Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-07-21

ing, on Tuesday last. Of tbs New York Insane
| Asylum:
Tho fire is said 10 have originated from one
! of the chimneys becoming ignited about seven
O'clock this mornng-ihe sparks and onders
/ from which. descending through the other hues,
or 'vcntators,' communicated TO some unfre-
quenied portions of the cupola, and, stealing "A
march upon the loneliness of the place. in a short
| time enveloped the whole main building in
| blnze.
AT the time Of thu alarm there were no patients
in that portion of the main building whore the
fire was first discovered, and no efforts were made
10 remove them from whore they confined
10 place of safety, until all hopes of saving the
grand entrance 10 the massive structure had
been considered futile. The different keep
ers had all they could do 10 quiet the fears of
their respective wards, thus leaving the suhjuga-
lion of the flames TO few persons. Who were
however. unequal to the task. The employees
did all in their power To subdue the fire, but they
worked to disadvantage in not possessing the
necessary agents for that purpose. What the
loss is we Of course can furnish no estimate. ex-
cept 1t be II wild one, AS no person knows the n
mount ui property destroyed nor the damage to
the buildings and fixtures. 1t must be immense.
however, and it viii be some time before again
see that splendid structure in the perfect order,
under the good management and conducted in
the admirable manner which have characterized
ii OF late years.
"'fhe military companies ordered out to
protect the property carried out into the open
grounds about the Asylum. and to guard tho lu
uatics who sent back into the adjacent
woods. The horror depicted in their countenan.
ces; their despair; their Wild mad ravipgs; their
iucoherent ordinations and CALCULATIONS rs con
trasted with the loud wild cracking of the flames
aud crashing of the fallen tmbers,-ah, it
horrible sight The prayers and applications,
tho loud curses the bolsterous laugh, Weakening
the behoders at she sight Of unihroned reason,
the menacing scowl, together with the thousand
other acts and parts of acts which go to fill up
the measure of the monomaniac's life, were new
er so wildly portrayed rs to day, when brought
out under the terror aroused within them at the
sight Of this mighty conflagration. Poor crea
lures! they are strangers to sympathy from their
pltable aud helpless condition of mind, but the
'ehr will not refuse to mosten the cheek of hui
mnnty AS they look upon the. melancholy picture
just witnessed
when the corps arrived upon the ground tho
greatest confusion prevalled-men running for
medical assistance for the burned, others seek
ing help to prevent the inmates from escaping
from the buildings and yards. On being formed.
the company marched To the grove in the rear of
tho Asylum, aud there mounted guard. About
two hundred of the patients, mostly temales, were
placed under the surveillance of tho company.
Trey a, first in quads made efforts TO escape,
but, on bclng hrmly ordered In remain quiet ana
not attempt To escape they became reconciled TO
their quarters. sat down in groups, and appa
rently were pleased with the excitement and
confusion. Some of the patients became very
noisy aud exoitable and II was with difficulty
they were restrained from exhibiting yciousness
Those who had not been placed under the care of
the corps were kept together in the rear portions
of the wings. They kept up an incessant noise
some singing. shouting laughing cheering at
the crowd outside, while others manifested fear
and lost all control over their physical systems
Tho damage is confined to that part Of the
building des grated as the Grand Entrance, which
is completely gutted of every thing combus,ible
and the burning and disiieuring of about forty
feet IN length of the eastern end of the man
building. The western end Of the nan building
and the wings escaped the fire. but dana
ged slightly by water. great deal of the fur
nture in portions Of The buildings not reached
by tho flames is either broken or damaged by
water. The work of clearing or cleaning up has
been commenced, and the wings will he ready
for occupancy III few hours. The city has
granted the use Of the new hospital to the man
ayers of tho Asylum. and some sixty patients
will be removed temporarily. At two o'clock
the patients in the grove were mnrched,in charge
oithe corps to tho Asylum. Owing to the eff
eient measures taken by the guard, difficulty
WINS experienced in keeping the patients within
the limits; and notwithstanding the cunning ex
pedients resorted TO obtain egress not single
patient escaped"