The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-02-21
Z. M .AsY1Iu5n1 "a r1.ANIEs.
The Orphan Innatss an IRembved

AN ASYLUM 1NFLAniEs.
The Orphan Inmates All Removed !
SAFETY. n Z
4 PITTsgunaA, Feb, eo.-A disastrous fif
(which fortunately was not attended by
loss Of lie occurred in the st, Michael
Orphan Asylum and 81. Joseph's Convent
Plus street near the head of Fifteenth
street, South Side. About ten minute
/ past IL o'clock, Constable John Baker
while passing along Plus street, notice.
smoke curling up from the roof Of the ex
tteme west end Of the orphan asylum. A
ltiny flame followed the smoke, and in {
lew moments the flames burst through
the roof He at once gave the alarm, ant
with Aldefman B. a. Hartman hurried tc
the building and alarmed the inmates
Sister Agnes, Mother Superior, IS nuns
and 20 little children were in the building
atthe time. Through the efforts Of some
calm sistersa panic was ayerted and all lefi
tho building In safety. iIIss
Meanwhile the FIRE burned furiously,
and those present were utterly powefless
to exlinguishyit. An alarm was sent in
tItrom box 1B5, but the building was almost
inaccessible. An engine endeayofed to
force water from q plug at least / 900 feet
distant, bntiinSain. Aelelst thirty min:
utes had elapsed before any water. was se-
cured fromthe plugs, and ther the supply
was insufficient. An engine was driven
upito Plus street and made attachment 10
a plug almost in front oil the burning
building. While: this being done bucket
brigade did some effective work in the up
per rooms and alone saved the building
from total destruction, The fire eiwas To-
Gated between the ceiling and roof and
was not easy OF access Three streams
oil water were finally secured, but
were Of little use. The slate
roof ofrendered II impossible for the tiremen
10 combat with the fire from the top and
they were compelled to tear OF the cell.
lngs aud peftorate the walls! Assistance
in the shape Of three more fire companies
was secured and the fire finally extin-
guished alter hattie lasting an hour and
ahalt The entire western end OF the or
phan asylum, was thoroughly burned out.
The damage to the building by water was
equal to that by fire. 4, h e.
When the alarm was first given there
was a CONSERVATION among the sisters and
priests, The halls soon filed with excited
sisters and children, but owing to the fact
that oil the inmates were on the main
floor at the time, the difficulty in getting
them out in safety was greatly facilitated.
An immense throng soon gathered
about the burning building, and hundreds
of.willins hands were at work carrying
out furniture and such articles as conldbe
easily moved. The tiremen were ready for
work, but itwas fully half an hour before
they ycould obtain awater supply, owing to
the difficulty in obtaining access to the
building. The formation Of q bucket
brigade served to hold the flames n.oheck,
aud when the Department. obtained posi-
lion where effective work could be done
the tiFe was soon under control.
= The valuable articles in the institution
were carried from the building and thrown
in u promiscnous heap on the outside, and
1t. Is supposed that some were stolen.
When tic fire was under control all the
furniture in the building lad been re-
moved. The floors Of the entire building
serethea covered with water three inches
deep. Thesisters and the orphans took
shelter'in an ontbuilding but when the
giied with comfortable quarters In an ad.
joining residence,
+, ne e IRE ttaalis origin IT from detective
ssstl se by y hos 81, g f,rnaae ,ocSted Il liz ~
cellar The structure has never Been CON.
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