The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-08-23
A GREAT ASYLUM on FIRE.
The County Insane Asylum Destroyed
by n Brand from an Incendiary Fire
Removing the Inmates

OF fire within the brief period OF al
: hour were not much of novelty t,
|, the people of this sorelv stricker
town, where of late the incendiary
spirit has been rife and where tn,
destruction of property has been 81
extensive and disastrous that the in
, surance companies have come t
hesitate before they viii accept risk.
upon the most valuable and sub
stantial structures in the busines:
centre of the city. But the scoun
,, drel who applied the torch to tht
barn Of Samuel Wetzel, on East
King street. opposite the county Jail
this afternoon, probably had littl,
idea OF the mischievous effects about
to result from his act. The FIRE wa.
/ discovered about lao p. M, and il
response to the alarm the engines
were promptly on the scene, bat
were unable to stay the flames which
ragged fiercely for nearly an hour. and
completely destroyed the building, .
large frame structure, fifty or sixty
feet square, valued at $4,000. Ii
was stored with six acres of wheat
in the sheaf, three or four tons OF
hay, large quantity of rye straw.
together with farming implements,
wagons, machinery, etc, ali of which
were consumed. A horse was safely
removed from the building. There
is no doubt of the incendiary origin
OF the fire, as the barn is surround
ed by corn fields that would afford
ample cover for escape, and it is said
that in expectation OF an incendiary
visit the building has been watched
night after night. About two wears
ago an attempt to fire the barn was
made, but the incendiaries were
frightened off. The loss is probably
$1,000, on which there is light in
surance.
THE INSANE ASYLUM ABLAZE
While the firemen were at work
on the Wetzel building, flames were
seen issuing from the roof Of the
rear part Of the County Insane Asy-
lum, which stands some distance
back from the Philadelphia turn
pike, and is situated about quarter
of mile from the scene OF the for
mer conhagration The asylum is a
large three story brick building.
with a frontage on the turnpike of
about 80 feet and with wing run
ming southwardly the same length.
The building stands between the
county Almshouse and the hospital
for the sick. The former is one Of
the handsemest and most costly
structures of the kind in the State,
and fears were entertained lest it.
too, might share in the destruction,
but this disaster was happily avert
ed. The point at which the fire
originated was in the extreme rear
of the wing or L., " which section IS
known as South America and
where the most violent OF the luna
tics are confined. 1t is supposed
that the flames were caused bv
brand from the Wetzel fire landing
on the shinsle root. They spread
rapidly to the entire upper portion
of the building, which was soon
ablaze The firemen quickly an
swered the summons to the new
scene OF disaster, and worked man
fully against tLe swift ravages Of the
fire, which crept along the caves of
the building. They were unable to
make much headway, however, ow-
ing to the difficulty in obtaining an
adequate supply of water, and soon
the entire roof was wrapped in
flames, and it was seen that the build
ing, or at least The upper stories of
it, would have TO 90.
REMOVING THE INMATES.
Measures were taken without fur
ther delay for the removal Of the In
mates. Those who were harmless or
only partially insane were placed in
the care of friends, who escorted
them to places af safety. The Off
GERS and employees OF the Institution,
assisted by willing volunteers select /
ed from the crowd that had assem-
bled, removed the idiots. the imbe-
Giles and the nlaniacs. The scene /
was a most thrilling one The idiots
laughed and danced and jabbered
gleefullv and appeared TO enjoy their
freedom immensely. The hand T.
cuiied Haniaes, on the other hand. |
became more violent than ever. ours /
ed and swore and raved and fought, /
and to the utmost resisted removal. |
Many of the inmates were entirely f,
helpless and had TO be carried ont. !
Others, both male and female, were
entirely naked, and presenteda a most !
pitiable spectacle as they were bur- !
ried through the gaping crowd. I
Quite a number were in strait-jack-,
cts and gazed in blank amazement |
at the burning building in which |
they had passed so many weary /
hours. 1t is believed that all of the !
were safely removed, though |
quite a number OF them afterwards |
escaped, and a few are yet az large. |
The unfortunates were ior time |
herded in the .gamp-yard connected |
with the Almshouse, where scene
Of indescTibable confusion ensued. |
The yard il enclosed by high stone
wall, and in it is large frame build
ing. In this the more desperate of
the maniacs were placed, but, owing
to a scarcity of guards, it was diff
ficult matter to. keep them there.
As soon as the flames at she 4Asy ylum
were well under control, arrange
ments we're made for the safe keep
ing OF the insane in the County
Almshouse and the Hospital, neither
Of which buildings was injured by
the flames, though the Hospital is
with the Asylum by a
covered corridor and the Almshouse
stands but a few rods distant. Some
Df them will be taken to the County i
Jail for the present. 1t is probable /
hat arrangements will be made to
send the more violent os the patients
70 the State Asylums at Harrisburg
md NorriSt until such time as
he burned asvlum can be repaired
pr a new one built.
The building was erected fourteen
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