Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-08
The Burning Of the Poor Asylum at
Halifax Yesterday Morning.
THIRTY. ONE PAUPERs ROASTED.
Heart Rending Scenes ut the Midnight
Blaze.
ATTEMPTS Al RESCUE FUTILE.
The Rescued Inmates Kindly Cared For
by the Authorities.
4 Poor House Holocaust.

HALIFAX, n. S., Nov. About twelve
sleeping, fire broke out in the bakehouse
in the basement of the immense poor
asylum building. Exactly how it originated
is not very clear, but smoke of shoulder
ing wood spread through the building and
caused the utmost terror among 400 or SOC
inmates of the institution. There was no
immediate danger, so the officials of the
asylum did not take steps to remove the
inmates. An alarm was sounded and the
stroke of the bell had scarce commenced
when reels were run out of the engine
houses, as one Or two men hap
pened to be about. A few
people who had not retired. and others who
lived in the neighborhood ran to the build
ing. They found smoke issuing from the
windows all over the building, but no
flames were to be seen. In the west wing
old women and children were seen at the
windows crying to be let out, and as they
began breaking glass it was feared they
would throw themselves to the ground. A
sturdy axe man
DASHED AT THE DOOR
leading from this wing into the yard, and
with few blows of his axe knocked it in.
The stairway was crowded and out came a
procession of women nursing in
fants, old gray headed grandmas
and feeble old men. All were
screaming, and as they reached the fresh
air without, they calculated their thanks
and then began calling for this one and
that one, until all was babel of confusion.
Then it became known that those in the
upper wards of that wing were helpless.
Some of the fremen, and afterwards an
alderman, clergyman and others who
were among the early arrivals fastened
up, and willing hands were soon getting
the blind, halt and lame down the long,
winding stairs. The work was necessarily
slow one. but finally that wing was emp
tied. In the meantime flames in the base
and officials were trying to keep under,
spread to the base of the long air shaft or
elevator reaching to the top of the main
building. The draft here swept the flames
upwards with
TREMENDOUS FORCE,
and in few seconds the heaviest part of
the confagration was in the top of the
main building. The story just under the
caves in this building was used as a hospi-
tai, and in it were about seventy patients.
most of them perfectly helpless. The fire
was now fiercely burning right in the hos
pital, and above it the heat was so intense
that lead poured down from the roof in
streams of brilliant fire, and the states
flew everywhere in deadly showers, render
ing any near approach to the building
ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH.
Notwithstanding this there were hun
dreds standing outside who would wiling
ly have entered the building if they could
have found their way through the place.
Indeed. several did go in, but without guild
ance could do nothing in the immense
building and had to return. An attempt
was made to raise ladders to the windows,
but the ladders were too short, and after q
fireman was knocked down by falling brick
and it was seen the ladder would be swept
away in few minutes, the attempt ceased.
The fire burst through the roof and the
scene was one
NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN.
Far above the roar of the flames and
crack of the bursting states were heard the
cries of the wretched patients in the hos
pital who were roasting to death. Most
of them could not leave their beds, and
were perhaps stifed by smoke before the
cruel flames reached them, but others were
seen to dash themselves against the win
dows and cling to the sashes till their
strength was exhausted or their hands
burned off, and they fell back into the
SETTING CALDRON OF FLAMES.
woman was seen to drag herself to a
corner window and forcing her body half
out till she could breathe the cool air, and
remained in that position till her
head burned off. 1t is known
there were over seventy patients
the hospital and as far as could be as
certained only six were carried out before
the flares cnt off all further approach
to the place. A medical man who is in a
position to know, estimated the loss Of
life at not less than fifty, and these all pa
tients in the hospital. The poor old peo-
pie and little children rescued from the
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 comfort
able till morning. The building is still
burning fierceiy. and there is no doubt it
will be totally destroyed. 1t is insured.
LATER.-The ruins of the poor asylum
are still smoldering and were visited by
hundreds of people every hour. AS the
day dawned the fierce element had exhaust
ed itself, and nothing but bare walls and
tall turrets remained to show where the
fire had been few hours before. The
board of public charities met on the
grounds and made hasty arrangements to
dispose of the paupers on hand. A meal
of bread and hot tea was served out, and
then the workshop, comfortable build
ing, was cleared out and filed with beds,
and old women, children and sick were
moved into it. Later in the day the old
provincial penitentiary was secured and is
being fitted up with stoves, bed
ding, ETC., to accommodate as many
l. II -