The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1881-03-02
THE SCRANTON FIRE.
A TERRIBLE SCENE IN THE DoRMI-
TORY OF ST. PATRIcK's ORPHAN AsY
LUM'
SCRANTON, February %,

SCRANTON, February %.
The excitement caused by the sutfo-
cation last night of the seventeen chill
dren in st. Patrick's Orphan Asylum
grew stronger to day as the particular
spread throughout tho city. A driz
zling rain prevailed this morning, On i,
1t did not deter hundreds Of people
from visiting the scene of the calami.
ty. A constant throng surged about
the building aud watched with eager
inter, st every movement that was
made about the institution. Several
policemen guarded the entrances TO
the asylum and 10 tt residence ofRey.
Father Roche. The bodies of the suf-
located childlen lay in the latter
building. Many people who gathered
at the scene were anxious to gain ad-
mitIance to the house, but entrance
was refused TO all except friends of the
victims.
The Coroner's jury inspected the
rooms and endeAvoied to discover the
source Of the IRE. There wa1 no indira
ton Thai the flames sprarg from The
chimney, as many supposed. None OF
the wood work near tbe fius was burned
aud the fire had evidently 81 arted in s. INT
Of the rooms adjacent. One Of the fire
men, who was the iirst 10 enter The bows,
room, was questioned and detailed the
discovery OF The imprisoned boys. When
coming up stairs toward he dormi.ory
he met stranger, who asked him what
he was doing there. He replied that il
was supposed that the boys had not been
taken out, but the questioner asserted
that every boy was safe. lie ordered
the fireman TO leave, but the latter
pushed on and broke ia the door. Five
Of the dead lads were found crouched
against II. He went into the room and
iound one OF the boys, who showed
some signs OF life, When the boy was
llieed mp he exclaimed: "Ob, dear" and
clasped his hands TO bis tacc. The
child was quickly taken 10 an open win
dow, but lie died before he reached fresh
air. The Sister who was stopped on
tue stairs the night Of the fire by the
strange man has, il is claimed, Identified
hun. The investigation by tie Coroner
was postponed until Friday morning.
The victims of the disaster are TO DO
buried TO morrow.
Son after IL o'clock Coroner Lee
arrived, began an investigation and a
Jury was chosen. Tho jury men entered
the room where the bodies lay. The
children were stretched In two rows up-
on The Moor. Their faces were still
olackensd from the smoke that epyelop-
ca them in the dorInItory. The heat had
Affected most Of then, aud tie skin was
burned on their faces, and wrists. Their
features Ia some instances were dstort
| ed, but most OF them showed no sign of
TEE suffering that must have attended
their fefrful death. Sisters Antonio aud
Loretto, Of thes Asy lum, Identified as
follows: John Thomas, aged s years;
John Bo9art, 8; Ed Burns, 3; Peter
AoPklns, y; Charles Gale, I; Anne Kane,
.; Annie Walton, 3; Eliza RiiIy, s:
Thomas Canarty, 10; Nathaniel Walton
~, George Warren, 8; John Joseph Kelly
8 Patrick FltEmaurlce, 8; Ambrose Dris.
coll, u Henry Barrett, 5; James Cuff. 8.
covered with blanket was the charred
body Of boy who tell through hole
that The fire opened in the floor OF dor.
mitory. The sisters produced the books
OF the asylum, and James Rhelnhamer.
aged hSs, was found 20 be missing and
IL was concluded that the srisped re-
mains were those of the lad. IL was
deVel oped to'daythat the three Gin Is Who
iell victims TO the disaster were found in
the rear part OF the dormItory bavinp
evidently been separated from the others
oeiore the IRE and their presence not
known when the sister In charge burrieJ
nun 'he oofmltory with the main BODY.