The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-11-08
ANOTHER TERRIBLE HORROR.
Poor Asylum Burned-WOmen and Chill
dren Perish.

HALIFAX, a. m, November IA fire broke
out about midnight in the Eastern and Provin-
clal poor asylum, an immense six story brick
structure, in southeastern suburbs of the city,
containing about four hundred people. At
1870 a. m, half the building was a mass Of
flames. The fire originated in the bakery,
where there were twenty-one cords OF wood
stored The flames catching this, spread with
lightning rapidity, soon enveloping that part of
the building used as hospital. The inmates
rushed about the building in great confusion,
seeming almost out Of their senses. The work
OF getting them out was difficult. 1t is thought
that most of those in the hospital have been
saved but still number Of lives are lost. The
whole fire brigade are at the scene, but can do
little, hardly any water being obtainable.
Later.-All the inmates Of the asylum, ex-
cept those in the hospital, were rescued after
great trouble, large number of them being
lame, blind, or otherwise more or less help
less. While this was going on the flames in
the basement, which the superintendent, enei-
neer and other officials were trying to keep
under, spread to the base of long air shaft,
or elevator, reaching to the top Of the main
building. The shaft here swept the flames
upward with tremendous force, and in f,w
seconds the heaviest part of the conhagration
was in the top of the main building. The
room just under the caves in this building was
| used as hospital, and in it were about sew
enty patients, most of them perfectly helpless.
The fire was now fiercely burning right in the
hospital and above it the heat was so intense
that the lead poured down from the root
in streams, and states flew everywhere in dead
" showers, rendering any near approach to
| the building almost certain death. Notwith-
| standing this there we're hundreds standing
outside who would willingly have entered the
building if they could have found their way
through the place. Indeed, several did 20 in,
but, without guidance, could do nothing in the
immense building, and had to return to the
yard. An attempt was made to raise ladders
fire burst through the roof, and the scene was
one never to be forgotten. Far above the
roar Of the flames and crack of burs,ir I
states. were heard the cries of the
wretched patients in the hospital, who
wer roasting to death. Most OF them, as
before stated, were helpless, and could not
leave their beds, and perhaps were stiHed by
the smoke before the cruel flames reached
them. But others were seen to dash them:
selves against the windows, and cling to the
sash till their strength was exhausted, or their
hands burned of, they fell back into the see
thing cauldron of flames. A woman was seen
to drag herself to the corner window, and fling
her body half out till she could breath the cool
air. She remained in that position till her
head was burned off. 1t is known that there
were about 70 patients in the hospital, and as
far as could be ascertained, only half dozen
were carried out before the flames cut of all
further approach to the place. A medical
man, who is in position to knew, estimates
that there were not less than 50 persisted,
these all being patients in the hospital. The
poor old people and little children rescued
from other parts of the building, were
huddled together in barn some little distance
away, and were there packed around with
straw and blankets to keep them comfortable
| till morning. The building will, NO doubt, be
totally DESTROYED. 1t is insured.