Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-11-08
Fire.

HALIFAX, November Fire broke
out at midnight in the eastern end
of the Provincial Poor Asy lum, an
immense six>story structure contains
ing about 400 people, and at 1:30 a.
m, half the building was in flames.
The inmates rushed about the builds
ing, seemingly almost out of their
sense, and the work Of getting them
out was very difficult. It is thought
most of those confined in the hos
pital have been saved, but feared that
number of lives are lost. It is
thought that not less than fifty per
sons burned to death
The fire which consumed the poor
asylum broke out about II o'clock
last hit while all the inmates were
sleeping IN the west wing. An old
woman and children were aroused,
and 1t was found necessary to brake
open the door with an axe to hberate
them. Then it became known that
those IN the upper wards of that
wing were almost helpless. The
firemen and others who were among
the early arrivals FASTENED
up stairs, and willing hands
were soon getting the blind
old and lame down the long winding
stairs. These were all saved, but
the work was slow, and while the men
were thus eng .ged, the fire reached
a shaft which ventilated the main
building, and IN moment reached
the top story. That floor was used
as hospital, and in it were about
seventy patients, most of whom were
perfectly hel pless. The ladders were
too short, and after fireman was
knocked down by a falling brick, and
it was seen that the ladders even
would be swept away in few mo-
ments, these attempts were stopped.
The fire burst through
the roof, and the scene was one
never to be forgotten. Far above
the roar of the flames and the crack
of bursting slate, were heard the
cries of the wretched patients N
the hospital, who were roasting
to death. Most of them were help
less and could not leave their beds,
and perhaps these were stified by
the smoke before the flames reached
them, but Others were seen to dash
themselves against the windows and
cling to the sashes till their
strength was exhausted and their
hands burned off and they fell back
into the flames. A woman was seen
to drag herself to the corner window,
and forcing her body half out till
she could breath the cool air With
out, she remained in that position
tall her head was burned off. 1t is
known that there were about seventy
patients IN the hospital, and so tar
as could be ascertaIned only half a
dozen were carried out before the
flames cut off all further approach to
the place.
A medical man who is IN a posts
on to know estimates the loss Of life
TO be not less than fifty, and these
were all patients in the hospital. The
poor old people and little children
were huddled together in a barn
some little distance away and We're
there packed around with straw and
blankets to keep them comfortable
until morning.
So far as aseert4ined, thirty one
persons wire burned to death in last
nights freight men and twenty
three women.
PITTsBURG, November Fire this
morning destroyed the entire west,
ern half of the Olive Wire Mills
Loss, 100000 There are eight
hundred men thrown out of employ
ment. Insurance, $4,000.
RALEIGH, n. c., November IA
large saw mil owned by John Col
vile, at Abbottsburg, Baden Coun-
ty, has been totally destroyed by
fire, with immense quantities of lum-
Der. The loss is heavy, and was
only partially insured