Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-08
ROASTING MADMEN.
Another Flaming Horror With a
Score Of Victims.
SCRANTON CITY FIRE-SWEPT.
Over a Score Of Families Homeless
and $2oo, 900 Lost.
,CRANTON CITY FIRE-SWEPT.
SLIGHT SENSATION IN eAsesALL NEWS
ANOTHER ASYLUM HOLOCAUST.
Poorhouse I'm New York Burns With
Nearly "A Score OF Victims.

NoRvICH, NY. May Sire at midnight de-
s'royod the Chenaugo county poorhouse At
Preston. few miles from here. and t is be-
heved ten lives were lost. The fire broke out
shortly before midnight in the insane ward of
the poorhouse institution and spread rapidly.
All OF the wards were crowded with patients
and scene of confusion and panic followed
The keepers. nurses and attendants worked
with will and after much difficulty succeeded
in removing the unfortunates with the eNcep-
tion of those who lost their lives. The building
and a large barn we're completely destroyed
together with their contents The loss will be
$4,000. The names OF the dead have As yet
not been learned.
VI any of the inmates we're injured. both of
the insane and psupors. some severely. n.s
reported that some of the officials are among
the injured. Later reports state that the num-
ber OF persons who perished in the flames will
prooably reach twenty-five. The buildings
were located about seven miles from
this town and one mile from the
small hamlet called Preston. There ia no
telegraph or telephone communication with
the place and the only help that could be Sc
cured was from the neighboring farmers
They worked horoicaily to subdue the flames.
but within two hours the buildings we're en-
tirely destroyed and the inmates of the insane
asylum were escaping in all directions
STARTED FROM TOBACCO PIrr.
A special messenger arrived here tins morn
ing for Sheriff kenney. who immediately left
for the scene after swearing in a large number
OF deputies. who are now securing the country
for the missing persons. The two churches
and one hotel have been turned into tempo
rary quarters, and the rescued are transferred
70 these quarters rapidly as possible.
The fire is said TO have been caused by a
woman in the idiot ward who after smoking
pipe. placed it in her pocket before it was
entirely eNtinguished. She was almost inn
mediately enyeloped in flames and when the
keepers reached her room they found her
burned to crisp. The names of the dead 50
far discovered are: Sarah Mills. Sarah Gala
cher. Sarah Bailey. Laura Grey. Della Benedict,
Deborah DibDle, Mary Ann Dibble. Lucy War
rem and Amelia Atwood. At least forty others
are yet unaccounted for but it ID believed that
most of the missing are either IN the neighbor-
hood or in some part of the county The
superintendent OF the poor has telegraphed 20
the chairman of the State Board OF Charities
to issue special order for the transfer OF the
insane 10 the state institutions. At ~ o'clock
seven persons had been recovered by the
special deputies
No efforts were made to save the buildings
and all attention was paid TO removing the in-
mates. The poOrhoGse was a wooden three
story building and the flames we're first dis
covered in the north wing of the structure.
The building where the insane we're confined
adjoins it.
LATEST ESTIMATE OF THE DEAD.
IS hi -
eleven insane patients were lost in the fire.
Six bodies are visible in the burning debris.
the remains being slowly burned to ashes. Five
others are missing. and it is supposed that their
bodies will be found in the ruins. One hundred
and twenty-five paupers and insane persons
were confined in the building when il caught
fire.