Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-20
Fuller Details Of Thursdays Nights
Awful Holocaust Of Death Among
Orphan Boys.
GETTING AT THE FACT s.

teIepnoneu tnat anolHer Uouy hau oScu
taken out, making nine in all. One of the
bodies was that OF o lady who was visiting
the asylum at the time of the FIRE. The
other eight were those Of orphan children.
The cold weather has made il difficult to
work in the debris. a report received at
police headquarters at li:$O a m. casI
gloom over all assembled. 1t was that sew
enteen bodies had been taken from the
ruins. The hunt for the dead continues, bat
it is very cold.
The Brooklyn Eagles extra states that
the Fire Marshal reports l. bodies found
up TO : o'clock this morning among the
ruins Of the burned st. Johns Home for
Children. Workmen are still searching the
debris, and the utmost excitement prevails
in the riciaity of the asylum. The bodies
found are so charrcd and backenei that
Identification is almost impossible. 1t is
believed most Of the children who persisted
were in the llfated Sister Josephines ward
Mcu engaged eXCavating the ruins OF the
laundry found the remains ofnine boys and
two erUwn persons. Who the adults are Is
not ascertaihed yet. The Sisters are .un,
willing 10 be interviewed, hut it is plain to
he seen that their list Of inmates rescued
does lot come up to the full number. This
IS explained by the statement that the child.
rem NAV have been cared for in private
houses and will turn up The fact is that
last night only one child was admitted to be
missing, and this morning dozen bodies
were found. These facts tell their own
ghastly story with positivenesa that is mp.
palliIg,
The blackened walls and smouldering
ruins were all that remained this morning
Of the handsome asylum structure. Not
withstanding the severity Of the weather,
groups of spectators gathered about the
place and watched the iremcn and police
men in their work among the ruins search
ing for the bodies of the victims. Last
night Sister Superior De Chan'cl said: Il
think thev got out all the children and in
deed hope So" But the sis
Ter was not in position 10 speak
positively, for when The fire broke out she
was in the Office in the main part Of the
building, and that was almost block from
The fire Those who were on the outside Of
The building and were first to assist in help.
ing some Of the little ones to escape,
asserted that thUe were many lives lost,
They said they could see children in the
room on the third floor, over the laundry,
where the smoke and flames had made their
way to it, and they knew that all were no,
saved.
The finding OF the nine bodies at one
time this morning sent chill Of horror
through the people assembled. The work,
men were digging into the masonry and
debris under the laundry and iniirmary at
the time, lot of charred bones we're uncov-
cred and with them were exposed the skull
and bones Of an adult. These were piled
into blanket and taken into
The storeroom of the unburned part
Of the building, where they were sorted,
and found TO represent the bodies Of nine
children and one adult. There are sup
posed 10 be more bodies buried under the
ashes Of the infrmary, laundry and bake
house. where the fire broke out, and the
fremen are now at work throwing water on
the hot masonry TO expedite their work, and
as soon rs practicable will begin the task OF
recovering such other bodies az may be
there. Inquiries are being made As TO the
adult whose remains were found. II was
learned that the two ladies, Mrs MCCaren
and MIS-. Halgan, whose addresses are un-
known, were al the time the FIRE broke out
visiting the institution and were in the sec
lion OF the building where the fire COM
mcnced but none OF them is supposed to be
burned. There were 7S0 boys in the asy.
lum G3l Of whom so far are accounted for.
This leaves l49 TO be found The police
are looking for them and il is expected
manv will be found at houses in the yicin.
ty of the asylum. :.
Upto noon the result OF the hunt OF the
policemen for the missing boys WAS the
finding Of seventeen. This leaves l%2 still
unaccounted for.
The survivors will be sent 10 St. Josephs
Home for Girls, and the girls will be re-
moved from that institution to st. PauIs
home uEtil steps are taken TO proved
another home for the unfortunate boys.
How Il Happened.
Brooklyns latest horror is another evi-
dence of the sad truth that no amocnt Of
good intention can atone for lack Of proper
precaution and vigilance Hundreds OF
children in the Asylum were tenderly
protected against all harm except
that which could have been most easily
guarded against fire. There was very
large water hydrsnt in the yard with four
butts, but there WAS no hose in or about the
building; nor any other means Of extin..
gushing the Ere, so what began as trivial
accident ended in an awful tragedy.
At the time the FIRE begun the larger boys
Of the institution were playing IN the court
ward making slides on the newly fallen
snow or snow balIing II was wishing day,
and many parents Of the children had come
TO see them. About thirty-fye children
were in the in6rmary on the
second floor, under the care
of Sister Anthony. Their little wan faces
were peering at the windows watching the
larger boys at play. On the floor above
were twenty-five more children suffering
from sore eyes, under the charge OF Sis
ter Mary Josephine, who was similarly
afflicted. Mrs Feeney noticed the smell Of
rags in the drying room and on opening its
door cloud Of smoke pourd out. The CRY
of Fire was raised. The boys in the yard
took it up and Sister Anthony, in charge
OF the sick ones in the intirm-
ary, heard the alarming Yells and soon
saw black clouds of smoke issuing from the
windows beneath. She Immediately sig
nailed for attention from the little ones BY
elapping her hands. In the room OF which
she had charge seven helpless little cripple.
were in bed These she caused
the strongest boys to take in their
arms and having made her charges form in
line, she marched them safely oat Of the
burning building. But on the floor above
| where balfblind children to the number oil
twenty-five we're under charge Of Sister
Josephine, the scene was most terrible.
| A panic ensued. The fear stricken children
| ran about tie room calling for help. Some
| rushfd down the s'aIs in The blndiDf
L l. =.