The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-16
THE ORPHANS HOME FIRE.
The Her0ism Of the Matron in Rescuing
Children from the Flames.
The Narrow Escape of Two Fremen from Suf-
focatiOn-Temporary Provisions for Shell
tering the Children of the Home.

When daylight came yesterday morning many
of the inhabitants in the vicinity of the German
Orphans Home were astonished 10 see the build
ing standing in ruins So little noise was there
about the fire that many who lived but square
or two away did not know there had been such a
thing until they awoke in the morning There
was no sleep for the houseless children after the
fire. for there was not bed left in the building.
They remained all night in the gymnasium, and
were made as comfortable as possible under the
circumstances. Albert Vogt, the four-year old
boy who was missed when the other children
were removed, was found under one of the beds
wrapped in a blanket, dead. When the children
were awakened he had rolled under the bed and
escaped the eyes of the searchers. He was buried
at 2 o'clock yesterday. When he was found
Mrs Libby -Weisberger, the matron, overcome
with excitement, and exhausted with her efforts
in saving the children, tainted away, and has
been in very critical condition since The
mother Of the child committed suicide short
time ago.
In removing the children from the burning
building Mrs. Wesberger displayed heroism that
is seldom witnessed. Awakened with the flames
all around her, she calmly set to work to save the
children. and even when she saw that escape
had been cut off, shs did not lose her presence of
mind, but through smoke and fame she alone
carried the little ones through the long hall and
down a steep ladder to the ground. She made
not less than twenty trips, and carried two and
three children at time down the ladder. Not
until every child, except the unfortunate one
missed, was saved did she stop to have an alarm
turned in.
The name of the boy who jumped from the
second story unipiured is Johnny Ainsworth.
Two other boys ran to the corner of East and
Stevens streets, two miles away, and aroused
Mrs. Christina Gimbel. formerly president of
the girls department, who arrived in time to be
of much service.
The building is almost totally destroyed, and
cannot be occupied until the entire structure is
renewed. The insurance on it is larger than at
first given out, being $40 000 of which 81, 600 on
the building and 81 900 on the contents is held
by the German Mutual, of this city, and the $5,-
600 on the building is held by the Germania, OF
New York.
Yesterday morning Mrs. J. G. Wright and
Mrs. Bradshaw, of the Colege-avenue Home for
the Friendiess, offered to give shelter to twenty
of the children, but they have all been COM
fortably housed in the gymnasium, commo-
dious one-story building erected during the past
year. Mr.. Bamberger, the halter furnished all
the boys with new hats, and other charitable
people came forward with aid, and all Of the
children have been made comfortable.
Chief Webster attributes the fire to hot COKE
and this is probably the most reasonable theory of
its origin, although the men who put the coke IN
the basement, on last Saturday, say it was not
warm, and had been burned over two months
Chief Webster and Jacob Rubin, the pipeman
of chemical No g. narrowly escaped suffocation.
Mr.. Webster entered the sleeping room to give
Rubin some instructions, when he was overcome
by the smoke and heat, and at the same time
saw Rubin fall Webster tried to make his es
cape, but could find no door or window and was
ready to succumb when Sam James, of reel COM
pany No. s, entered aud rescued Webster but
could not reach Rubin on account of the heat.
Finally A. @. Mauer captain of truck company
No. 2, made his way through to the window
which Rubin entered, and guiding himself by
the line of hose. found Rubin's feet, and dragged
him from the room more dead than alive Rubin
unconscious for half an hour after being
taken out and yesterday was much Frustrated.
The managers of the institution will at once
proceed to overhaul the structure, and it is prob
able that the insurance money will come near
replacing the damage.
The board Of directors of the German Or
phans' Home held meeting last evening and
provements to secure settlement with the
insurance companies as soon as pos
build the institution It was ordered
that in rebuilding the heating apparatus should
be placed in building apart from the main
structure The building committee was also in
structed 20 make all necessary arrangements for
the proper care of the children while the work Of
rebuilding is going on