The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-19
A BLAZING ORPHAN ASYLUM
Destruction Of a Catholic Charitable
Institution in Brooklyn,
Placing More than Eight Hundred Children
in Peril-Uncertaint as to Whether
Any Lives We're Lost.


some of the children persisted in the flames.
The sisters in charge think all escaped, but
not tell until the roster of the boys is called.
The little fellows are now scattered about in the
care of residents in the neighborhood
The fire started in the dryingroom, which ad-
joined the southern end Of the main building.
This drying-room also contained the boilers and
heating apparatus. The dormitory was the
third floor, and in it there were sixty orphans
suffering from various complaints Sister Mary
Josephine who was in the dormiuory at the time
the fire broke out made heroic efforts to save
the little ones. She remained in the room until
absolutely driven out by the flames. Then she
ran to a window, where she stood upon a cornice
until foreman McGroarty, of engine IA, from
the roof of a building swung his coat to her.
She caught the coat, but when McGroarty tried
to pull her from her perilous position, she lost
her grasp and fell to the ground. She struck
upon her shoulders and head. She was con-
veyed to St GATHERINGS Hospital in an uncon-
scious condition.
Joseph Ryan, q boy, tried to descend by lad
I der from the same foor-the third-and got
within eight feet of the ground when the ladder
parted. He received severe injuries.
John McGrath, eight years old, jumped from
the third story and was badly injured.
Mother Dechantel and Sister Anthony were in
the Office when the fire was discovered. They at
once gave the alarm, and proceeded to get tho
youngsters out of the building There wero 7S6
orphans in the main building, which is also
known as st. Johns Home. They were
told to leave the home and seek shelter in any
neighboring house until called for. There was
great excitement among the inmates Hundreds
oflittle fellows ran out into the falling snow,
hatless and coatless. The flames spread with
great rapid;ty, and the buildings were almost
completely destroyed.
The asylum and grounds occupied an entire
block. The asylum building was 2lOx15O feet,
three stories high, with mansard roof, and was
constructed of BLACKSTONE.
There were about thirty sisters in the asylum,
and number of them went out with the boys,
but it was impossible to keep the little fellows
together. They sought refuge in car-stahles,
dwellings, saloons and stores near by Rev.
Father Bronson took nearly one hundred of
them to his home and the asylum attached to a
church close by received another considerable
number.
Father Bronson, who was early at the scene,
and did excellent work in getting the inmates
out, 'hopes" no lives have been lost
Edward Haslet, a city official, who reached the
building soon after the fire occurred, says no
never saw SO much excitement The children
were running out of every entrance on both ST.
Mary's and Albany avenues Many of them
were thinly clad but they were soon provided
with clothing Of one kind or another by the
mi Tod 41o
sooner, he thinks the building would not have
been such loss.
John Watield, grocer. and George Irish placed
a ladder against the second story window on
Albany avenue, and Irish handed down seven
boys, when the crowd called him to come down
on account Of the proximity of tho fames, which
were bursting out tho windows just beneath
hin.
Patrick Cahl is confident he saw a woman
fall back from window into the fire Ito also
believes all the boys did not getou though all
eXcept those in the boiler wing escaped without
trouble.
Enginoor James L Wilson, says: 'Wo had
two engines of sixty-horse power each. was
attending to the fires when one of the boys
came rushing down, shouting that tho building
was on fire. l found he was right, and I
banked my fire and filled the boilers with cold
water, SO they couldn't explode By this time
time to escape. | do not know how the fire
originated, only that it broke out in tho drying
room"
One Of the boys in the asylum said the fire
caused by another boy, who went into the
drying room With y lighted candle and acct
dentally set fire to tho clothes. The flames, the
boy said leaped up in moment
Father Eugene P. Mahouey who was in
charge of the building, thinks all the children
escaped He gives credit to the fremen
for their work. Some OF the hrelnen
took great risks on tho high lad
ders they had to climb The flames
swept about them, and the tilnbers Of the build
ing seemed constantly about to give way.
George Matthews, Of truck 3, had dcawn large
hose with him up q ladder on the Albany avenue
side. I1o thought he had the hose securely
dashed to the ladder, but when the water camo
through it was jorked from its fastening and
knocked Matthews to the ground, distance Of
thirty feet He was seriously injured.
Another fireman was badly burned and other
wise badly injured by being knocked from a lad
der by piece of falling cornicc.
The building stood upon an elevation, and tho
fremen had hard work to get at it, Long lines
of hose had TO he extended, and the streams
lost much Of their force, though they
lust reached tho top Of the building Efforts
were nadc to save at least tho front of the
BUILDING but at o'clock the flames about the
eros and cupold were burning fiercely and soon
after Their supports gave way and they came
dJTn with crash
AT ococf only tho charrod walls remain.
It could no: De learned definitely tonight
whnth-r any lives lad been lost
o. tho night OF Nov. g. 1s62, the former
Catholic Orphan Asylum building burned dur
ING driving snow storm ana tarec OF she 14S
children were burned to death. Tne asylum
Hhil!ing destroyed to-day was vaiusG at f2JO,-
900; insured
It was announced, late tonight. that Sister
Mary Josephine, who fel. :r0u4 tE.rdstory
window, was dead.
suua.u-ss.-a.= .-ss-..u-.-.s.s..sa4.n--.----~-a