The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-21
Result of the Search Among the Ruins
Of the Burned Orphan Asylum.
The Charred Remains of Ten More Victims
scOvered-FOrty-S of the Children
Still UnaccOunted For.
THE BROOKLYN FIRE.
Result of Yesterdays Search Among the
Ruins of the Burned Asylum.

ruins; Also the body of a man. Contractor Nc
Donald, with a force of twelve men, commenced
work at o'clock, and their picks and crowbars
made no unnecessary disturbance of the piled-up
mass of warped iron, charred timber and frozen
mud that lay on the ground. At 0 o'clock the
workmen who had cleared off the top of the de-
bris noticed a section of thigh-bone protruding
from behind gnarled and twisted piece of iron.
It was gently dsengaged from its holding in
the frozen mass that surrounded it, and
the trunk and vertebre of full
grown adult followed. The less feshy parts of
the body were burnt to the bones, and the intes
tines and spine were charred; the left was
deep in the frozen mass, and investigation
showed that it still retained in all its distortion,
a bent form, 1t clasped what had been the neck
of child The latter body, from being smaller
and not so we'll clad, was burned to a cinder.
The little trunk dropped from its resting place
and rolled until boulder stopped its progress.
These bodies were completely recovered, at least
as completely as the flames left them. These
two remains of humanity were doubtless all
that remained of the devoted father who per-
ished in an attempt to save the life OF sick and
maybe crippled, and therefore helpless son.
The workmen proceeded. Now they took
heap of burnt ashes and sifted it carefully, only
to discover part of shoe some other article
of wearing apparel that had been more fortunate
than its owner. Half square of the space
which intervenes between the boiler-house and
the eastern wall of the basement of the infrm-
ary had been sifted at IL o'clock, and the work
men, proceeding in their task, quickly came
upon two little bodies lying together against an
iron stancheon. The workmen had now un-
earthed two more bodies, and at half past had
exposed two more, making eight thus far to-day,
and eighteen, all told, up to the time
stated The bodies recovered to-day are
in better condition than the ten dis
covered yesterday The flesh of the latter
had been completely burned off, leaving nothing
but the cracked splinters of larger bones. The
bodies to-day, although burned beyond identif-
cation are not cremated beyond recognition as
remains of human beings. Three trunks, with
the tendons and muscles torn and burned,
were placed in baking pans that contained the
daily bread of the orphans. A heap of bread,
baked beyond any use, lay in the corner. The
hip bones and vertebr@ of the adult persons
were in the best state of preservation. The
skulls have been, in most instances, detached
from the bodies.
The corners of the building have not yet been
examined, and, unless all signs fail they are
likely to hold large contingent of charred
corpses. The remains of Sister Mary Josephine
were viewed by Coroner Hesse and
jury, and the inquest adjourned until such
time as may be fixed to hold
an investigation upon all the bodies. The body
of the sister was buried this afternoon in St.
Marys Cemetery at Flushing. The corpse was
followed to the grave by the Mother Superior of
St Johns Home, by several sisters, and by
some relatives. Solemn mass of requiem was
celebrated The arrangements for interment OF
the other bodies have not yet been made.
The quarters in ST. Marys Hospital now
being used for the homeless children were built
originally for stable. Missing children are
still being picked up in the streets. Accounts
differ as to the number of children in the in
frmary at the time of the disaster. The mother
superior states that there were but twenty,
while another claims that the infrmary had
thirty-fve suffering inmates
There is now no doubt as to where the fire
originated. Mary Feeney, who was in the laun-
dry, has made statement in which she reiter-
burning rags in the dining-room was the first in
dication of fire.
Vice-president Shanahan, of the Orphans So
ciety, said to reporter: 1.-THE wings and main
building were not only supplied with iron fire.
escapes, but had galleries running their whole
length, and upon each floor, so that escape in
case of emergency was easy"
"But this new building, where the laundry and
bakery were located, had no fire-escapesl"
mo, it had not"
'And this was where all the lives were lostl"
''Yes; of course Such calamity could not
have been anticipated. The gentlemen who had
control of the main building vert very careful
to adopt measures and plans that would give the
children ample opportunity to escape in case of
emergency, but when the laundry building was
put up it was intended, at the time, to use it as
a hospital and consequently fire -esca pes were
not erected"
Can you tell, Mr.. Shanahan, how many chill
dren were in the home at the time of the ire9"
eyes; the books show that there were 724, and
of this number we have accounted for $685. which
leaves sixty one missing All the sisters are ac-
counted for and escaped uninjured, except the
unfortunate sister, Mary Josephine. In addi-
ton to the sisters, and there were thirty-two of
them. there were thirty attendants, all of whom
have been accounted for The bodies found
leave forty ysix children yet to be accounted for
We of course, hope there no more children
in the ruins, but we cannot tell until the base
ment has been cleared"
Rev. Eugene Malone, chaplain of the institu-
ton, was asked by a reporter if the list of names
of children was in possession of Mother Superior
De Chantel. He said it was and when asked if
a reporter could obtain it, he answered that it
was not for the press, and inquired if the re-
porter thought the sisters had made it out for
the special benefit of the press. The sisters
acting under Instructions refuse any informa
ton to reporters.
The total insurance is $4,000, and the esti-
mated loss is $3.50, 600.
The Brighton Beach Racing Association makes
contribution of ST. 346 for relief of sufferers of
which sum George II. Engeman contributes