The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1880-11-20
Burning of an Insane Asylum.

Inc burning of the State Insane asylum at
St. Peter, MIMI, was a terrible disaster.
attended by a loss of about twelve lives. Only
one wing CT the building was burned. The
structure occupied ten years in building, and
was completed three years ago, at cost OF
So 0,000. The loss By the fire will be about
S500,00O, on which there is no insurance. The
cause OF the fire is unknown. 1t originated in
the basement OF the north wing which was
destroyed. The scenes at the burning of the
poor inmates In the hospital were heartrend-
ing IN the extreme. So appalling sight has
rarely been witnessed The patients in the
annex wing were males Many OF them re-
fused to leave the building at ALL Those who
could not be coaxed nor forced out OF the
building became the victims of the flames.
The other- were saved, some by ladders and
some by leaping from the windows Some
were nearly nude, some shoeless and hatess,
and all were exposed to the bitter cold. Many
OF the poor demented ard crazed inmates fed
as though for their lives and could not be
overtaken. They were halt naked and were
to be seen in all directions flying in wild
fright, some running with bleeding feet away
from those who attempted TO save them.
The capacity OF the building has been tried
to its utmost. There were about 900 patients,
and every inch of space was utilized. While
tie flames were slowly progressing. the
haste to get the inmates out, and many Of
them ran hrieking into the snowdrifts in their
night clothes. even burymg themselves in the
snow, and had to be dragged into the barns
and sheds, while those near by wrapped
blankets and shawls around them. Hence,
intense 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 q hill Immediately in the rear OF
the south wing. Several women were taken
out OF some OF the rooms and halls, and several
persons were got out into the halls when they
seemed determined to return to the flames
one room, occupied by two men, was broken
iuto, and while one OF the occupants had to
be dragged out, the other was determined
to remain in his warm bed and when
dragged out he insisted on waiting to
be dressed. An old man from Minneapolis
was taken out dead. The principal cause OF
delay in getting a stream OF water on the fire
from the hospital hose arose from the TACT that
it had not been in use Tor so long that
it required to be wet from end to end on the
outside with hot water. Meantime the flames
spread very rapidly from the basement, nlling
the halls with smoke and making it impossible
to do anything at saving the inmates OF the
north wing, only by putting up ladders and
prying OF IRE screens from doors, taking the
occupants out and actually carrying them
down without clothing in many cases. At
some OF the windows there were three or four
begging to be saved from death, while the
flames were bursting from the adjoining win
dows. One poor fellow was dragged through
hall open screen and badly mangled. DIR.
Bartlett, super ntendent OF the asylum, Gays
that tbere were not more than twelve lives
lost, and probably as many more hurt and SUI
fering from the bitter cold. Indeed, more peo-
ple were believed TO he injured and diving from
exposure to the weather than from burns.
0 her people say that as many as twenty in
sane people either persisted in the flames or
died on the cold hills during the night. So
many patients disappeared that it could not
be told who were deed and who ran away.
Hundreds OF the patients were as helpless as
cmldren, and were sc emingly shocked and
dazei SO as TO render them almost insensible.
Governor Pillsbury headed band of workers
who did everything pos sible Tor the comfort
of the distressed