The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-11-17
Last Nights Dispatches.
The Minnesota Rolacaust.

i Der OF ives lost Oy burning and freezing a
the Insane asylum is variousy estim ate,
| from twenty to fifty. Loss on building
$4,000
A special dated at a. N. says: Tn,
scenes at the burning Of the south wing o
the hospital were heart rendering, in th,
extreme, So appealing a sight has rarely
been witnessed aud may never be again
Many patients refused to leave the build
ing at all. fhey ran up aud down tht
balls. screaming aud crying and acting like
the bediamites they were Of course
those VINO could not be co=xed nor forced
out of the building became :he unhappy
victims of the flames and suffered a horri.
BILE death in the pit of fames Others
were saved, some by leaping from
the windows, Some were Dearly
nude. some shoeless and hatless
and all were exposed to the exceeding cold
OF the night. Many of the poor demented
and crazed inmates fed and could not be
overtaken or confined. Their sufferings iu
this frightful condition can better be i'm
aained than described. The poor dazed
inmates of the asylum who had escaped
the flames were at large, half clothed, and
we're fleeing in all directions in wild fright
from those who attempted to save them.
The air was bitter cold and the poor
wretcbes, with their half naked bodies and
bleeding feet were flying about hiding in
ell the dark places.
Another special says While the
flames were slowly progressing the matrons
OF the female department made all haste
to get their 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 dragged into barns
and I sheds, while those near bv
wrapped blankets and shawls around them
Hence the intense Suffering could not be
avoided, as they had Ito 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.
Yet when we turn to the main apartments
our blood run cold as We gaze into these
burning walls and realize what was the
doom of more than one demented man
tonight. Those who were crowded into
the long corridors of the south wing stood
around there moaning and shiveriug like
poor dumb brutes. The actual nun ber Of
burned cannot be gotten at in any way at
the present time, as many are known to
have wandered away in the intense ex-
citement that prevailed throughout the
whole premises, Several bodies were
taken cut of some OF the rooms aad halls
and several persons were g0ttoI cut III to
the halls. when they would seem
determined TO return to the flames. The
flames spread very rapidly from the base
meDt, filing the halls com pleteiy with
smoke and making it impossible to do
anything at saving the inmates of the
north wing only bysputting up ladders and
prying of the fire screens from the doors
twisting them out. aud actually bringing
them down in their arms without clothing
10 many cases, while at other widows
there were three or four begging to be
saved from death while the flames were
bursting from adjoining windows at them.
One poor fellow was dragged through s.
half open screen and badly mangled,
Assistance has been teiegraphed for to
Rochester, Minn.. and st. Paul for food,
clothing aud shelter Tor the men. Fhe
FIRE is under control and two.thirds of the
hospital is saved. The entire walls of the
burnt part are standing.
A special from St. Peters at 5, P. ii.
says: 1t is still difficult to get at the
names and particulars of the awful calam
ity that came upon US last night. as all
is excitement and grim ruin, aud the
slowly rising smoke strikes the heart as a
sullen reminder Of the shocking FIRE. To get
at complste list of those killed, and hurt
is not among the possibilities, | have
just seen DR.. Bartlett, of the asylum. and
be says there are no more than twelve
lives lost and probably as many more burt
and suffering from the bitter cold of last
night. Indeed more people are believed
to be hurt and dying from exposure to The
woather than from burns received last
night Other people say thaSqs many as
twenty insane people either persisted in
tho flames or died in the cold in
the hills during the night So many
of the patients have disappeared that it
cannot be told who are dead and, who ran
away. The real damage to the hospital
building will amount to 5000, 900. The
centre building aud south wing have been
preserved and the ruins Of other portions
of the building are being oyerhauled as
fast as possible in the search for the
dead. The officers of tie Institution
are making every effort to discover the
whereabouts of the missing patients aud
rangements will be perfected before night
closes by which al! will be comfortably
cared for. TIE telegraph ofh.e here is
overwhelmed with messages froM all parts
OF the state, aud great difficulty is met re-
ceiving or sending any news. Some parts
efthe Surviving patients win be distributed
between the Remsay and henuepin cUauty
poor farms and the other branch asg lGm
at Rochester, to be cared for, and others,
including the worst cases. will be provided
tor at Minneapolis. Il seems impossible
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