The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-05-16

Burning Of the Insane Asylum at
Tongue Pointe. Que.


ktt4u1s anu IN An hour uutulu< Will u
left but the ruins Of the walls. Tn
Dire commenced at 1891 p. m. originating
y II said. in q cupboard in the middl'
wing Of the structure. At present, .
near Is can be calculated. there ar
from 100 20 $50 insane inmates in tn
danes who will DO burned to death
The fire apparatus Is inadequate to con
troll the flames.
The sight in the grounds surrounding
the institution beggars description
Hundreds Of lunatics arc grouped there
gibbering, and in a frenzicd condition
The nuns are going among them trying
% allay their cries. and they are being
removed to places OF shelter. The Mon
trcal firc- brigade has arrived and is 81
work.
$50 p m.-The firemen are still
working heroically under the direction
OF Chief Benolt. and they have sue
ceeded in rescuing several persons. in
many instances al the risk Of their own
lives Thousands ~ persons are flock
ing to the scene from this city and the
surrounding country. The nuns. doc
tors and other attendants are bcsieged
with anxious inquiries after friends or
relatives.
One Of the doctors connected with the
institution was seen this afternoon. and
he said that there was very little COM
motion among the inmates when the
alarm was given. and that for the most
part all walked out quietly; some. how
ever. refused TO leave their cells and
had 70 be taken out BY force. Those who
persisted were in the wards on the top
hCrrs. Efforts to learn their names
have 50 far proved futile as those res
cued are SO scattered that no roll can
be called. All the books and records
we're saved
Two fremen from Montreal named
Dolan and Lambert had narrow escapes
from death They were high up on the
topmost rounds OF a ladder when ii fell
70 the ground. They we're removed to a
hotel and il is thought that both will
cecoyer.
Tongue P,fNrE. Que. May "A
long line OF gaunt towers and a mass Of
blazing debris reflected in the wild eyes
OF the maniacs j. all that j. left Of the |
Tongue Pointe Lunatic -AsJ lum. and
the horrible sights that were witnessed
during the destruction Of the building
will never be forgotten by the specta-
tors though to the lunatics ii was q
time Of supreme gIee; and in their de-
light they disported themselves amid
the flames and waved their arms IN
turbulent satisfaction At the ruin that
was being wrought Not until the
wallis tumbled over their heads were
<heLr manInc1 screams silenced.
Thoro vore incarcerated in the ASYLUM
1.soo ~lunatics; for the place was more
like > prison than = hospital. and last
evening not more than LOO had been
accounted for. but many had escaped
into fields and woods The number Of
dead i now purely . matter OF con-
lecture. and Is not likely 70 ever be
ascertained, since no other record Is
kept except the asylum books. and
these were destroyed bv the Are. TAX
Ing into consideration all the evidence
nremen. half-sane inmates. the
sisters in charge, b~y-standers. and per-
sonal observation. it Is q conservative
estimate 70 say that one hundred VIC
Tins met their death in the flames.
although some assert that the number
Is 90.
No such calamity has fallen on Quebec
in time out OF mind.
At I'VE minutes before noon q tele-
was received in Montreal implor-
Ing assistance. This could no be given
consulting Mayor Greniere,
Who was found At the Banque du Peuple.
The mayor q once ordered engines to
dispatched. One engine and two
reels were soon started and they were
on the spot, but might Is we'll
have remained ct home, for in five min
ntes they had exhausted the water sup
ply.
The IRE started in the second ward
the women's side in the uppe story,
its spread was fastened BY longi-
tudinal ventilation shafts connected
the towers. The flames o an
peared blazing up through the roof in
The center Of each tower. When the
rH1rH 4tttstA tile A3IHc Oh one lower
had just fallen and the flames were
out everywhere. Streams
laid on. and while they lasted
m good was done. but tina was for =
very brief space, and her the horror OF
he situation was revealed. Meantime
BEDS furniture and utensils were being
thrown from the windows, and streams
ul-clad men poured out OF the east
'rn wing, not one male patient being
Among the women IL was differ
mt The less hopeless cases were
treated In the lower wards, and these
Dersons we're removed without diff
but from the upper wards. where
he violent patients were confined,
came the widest screams as the
1~nfortunates resisted the efforts or the
nuns in making their escape. At the
the maniacs could be seen
through the bars. jabbcring I'M
they were enveloped in the flames
compelled to release their hold and
ircp back into the cauldron. /,
When the firemen found they were
powerless 70 save tho building. they
turned their attention 70 the inmates
Ind burst In the doors with axes. Chief
BENEFITS says Il was such . sight a. no
fireman ever before witnessed. In one
ball he entered there were Twenty-Five
and at his approach thcv ma.