Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-10-17


cITEMENT AND TERROR OF THE PATIENTS
[Clsveland Herald, September 2s.]
We have rarely been called upon to
record more serious and lamentable pub
lie calamity than the nearly total destruc-
ton by fire, Wednesday afternoon, of the
Northern Ohio Lunatic Asylum, at New
burg The building was a splendid
structure, 900 feet in length, the exteri-
or walls being entirely of stone Two
large wings had but just been completed,
at cost Of 100000. These increa sed
the capacity of the institution to 600
patients, fully that number being on the
books at the time of the disaster. The
crowded condition of the asy lum was ow-
ing to the fact that there were $50 pa
tents from the Central Ohio District,
the new asylum at Columbus, upon the
site of the one burned two or three years
ago, not being yet completed. =.
SCENES OF EXCITEMENT AND TERROR.
It was hoped at first that the flames
might be eztinguished without creating
alarm among the multitude of inmates
the consequences of which none could
foretell In the course Of fifteen OF
twenty minutes, however, it was found
that in spite of every effort the flames had
worked downward, and we're rapidly
spreading through the upper story of the
building in every direction. The sad
truth was felt that at least the centre
portion was doomed to destruction. Orders
were givet for the immediate removal o.
the patients and large number Of the
attaches of the institution and others, adj
dressed themselves to this work with tie
greatest zeal and energy, while others still
sought. by the all of hose, buckets, and
other appliances ct hand to check the
flames. The scenes that ensued during
the next hour almost defy desert ption.-
The officers and attendants throughout
the institution made haste to IN lock the
doors Of the various wards and cells and
rcc!ed the inmates to leave the building
al once. A portion Of them complied
promptly and even rendered valuable
assistance in the rescue Of others. Som
OF the unfortunates wele appalled, with
terror and became absolutely frantic
utering piercing shrieks aud cries. The
xtreme difficulty of controlling.
SIX HUNDRED LUNATICs
under such circumstances can be but
family imagined. Many resolutely re-
fused to leave their cells. concea ling
themselves in closets or under their beds
an! neither persuasion nor threats were
Of any avail. 10 many instances it was
found necessary to pull them out of their
hidden places by main force. In several
cases such stout resistance was made thai
the strength Of two or three men was re.
quired to overcome single patient. In
few Of the worst cases they struggled
fearfulIy, fighting and resisting with that
almost superhuman power SO often mani
tested by the insane. Some of them in
sisted on taking with them all their clot!l
ing. bedding, and articles of every kind
and could only with the utmost difficulty
be forced to leave without them. One
man tied up an immense bundle, tina
would have staggered pack-horse. and
was vanity tugging to lift it from thu
floor. He had to be actually torn away
from it by two men and dragged to thu
place of exit.
THE FEMALE PATIENTS
we're even more difficult to manage thai
the males. More susceptible to excite
ment and alarm, many Of them ral
bither and thiher in frantic terror, some
making all haste to escape, and others
as in the cases of the men; refusing tt
leave their cells. Scores Of them wcr,
taken by force. resisting in every posi-
ble way with all their strength. Severa
patients, after being set at liberty il
| the grounds, rushed back into the burn
ing building, to be again borne strug-
CLING out. In that part of the building
nearest where the fire originated some o
the wards were filled with sitting hea
and smoke before the last Of the patien t
| therein could be conducted to place o
safety. = uTtntI itoul tuc CeutIe th'
wards we're generally cleared before tn
fire reached them. Hundreds of men ant
women from the village and the region
adjacent to the asylum were engaged il
the work of rescuing the patients in al
parts of the building and excitement wa
intense beyond all power Of expression il
words. The. fire, meanwhile, had beel
making rapid strides and before the
removal ofthe inmates from the remote
yards bad been completed the interior 0
the central portion was one mass Of fame
A FEARFUL AND FATAL CRASH.
Shortly after two o'clock, three-quar
! tiers of an hour after the fire was dscov-
cred, terrible casualty occurred. Nea
the centre dome was an immense tanl
containing 5000 gallons of water. KEEP
constantly full tor the supply Of the build