The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-03-14
Brooklyn Home tor the Aged De-
strOy ed by Fire.
Many Infirn UniOrsunaies Burnt
10 Il Crisp.-A Sick eMing Story.


New York, March THE "Homel
for aged people," conducted by the
Catholic community known as the "Lit
tie Sisters of the Poor and located in
the eastern district of B"ooklyn, was
completely burned this morning. The
honsc comprised four story building
with two wings. and contained lS5 in
nates. When these. were made aware
of the fire panic seized them, and the
Sisters losing control. they ran through
the building. some escaping to the
street, but others sinking down exhaus.
ted, overcome by fright and smoke
The police and tiremen rescued all these,
but number who could not get to the
lower floors by reason Of snake and
dunes ran for the roof. All who reach
I'd it we're rescued, but some inmates
too feeble to run or Chamber were burn
ell to death, while two VIII, threw them
selves from upper windows were fatally
Injured. Five bodies have been taken
from the ruins. The loss on the build
ding and furniture is $4,000; insurance
$4,000.
MORE DISASTROUS THAN AT FIRST SUPPOSED
New York, March Z Later reports
from the fire in the Home of the Indi
gent makes it more disastrous in results
than at first noted 1t seems the fise
was discovered in the south wing, occu-
pied by the male portion Of the inmates,
and contained n persons whose ages
varied from 6S to los years The fire
was discovered by person on the
street, who gave the alarm by ringing
the bell of the institution, awakening
the sisters and aged inmates. When
the firemen arrived the fumes were
sweeping through the south wing in ev
cry direction ard it was not until about
nine o'clock when the fire had been re-
duced to smonldering embers in the
basement that the firemen were enabled
| by ladders TO examine the upper stories
of the burned wing, when they found
SEVENTEEN MEN BURNED IN THEIR BEDS
In the upper stories the bed ,teads were
made of iron and rested on the charred
beams which had remained in their
places. rhe bodies were burned to q
crisp, rendering them totally unrecog.
nizable 1t is said 80 are missing and
it is feared the burned bodies may be
found among the debris of the fire in
the basement The firemen succeeded
in saving the main building and the
south wing, which is occupied by abou,
go old women.
In one Of the rooms in the third story,
Esecqnd tier,
HORRIBLE SIGHT
presented itself to the gaze Of the fre
man who first was able to make his way
through smoke and flame to il. There
stretched on their pallets, mattresses
and quilts even the pillows of which
had been singed by the fire, very proba
bly, covered with the water that subdueG
the flames. Around them were the
corpses of nine unfortunate creatures
some Of whom were paralyticsl and all
of whom had been unable to leave theil
beds A few Of them were burned and
the hair upon their heads singed, but al
doubtless died from sutfocation caused
by smoke. 0nthe second floor, like.
wise, one old man was found dead, seat
ed in chair He also died of asphyxia
and had been so infirm that he vas un
able to leave his seat. After the flames
were subdueA a trying duty awaited
them In the ruins it was certain there
were the bodies of many who had per
Iished In most horrible manner, but
what number or who they were was i'm
possible to determine, for the men, Of
fast as they could escape, were either
housed in the residences of the neigh
borhood, or were wandering about in s
half crazed, and, in some instances, in {
half clad condition The 6remen, how
lever, continued their work, pouring wa
ter on the embers, and when these cool
ed, thay began the search for those who
were burned Their labors brough
from beneath the debris, the charred ane
Imsngled bodies of eight men, whose re
mains fell with the & ,or on which the,
had perished This mace in all eighteen
victims Of the holocaust. including thos,
who died from suffocation, Those burn
ed were. Of course, unrecognizable, ant
their blackened remains presented sick
ening sight as the fremen dragged then
ont and give them in charge Of the sis
ters. clergy and brethrea from st. Jo
Iseph's College. These in turn, convey
ed the remains to the basement of th,
institution, and there wrapped them vi
in sheets and blankets to await the arri
val Of the coroner. Most of the miss
ling have been accounted for, and th
above, it is believed, comprises the tots
list of those burned IS - ..