Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-08-14
SUNDAYS GREAT BLAZE.
rnE Y1Rs rIENDs STILL Ar WORK.


of sheaf wheat, four tons Of hay, . car
riage, harness, farm wagon, and great va
riety of farming Implements, all Of which
we're destroyed. There was no live stock
in the building, except one horse, which was
safely got out. There is NO doubt Of the
origin Of the fire, as former
have been made upon the same
A year or two ago handker-
chief full of cotton waste saturated with
coal oil was found in the stable, tho incen-
diary being frightened off by q member Of
the family before he had time to apply the
match. The isolated condition of the
barn, standing Oh the outskirts of tho city
and being almost surrounded by corn
fields, affOrdinS easy escape to the incen-
diary, made it a prominent mark for his
deyilish work. Mr.. Wetzel being aware
Of the attempts made upon it kept con
slant watch upon the premises, but not
withstanding his vigilance the incendiary
managed to apply the torch. The burned
building was worth about 81, 500 and was
insured for 5000 in the Girard insurance
company of Philadelphia, Of which
Messrs. Rife s. Kaufman are the local
agents. The contents of the barn were
worth perhaps 81, ,0OO, on which there is no
insurance..
The Insane Asylum Burned.
Before the flames at Wetzeps were en-
tirely quenched thero was simultaneous
veil of " fire" from a hundred thrOats,
and the crowd gathered there rushed pell
nell towards the insane asylum, which
stands several hundred yards east OF
Wetzel's barn, and from the roof of which
a heavy cloud of smoke was bursting. By
the time the firemen reached the asylum
the entire roof of the L extension, more
than one hundred feet III length, was
wrapped in flames. The roof being of dry
shingles burned rapidly, and soon the fire
reached the upper story of the front
building, also more than ono hun
dred feet in length, and tongues
of flame were soon shooting from
the dormer windows and from be-
meath the slate roof with which the build.
ing was covered. The scene at this time
was exciting in the extreme. The officers
of tho institution were hurrying hither
and thither in their efforts to remove and
at the Same time to secure the unfortunate
inmates. Hundreds of citizens rushed in
to the building and with moro zeal than
discretion hurried to the upper stories
to assist in saving life and property
many of them being in iminent danger
of being crushed beneath the roofs which
were mOmentarily expected to tumble in.
Meantime volunteer brigade Cf rescuers
had been formed and with something like
order proceeded to remove the inmates
from the burning asylum to the tramp
yards. The scene was sorry ono. Some
of the inmates were not only insane but
wero old and crippled, and bad
to bo borne out in tho arms Of their res
cuers. Others were raving maniacs who,
maddened by the uuHsual excitement, TO-
sisted as best they could, and fought and
bit and cursed those who were striving
to save them. Some were grinning idiots,
utterly unconscious Of the danger they
were in, and apparently enjoying tho un-
wOnted hustle aud confusion Of the mob !;
and others were pallid-faced, trembling
wretches, shrinking in alright from all
who approached them. Many of the in
mates were hand-cuffed to prevent them
from hurting themselves or others sew
eral were in straight Jackets, and few,
both men and women, were stark nakcd,
and resisted the efforts Of their rescuers
to cover them with sheets or blankets
While the fire was at its height ono poor
woman was sitting behind the iron graf.
| ing OF tho window of her cell in the upper
| story, looking out upon the excited crowd
| with placid smile, and perfectly uncOn-
ccrned about tho flames that were ging
furiOusly but few feet above her head.
Sho was finally rescued, being one OF tho
very last taken from tho building.
The inmates having been all removed.
efforts wcro made to save the property.
Some of these efforts were as ludicrOus as
| though tho lunatics themselves had been
ut work. Not only were beds and bed
| ding thrown from tho upper stories, but
| iron bedsteads, wooden tables and chairs,
| trunks and chests were thrown ont after
| them and crushed to pieces Oh the brick
pavement below, and not a fow of the
outsiders made narrow escapes from being
crushed to death beneath them.
| Meantime the tiremen were playing
steady streams of water upon the asylum,
which was burning from end to end dis
tancc of more than two hundred feet
The entire roof Of both the front building
and the l. had fallen in, but as tho fire
had commenced ut tho top of the building
| it could not burn dOwnwartls with much
rapidity, and the deluge of water thrown
upon it SO thoroughly flooded it that
comparatively little damage was done
by fire, except to the attics and the
story next below them. Within an hour
from the time the flames were discovered
the firemen had them uuder such c0ntrO
that there was no longer any danger Of
them communicating to the almshouse OF
tho east or the hospital on the west
and by steady application of water the
flames were finally extinguished, and thu
walls and lower stories of the burnt build
ing saved.
The asylum was brick structure orig.
iually built rs q county hospital. Ths
front portion of it is three stories il
height, exclusive Of fine basement and fin
ished attic. Tho l. is only two stOric.
high, exclusive of basement and attic. Il
contained at the time of the fire ia iu.
mates, all OF whom it is believed wero go
out and few of whom got off after bcins
rescued and are still! at large. The build
ing was erected in 1866 at q cost of $5J,
600. The extent of the damage has no
yet been ascertained, but is heavy.
Facts and Incidents.
During the fires yesterday, engine No
burst two or three sections Of hose, and
engine No. burst five or six sections
The several companies arc having som,
trouble this morning in gathering tOgeth
er their hose, which became badly mixet
up yesterday. They complain greatly o
tho insufficient supply Of water. Both tn
Washington and Sun steamers wer'
obliged to draw their water from a single
four inch pipe near the almshouse. which
did not half supply them. The Union had
a much better supply from plug in from
Of the hospital. Tne American was not il
service.
DR.. J. u. Gerhart, of the state insan
asylum at Harrisburg, was in Lancaster
i this morning. ua states that he has room