Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-02-04
THE STATE AT LARGE.
INcINERATED UNFoRTUNATEs.
The Jackson County Poor House Burned---
Five Persons Burned TO Death.

The jackson county poor house, situated
about five miles from jackson was destroyed
by fire early on the of Jan. oath.
When help arrived from Jacksons a
started, only the walls were standing. so rap
idly has the flames done the work. Five OF the
inmates persisted in the flames. They were
Mrs. G.. Atkinson, insane from Grass Lake,
aged 81 years She has been an inmate OF the
county house twenty-four years.
Catharine Avery, insane, from Columbia,
aged II years, an inmate for 10 years.
Melissa Martin, insane. from Spring Arbor,
aged 81 years, and an inmate for fourteen
years
Tina Boynton, deaf, from Jackson aged 90
years, years an inmate.
Chas. Elliott, blind, aged 20 years, from
Jackson. The latter had been there only since
December IL.
The work of recovering the remains was at
once commenced, and in n short time the
charred bodies were all recovered, but were
unrecogniZable.
The fire was discovered by Mrs. Smith, wife
Of the keeper of the house, about one O'clock
in the mems kitchen. She wakened her hus-
band, who slept in an adjoining room, and
then went 10 a neighbours for help. Mr.. Smith
woke the hired man, telling him to rescue the
men while he looked after the women. Great
Difficulty was experienced in getting the
women out, but all were finally rescued except
the five unfortunates named.
The'one thought of Mr. Smith and his help
ers had been to save the lives of the unfortu-
nate people confined there, and when this was
accomplished and they turned TO save the
contents of the house, but little could be saved,
so swift had been the work of destruction.
There was no fire apparatus
about the place, and as stated
help from Jackson arrived too late to be of
any avail The servants were all away ex-
cept one hired man, and the neighbors, with
the exception of one living about twenty rods
away, were not awakened until the building
was burned nearly to the ground.
Very few Of the inmates had on more than
their night clothes and all suffered intensely
from the cold
The thermometer registered 10 degrees below
zero at the time and some of the unfortunates
will perish from the effect Of the exposure
They were placed In the pest house until bet
ter quarters could be secured and later were
brought TO jackson, where portion W, re TAX
en- to the Jackson house a portion to the
Clinton house and the balance, five sick peo-
pie, we c taken To Mrs Ferris boarding house
commonly known as the railroad hospital.
1t is supposed that the fire caught from a
detective chimney AMI that the joists between
the floors had been smOldering for some time
before the flames broke out Mrs. smith was
all through the house at 10 O'Clock, and every
thing at that tame appeared to be al right.
There were iorty inmates, fourteen female
and twenty-siX male, in the house.
But very little of the furniture was saved,
perhaps one wagon load. Mr.. Smith lost near
~ all his effects, including clothing. which
be valued at about $500, and on which there
was no insurance.
The remains of the victims were taken to
jackson and Inferred in Mt. Evergreen GEM
etery.
Fortunately fire escapes were placed on the
build ny a few weeks ago, by the mans of
which many of the inmates escaped.
The poor house was bu 1t three years ago at
a cost of $l2,500. IL was two Stories high,
with basement. and was butt of brick with
wooden partitions. There was an insurance
on the building of 1000 and On the contents
OF 81 ,0O0. all in jackson agencies.
Vim. Mills, one Of the inmates, was the man
who first issued Sanders spelling book. At
one time he was worth S25O,0J0.