Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-01-19
ROASTED ALIVE.
The Illinois Eastern Hos
pital for the Insane
Burned.
Persons Missing Thir-
teen Bodies Recovered Burned
Beyond Recognition.

hANkAkE, llls., Jan. Is.
The South Infirmary of the Illinois Eastern
Hospital for the Insane was burned this morn
ing at 4.25 O'Clock. The Hre originated in the
furnace rooms and had obtained strong head
way before discovered. The woodwork Of
the building being of southern pine it burned
very rapidly. The building was occupied by
45 patients. 6 attendants and / night-wat
man. Seventeen patients in all are missing.
Thirteen bodies have already been recovered,
burned beyond recognition. All of the
patients were infirm and incurable.
The bedridden ones were rescued first, and
the others, who were able to help themselves,
did not realize the danger in time, and they
were the ones who persisted.
The attendants lost all their personal ef-
fects, and many narrowly escaped with their
lives, one having to tie the bed clothes to-
gether and escape by the window to the
ground. There were no facilities for putting
out the fire, the State having made no appro-
priation for that purpose The building was a
new one, and cost about $4,000. 1t is a
total loss. The following are the names of
Those Who Perished.
Henry Brown, of Rock Island; H. w.
Belden, OF Galesburg; Geo. Bennett, of Nor
ris; Joseph Colbert, of Chicago; Orlando
Ellis, of Pontiac; J. w. Galloway, of Ma
coupin; Thos. Hickey, of Springfield; ;
Matthew Hague, Chebause; T. Hackner
Stevenson County; Thos. Herdey, OF Chi
cago; John Johnson of Vermillion; Michael
Jordon of Chicago; J. Nathan of Chicago {;
A. Runyard of Winnrbago County; c. Strots
of Chicago; j. M. Tyler, of Chicago; F.
Weymouth of Putnam County.
Thos Herley was a son of State Senator
Herley.
The building destroyed was two stories.
stone and brick, with no wood about il exect
the floors and stairways. 1t was completed
the first of last August. 1t was used as an
intirmary, with As insane inmates--23 on the
first floor and 22 on the second. Attendants
Brown and Rose and the latter's wife were
sleeping on the second floor. Attendants
Reid and Williams and Fir eman Sabarge
slept on the first floor.
The building was heated by hot air fur
naces. 1t was IL degrees below zero when
Watchman Cobb discovered smoke issuing
from the floor Immediately over the furnace
He at once aw0ke the attendants. The
smoke was drawn through the hos air flues
and along the halls and stair-ways to all parts
of the building.
The fire spread so rapidly that all efforts
to save the building, in the absence of fire
alarm to summon help and for want of facili-
ties to quench the flames we're found to be in
vain.
1Attendant Reid began dragging and carry
ing out the patients. Many patients, some
in their night clothes only,
Rushed Back Into the Burning Building
from the bitter cold. Reid, at the risk of his
own life, struggled on until 81 of the % pa
tients we're secured, when he became ex-
hausted and was carried awav
On the second floor Attendant Rose and
his wife heard the alarm, and escaped down
the stairwey just before it fell. Attendant
Brown, sleeping on the same floor, was
awakened by the smoke, and attempted to
save a patient in the next room, but failed
and, sliding down by the aid of sheet,
jumped to the ground. Supt. X. S. Dewey
reached the scene, and with ladders climed to
the second story window and was able to res
cue some of the patients. By this means al
most all that did not refuse to cooperate in
the efforts being made to save them were re-
moved from the building. The
others we're only rescued by being
dragged from the flames and held from re-
turning A marvellous escape was that of an
inmate who fell with the second floor, strik-
ing on the burning debris above the furnace
and bounding through a window to the ground
patients have been taken from the ruins
burned to fragments and only to be identified
by the location in which found
The remains of the bodies, with one ex-
ception, were represented bv simply handful
of charred ashes. The entire remains of 10
victims were spread on a small bench two
feet square. Friends are arriving in search
of lost one. The scenes on their arrival and
their viewing the charred remains
Are Heartrending.
kilograms are pouring in from all parts of
the State from parties asking as to the safety
of their friends.
The coroners jury which adjourned until
tomorrow morning is investigating as to
whether the furnaces we're defective.
Sept. Dewey. though man of light build,
dragged $50 pound patient through a win
dow and bore him safely to the ground. The
only chance for obtaining water was from
a small washstand faucet, not even fire buck
cts or barrels being on hand. The building
was designed for an infrmary for old and
feble patients and contained a number of
advanced psralytics and others. The exact
cause of the fire 10 not vet clear, but it is GER
tain that it originated in the furnace room on
the vest side of the building.