New-York tribune., 1884-12-20
TEN BODIES IN THE RUINS.
RESULTS OF THE ORPHAN ASYLUM FIRE.
CHAIRED REMAINS OF NINE CHILDREN AND

| fire in 1876, the fire on Thursday st. Johns
Home for Boys in that city, proved TO be more dis
astrOus than supposed at the time OF its occur.
renee But the loss of life in this case affords no
comparison to the theatre calamity. At least eleven
| lives were however sacrificed III the Orphan Asy-
| lum fire. was ascertained yesterday, though it
| occurred in broad daylight. Mother Superior do
| Chantal the head of the institution, and Father
| Eugene =. Maboney the chaplain in charge, were
positive on Thursday that all the boys escaped, and
they also asserted that visitors in that part
of the building where the fire broke ont though it
was asserted by of the spectators that won.
an not in the distinctive garb of the sisters was
| seen at a window and fell back into the
| flames when unable to get ont Mono
| of the police fire officials present at
the connagration believed that any burned bodies
wonld be found in the ruins. The flames prac
tically checked at midnight, nearly the entire in
terror of the immense structure being gltted. and
the small portion saved from the fire being delugcd
with water which ruined most of the ceilings aud
all the personal property which had not been 70
| moved.
BEGINNING THE SEARCH FOR B )DIEs.
But at daylight the ruins of the annex building,
at the south end of the west wing where the fro
broke out, had cooled sufficiently for search to be
made to ascertain positively that lives sacri-
fced TO the fury Of the flames. This building was
about thirty feet square. In the basement wero
two huge boilers and large bakery. On the floor
above these were the laundry and driving room, In
the latter of which the fire Is said to have ofgi-
mated. Above were two floors devoted TO an infrm-
ary for the sick About sixty boys were here.
On one floor were those suffering from ma
laria and other ailments, and above them
were those afflicted with sore eyes. The lat
ter were in charge Of Sister Mary jose
phne, whose life was lost in trying 10 escape from
the roof and she too was suffering from ophthal-
mia. The other sick children were in charge Of
Sister Anthony. She succeeded in m INSTALLING all
her boys when the alarm of fire was given, and had
the larger ones carry the crippes ari those sick in
ned down the stairs. Bnt those on the top floor
were not 40 Fortunate, aud their weak vision was
soon blinded by the smoke from ibe Aames beneath.
The majority managed 70 eet down stairs but
number were cnt OF IN their attempts 20 escape
aud were spceail, burned IS ieath Unable to aia
,hem. sister Mary Josephine ,tied t8 save hefselh
Bnt het he waa ALAS h5st searches iA the fhins w
the hfeAeh 8f it68e ani tAtAes V8mbAns M :
testef lac iN8fhiht nsSltei w 'ht discovery ~
,hq heAes ~ ,he teF9As.a az sAali b6N st f;35
0'qaeh saea skNi aah ethey haaaa Win tha
hash eHifeiy hsriet az ava YNafS shgpa 81 elelh:
ln9 dpsiraNRd weiN NNGaFthNi, AAA lAIl ~ hls~kpW
wMeh hAd haah saypi igem lhM apIhilpfles
at an adult whp was supposed Ga hp the woman
seen at the window spon after the lire brake out.
Critical examination disclosed the laet that tho
Further disglug IN the dellis resu tod shortly after
in the discovery of the skeletons ot Two OF tho
older bows, who had apparently beel crashed by
coil of steam pipe while trying to oNtam. No oew
10 tho idoa;ity of the romans iouud could be 81
curod tho children WAC were r'sined wore
widely seat tered aud 10 roll ot their names could
be prepared
THE DISPOSITION on rug REMAINS.
The bones which were all that remained of the vic
tins of the fire were cared TO the wing in tho
basement of the central part of the building and
Coroner Ilesse was summoned 10 h).d the inquest.
Preparations for theIr burial will be made to-day.
The only clcw TO the identity Of the woman whose
life was lost in the burned Duillng was furnished
by Sister Veronica, said that sl0rtly before tho
Dire broke ont she admitted Mr llalloran and Mrs.
McCarrcn to the iniimary. No woman was re-
ported 10 the police ~ missing yesterday. As the
bodies found yesterday were near the surface was
Thought that Others would Jc found whcn deeper
excavations could he made. But II was believed
that all those who were IN the lower part ol tho
annex building escaped safely. Tho part OF tho
main building adjoining, AZ distance Of eight feet
the structure in which the iire broke out was not
occupied at the hour when the fire broke out. Tho
dining room, chapel aud d0rmlOrle, being com
pr,sed ia IT, and as the fire was communicated to IL
by the mansari roof. there would have been aDun-
dant time i9r escape II any one had been 10 IL. Inc
fact that the sick children were IN rooms over tho
boilers and bakehouse caused harsh criticism yes
terd0y. rs they were thus most exposed 10 danger
IN time OF fire. The fact that no party wall rose
above the roof of the main building 10 check tho
progress of flames was also subject of censure.
Ii the annex building, where thc ire broke out, had
been divided by heavy wall running above tho
roof from the south wing OF the main structure tho
fire would have easily been confined 10 1t. The an
mex building was only built two years ago.
CRITICISMS on THE BUILDING.
Chief Engineer Nevins said yesterday that tho
mansard roof and the lack of party walls
made the fire absolutely uncomfortable, He men
toned the fact that manslrd roofs were the cause
of the rapid spread of the Boston lire. They were
perfect fire traps and none snouid be permitted in
a ciy. The iire III this instance got under tho
mansarI roof and made great progress there before
ii burst out of the roof, and there was nothing TO
stop it. If a single wall had run up to the roof the
fremen would have had a barrier to aid them In
making n stand
The fact was made known yesterday that after
TIE terrible disaster IN the convent AT Belevllle.
ILL.,, in January last, Buildings ComniSsioner Gay
lor wrote to Bishop LOughlin IN regard 10 having
the rooms of he dOrlntorle' locked at night. max
ing ape impossible, and requested that the doors
of the seeping-roons in this asyni1 "a well as IN
the other institutions under his care, be unlocked
at night. The doors IN tins asylum were made TO
swing outward to afford ready escape, IN coiise-
quence OF the following report made IN regard To 1t
IN 1877 by the experts Of the Buildings Depart
ment after the great loss of life IN the theatre fire:
ST. Johns Home occupies the block bounded by ST.
Mark place Albany and Troy aves an Prospect place.
The bu1dine is constructed of blue ,oue and is four
stories high the upper story being In The mansard ruvf
Its form Is about hollow square with an opening the
COURTYARD on the rGspec! rase & s' Through & e,ss zen
doors the numerous apartments IhtT are Tour
broad saircaes In the bnidmg two of which located
the cNtremitics Of the wings and tNo IA The eNem
ties of the 'front.' making outlet At carh curve ot the
SQUARE connecting with al the loois The s,itcaes ars
an connected 10y corridors IN every story ~ that H. W
any 'hnp ~ them shonld be buckae the others
could Immediately hp lied tnr exit. The mtin trons
door T. sixteen feet wide. There numerous doors
opening from the bniing to the rr'slle aud 10 tue
count lapl lhrl all swing inwhrl The chapel Va Dns
wing Of ic building al the srho rors ~ the opposite
wing atp urbVlpi With numerous ikiis The building 10
heated ihuushout by stuam. Al rpspnt There atr go
,hlldicn an hti, atttndhts, hclmuhe ne sisters -
opening anh nnp ipai outlet iui he sanctuary
sAptN pNtnhs apiuss tho nni tn Nhhh hpip aip twe
inuis fun The second ainit haa lhp tuiihNis Az ~