The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-11-26
Burning Of the Minnesota Insane
Asylum.
MINNEAPOLIS,

MNNEAPoIIs, Mimi, Nov 16.
The number Of lives lost by the burning and
freezing in the insane asylum is variously esti-
mated at from twelve to fifteen. The loss on
building is 100000. The scenes at the burn
ing of the south wing of the hospital were
heartrending in the extreme. So appalling
sight has rarely been Witnessed. The
patients in the annex were males Many
Of them refused to leave the building at all
They ran up and down the halls, screaming
and crying, and acting like the bedlamites
they were. or course, those who could not be
coaxed nor forced out Of the building became
the unhappy victims Of the flames, and suffered
a horrible death in the flames. Others were
saved, some by ladders, and some by leaping
from the windows. Some were nearly nude,
some shoeless and hatless, and all were
exposed to the exceeding cold Of the
night May of the poor, demented lunatics
fed as II for their lives, and could
not be oyertaken. Their sufferings In this
frightful condition can better be imagined
than described. The whole catastrophe is
a fearful one to contemplate and an i'm
possible one to describe. The poor dazed in
mates Of the asylum who had escaped the
flames were at large, half clothed, and were to
be seen in all directions flying in wild fright
from those who attempted to save them. The
air was bitter cold, and the poor wretches,
with half-naked bodies and bleeding feet,
were flying about, hiding in alleys and dark
corners. 1t was a sight once seen never TO
be forgotten. For some time the capacity of
the building has been taxed to its utmost.
There were about 600 patients, and
every inch OF space was utilized. What viii
be done with these poor creatures turned out
in the cold, and their malady increased by the
excitement or the OCCASION is serious ques-
ton. There are three other buildings situated
i'm la toxx iob br1t nj
ready crowded to their full capacity. The
asylum at Rochester is full, and will doubtless
be unable to provide accommodations for any
of the inmates at St. Peter turned out in the
cold by the terrible catastrophe.
While the flames were slowly progressing tho
Matron of the Female Department made al,
haste to get the inmates out, and many Of
them ran shrieking in their night clothes in the
snow drifts, even burying themselves in the
snow, and had to be dragged into the barns
and sheds, while those near by wrapped
blankets and shawls around them. In
tense suffering could not be avoided, as
they had to be taken about fifteen or twenty
rods through the snow to the nearest shelter,
which was on the hill immedatelyin rear of the
south wing. Yet when one turns to the main
apartments his blood runs cold as he realizes
what was the doom OF more than one poor de-
mented man last night Those crowded into
tho long corridors of the south wing stood
around moaning and shivering like poor dumb
brutes. The actual number burned cannot be
gotten at in any way at the present time, as
many are known to have wandered away in
the intense excitement that prevailed through
out the whole premises. Several bodies were
taken out of some OF the rooms and halls,
and several persons were gotten out into the
halls, when they would seem determined to re-
turn t. the fire, like horse that is being led
from the flames. One room occupied by two
was broken open, and while one was dragged
out the other was determined to remain in his
warm bed, and when dragged out, insisted
on waiting to be dressed. An old man
brought here from Minneapolis, by the name
of Adams, was taken out dead. The engine
telegraphed for from st. Paul did not arrive
in time to do any good. There were about
600 patients in all at the asylum. The princi-
pal cause Of delay in getting stream Of water
on the fire from the hospital hose was the al
most utter uselessness Of the hose, from the
fact that it had not been in use for SO long that
it required to be wet from end to end with hot
water poured on outside Of the hose Mean
time the flames spread very rapidly
from the basement, filling the halls
with smoke and making 1t impossible
to do anything at saving the inmates OF the
north wing except by putting up ladders and
prying off the fire-screens from windows, the
rescuers taking inmates out and actually bring
ing them down in their arms, without clothing
in many cases, while at other windows there
we're three or four begging to be saved from
death while the flames were leaping from the
adjoining windows at them.
81. PETER, MIMI, Nov. 10.
A rigid investigation of whatever records Of
the institution were not destroyed by the fire,
and q personal Identification Of those patients
who have been secured, show that at least
thirty patients are missing. ALI these are not
believed to have persisted, as only eight dead
bodies have been recovered thus far Many OF
the missing ones may be wandering around the
country or hiding in tho woods. 1t is feared
that sorue have been frozen to death.