The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-11-24
About Thirty of the Lunatics
from the Burning Build
ing Missing.
PROBABLY FROZEN TO DEATH.

| burned St. Peter Insane Asyluuiejs
completed. and found that thirty
are missing. OF these only six are
/ known to be dead, and their bodies
have been recovered. The only one
| identified with certainty is that OF
J. +. Abrams. who was sniothered,
not burned. Among others report
cd to be dead are DIR. S. s. Pruden,
of Lake CITY; Columbus Newman, OF
Shakoope Us. Ferner, Hans Saren-
son and John Brenan, but there Is
nothing certain about their fate.
The missing victims not killed are
supposed 10 be wandering about the
country. The number of dead may
/ be increased by freezing. All the
records of patients in the male de-
partment were destroyed, necessi-
tating the personal identifications OF
500 patients.
Sr. PAUL, MIN, Nov. IA bull
letin to the Pioneer Press from st.
Peters says: "The number of lives
lost BY burning and freezing at the
insane asylum is variously estimated
at from twenty to fifty. The loss on
the building is 100000" The asy-
lum occupied 10 years in building,
and was completed three years ago
at cost of $4,000. The cause of
the fire is unknown. 1t originated
in the basement of the north wing,
which was destroyed.
A special despatch dated at 4 A.
N. SAYS: The scenes at the burn
ing Of the poor inmates in the hos
pital were heartrending in the ex-
treme. So appalling sight has
rarely been witnessed. The patients
in the annex wing were males.
Many of them refused TO leave the
building at all. They ran up and
down the halls screaming and cry
ing, and those who could not be
coaxed nor forced out of the build
ing became the unhappy victims of
the flames or were suilUcated. Some
were saved by ladders and others by
leaping from the windows. Some
were nearly nude, some shoelesS and
hatlcss, and all were exposed to the
exceeding cold of the night. Many
of the demented and crushed in
mates fed as if for their lives, and
could not be overtaken or confined.
Their suffering in this frightful con
dition can better be imagined than
described. The catastrophe is a
heartrending one. Those who had
escaped the flames were at large
halfcIothed, were seen ii all direc-
tons flying in wild fright from those
who attempted TO save them. The
air was bitter cold, and the poor
wretchcs, with half naked bodies
and bleeding feet, were flying about,
hiding in alleys and dark corners
for some time. The capacity of the
building has been tried to its utmost,
There were about six hundred pa
tients, and every inch of space was
utilized. What will be done with
these poor creatures, turned out in
the cold and their malady increased
by the excitement of the occasion, is
a serious question. There are two
other buildings situated in the town
which are used, but they are already
crowded. The asylum at Rochester
is full, and viii doubtless be unable
10 provide accommodations for any
of the inmates Of ST. Peters.
WOMEN BURIED IN THE SNOW DRIFTS.
| While the flames were slowly
progressing the matron of the female
department made all haste to get
the inmates out, and many of them
ran shreiking into the snow drifts in
their night clothes, even burying
themselves in the snow, and had to
be dragged into the barns and sheds,
while those near by wrapped blank
cts and shaWls around them. Hence,
intense suffering could not be avoid
ed, as they had to be taken fifteen
or twenty rods through the snow to
the nearest shelter, which was on a
| hill Immediately in the rear of the
south wing. Several women were
taken out of some of the rooms and
halls, when they seemed determined
to return 10 the flames. One room
occupied by two men was broken
Into, and while one of the occupants
had to be dragged ont, the other was
determined to remain in his warm
bed, and when dragged out he in
isisted on being dressed. An old
man brought here from Minneapolis,
named Adams, was taken out dead.
| The principle cause of delay in get
ting 4 stream of water on the fire
from the hospital hose arose from
the fact that it had not been in use
for so long that it required to be
wet from end 10 end on the outside
with hot water Meantime the flames
Ispread very rapidly from the base
ment, filling the halls completely
full of smoke, and making it impos-
sible to do anything at saving the
inmates Of the north wing, except
by putting up ladders and prying
off fire screens from doors, taking
the occupants out and actually car
rying them down without clothing
in many cases. At some of the
windows there were three and four
begging to be saved from death.
while the flames were bursting
from the adjoining yindow. One
poor old fellow was dragged through
a halfopen screen and badly man
Igled. Assistance has been telegraph
ed for to Rochester, Mimi, and St.
Paul, for food, clothing and shelter
for the men. Two-thirds of the hos
pital is saved. The walls of the
burnt part are standing entire"
The superintendent of the asv-
lum says there were not more than
Y lives lost, and probably as many
more persons were hurt and are suf-
fering from the bitter cold last night.
More people are believed to be in
ljured and dying from exposure to
the weather than from burns. Other
people say that as many as 20 per-
ished in the flames or died on the
hills during the night. Governor
Plllsbury heads q band of workers
who are doing everything possible
| Tor the comfort of the distressnd