be a wild one, pes'n knows
The amount Of property destroyed the damage to the
buildings and fixtures. II must be immense, however,
will be time before again that splendid
structure in the perfect order, under the good
ent and conducted 10 the admirable manner which have
characserized 1t of late years.
The nre companies Rome te egraphed for at an
early hour this morning, and Nos and promptly an
gwered the To their credit be spoken, they
arrived at the depot in this city In eighteen minutes there
after drawn by engine kindly furnished by superin
tendent Dutton, of g. Rome and Waertown Railroad
A fire company from Yorkville and ho,her from New
York Mills, were also on the ground at an early hour.
The suppy OF water was very sparse during the hrst
stages Of the re large reservoir which they de-
pend for water, in Of emergency, supplied from
the ChenaDgo canal by draugh. pump; and being
cessary up steam to set this pump in motion, the
time occupe doing allowing the Ore king ad-
his work Of destruction with fearful ra oioy.
ton of whom was the foreman Of No Of this city,
Roes j. Turner.
Another IRE company arrived from Little Falls, ct IL
O'Clock H. They fine looking set Of fellows, and
possess machine that will no doubt sympshise freely
with the muscles OF the wno ''rnan the brakes
The military companies were ordered out to protect the
property carried out INTO the grounds about the Asy
hum and guard the una.ics wh) sent back into
the I'd jacent woods The Citizen corps the fret
pany 10 receive ders they lime repairing
thiiher hay ing their fire sent before them by
press wagon. The Palmer Grenaders, the lafayette
funS adz Sav and ma
squad from the johnson Guard (a IA unform also went
Up early hour this forenoon. The City Guar Is also
turned out
The roads and grounds leading TO and in the vicinity Of
the Asyu m, literally cranmed and jammed with
human beings. All the available space for mile within
The vicinity OF the conaagraton was allied with horses and
carriages bugges and hacks, carts and everything
soasng wheels sufficient for a horse TO draw, mat could
roll the people from the surrounding country Men,
and children hudcliog together Unfortunately,
being able TO sight at the burning mass
Of ruins and yet not able to leave from the terrible hau
cnaen which the dense vapor and the columns of dark
curling smoke inspired What satisfaction many hu.
beings could derive from standing for 80 hours
m the hot scorchpg ntabe 20 but the
they STOOD spell bound, were, looking ike many
hna,ics just escaped from the burning pile with eyes
skraning ia the direction OF the 1ames with mouths wi 10
opsn and diended noss, 10 catch the least whs
per or remark CONCERNING The Calamity they were gazing
upon.
But how shall we attempt TO describe the sorrowful pic.
ture Of poor unacs themselves The horrlr depicted
their coupenapcestheir despair-tner Wild mad raw
hgstheir ncohtrent excama,ions and calculations a,
acted with the loud, wild cracking Of the flames aud
crashing OF falling umbersl All IL was ahorrible sight
the prayers and suppostonsthe loud curses the bos-
laugh sckerips tho beholder at the sight OF
troned reason--,he menscing scow-o ether with the
thousand acts and OF acts which 90 TO fill up
the Of the monomanacs life, was never 30 WV
Idly portr ed day. when broaght under
ror ed within them nj the sight of this mighty
nsgraion. Poor creatures they are strangers 10 sym7a
thy, from their ptabe and helpless conaion OF mind;
the will refuse N moisten the cheek Of hu-
mainly they look upon the melancholy pisture just
when the corps arrived upon the ground the greatest
conution prev aedmcn running for medical RssiEanc
for the burned OsSs 'es ,on nsp sn
yards On being formed, the company marched to
the grove the Of the asylum and there mounted
guard About two hundred OF ha patients, mostly To-
males placed under the surv,ilancs Of the conpa
pany They at nrs In squads made efforts to escape, but
upon being firmly ordered 10 remain quiet and not at.
tempt escape they reooncled 10 their quarters
at down n groups, and apparently, wore pleased with
the excite nnent and confusion.
rpccs police force was called into reauisiton TO pro.
order and proven, pferng Many Of our nrs. ci
responded 70 the call for extra police and donned the
badge II ofce-a piece Of white cloth tied round the ei
arm. They exeriei themselves manfuly, and 10 them
the military enc immenso number Of spectators
present uaebied Tor the Comparative good order which,
after their orgauzaii IN, existed.
The military with the exception OF the Corps, were
stationed the lawn in front OF inc asylum, la the
ooed yard the gates leading from the yards and In
she aelds adjacent 70 prevent patients from escaping.
There was report originated BY some one TIA, Or.
nabe patient veil known Ia this oiF had been burn d
death hat several others not expected 10
vve, from IKE oause but upon In Tetgang the rumor
10 mouth and receiyog al ionh exaggeraons IN their
journey that twenty ave patents bad been found lyng In
sufccsted 20 death that Dr. Gray the Slperinea
dent had died from the ELECTS &C fall from the third 70
The loOr toat OF the male patients had thrown
female into he burning building and then hat followed
herG OF which, Taii1cs " 20 state, had their origin
IN the fancy Of some oTeduous fellows who wshsd 10 DO
considered as knosng more than their reshbors We
have space ~ give one tenth Of The stories
circulating the re many OF which probably thought
10 be true by thOse who heard them
Nots outstanding The and caution exercised By the
M arQ1 llQ blli
severely burned, by not being acquainted with the
complicated stairways ana loobics aud which pre-.
vented them from making speedy exit when
danger crept upon them They were carried outside
and placed beds under trees, In the grass plot al tho
eastern end Of the main buildpg and heir suffering ae
waited. Among the number Of those seriously injured
vhiio Oattng the flames this morning and rendering
every assistance ~hch heryism cor inspire, Dr l.
w. Rose Of meet respectable city physicans lie
vs secn 10 enter the main building by some persons,
when shortly aer cry OF distress heard 70 proceed