The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-12-20
A FIERY SEpULCHRE.
AN APPALLING DISASTER IN AN OR
PHAN ASYLUM.
The Flames Claim an Unknown Mum
Der of Victims.
Twelve Bodies Taken From the Ruins
Description Of the Disaster and
Heroism of the Nuns-Fatai
Fire in a Poor House.

BROOKLYN, n. Y, Dec. 20 At 3:5t
Thursday afternoon St Johns home,
Roman Catholic Orphan asylum in this city
took fire and in spite Of the great efforts Oh
the hrelnan was re luced to ruin. 1t was
feared Thursday night that number OF
children persisted, and at it was known that
one Of the sisiers--SiSter Mary JoSephine--was
victim Search was prosecuted with great
vigor Friday morning AMI at IL o'clock nine
dead bodies had been taken from the ruius.
One of tine bodies recovered was that OF
lady who was visiting the asylum at the time
of the FIRE. The othor eight were those OF
orphan children. The cold weather has
made it difficult t. work in the debris. The
fire las about burned it.elf out. Several Of
the inmates are still missing Groups of
men are busly employed i'll searching
through the ruins
The burned Institution was al imposing
structure, sitatuad at the corner of st. Mark
and Albany avenues. 1t was conducted by
the Catholic Sisterhood of st. Joseph, and
contained SO toys, ranging from . 10 4
years The main building, four stories high
had frontage of $50 feet, and two wings
extended $50 feet TO the rear. At the
south end Of the main building and
separated from it by space Of
eight feet was three story building
used for hospital purposes. About thirty.
five children we're on tie sec0nd floor under
charge Of sSister Anthony. Some OF them
were ii be ts:cN, a number were crippled,
and tie others were ai!iug. Ga the fiooI
above were twenty-five children suffering
from sora ewes AMI under the are Of Sister
Mary JOSH nine WHO was similarly
atll,, tel it was the basement of this
building, i'll the d,.yinc-room of the laun.
Try. that Tie !.re originate ell About
$50 D. rs one Of the do2en gilis ptapl we'd ia
the launIry discovered the flames ia tAe dry
ing-r,um and RAISED the cry OF IRE. The
girls then fed r n tie building. Sister
ALtloav, u.,-- air.. heard tie cry, AMI ut
one clappet her hands as a signal fer the
children ~ fall into line. She gave each oil
| tie Dirses' boys ne ot the little arippie5 tC
| carr ana tie strange 4)r ICES Ion marched
| down The stars. The sister carried tine chl
| drea who were sick in bed one by one from
| tie burning building wrapped in blankets.
| On ghe floor above Sister Mary Josaphine
worked heroicauy to get her twentv-fye
| CHARGES out Of the burning building. and il
is thounbt she sucaeadeI She remained IN
the infrmarv rntiI cnn,e}lel Inv the fame.
10 take refuge ON tine roof Then She wo,
seen bv Fireman McGroartv, of engine No
| II who svyunr his coat to her from the naair
buil9iny The sister caught the coat but
her strfnytb was nor sufficient to enable he,
| m hold np end ha Drawn from bar nariIo,,s
nosition. she lost her CRASH and fell 70 tbe
| rrcnnj striking IN her head and sbonllar
| She v,s nicI-,d m and talon 10 ST Catbnr
iuoIs bos,3it,1 ,vharo sbo diad F,1Ior ,,a,n.
inc
Tho flames sn,aaa n tho man, hri,di,o
with areot rapidity and hnnarejs az lit.je
bovs Fan on INTO tba spo,v-e+orr, bat,ass and
| ooot,oss rTo.y ,yars +olI 20 Iaovo tbn HOW,
and sool. sbor+ar il, anv roiobhoring rasi3nnca
Thar. rpar., Air. sisters " The osvI,Ir, onl
mosf If then, v,snt ant with the ho,s hnt i
yros ;,,,r1sSihla r, kaan tba Iitt}a fellows e..
c,o+hor tho zcn7bt ,,,fr,ro j., tho COR