The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-07
Terrible Fire in . Great Quebec
Insane Prison.
ONE HUNDRED WOMEN BURNED.
The 4aniacs Shrieked in Glee a. the
Red Blaze Approached.
impossible TO Rescue the Dsnentcd In
nates-Thc Bodies Entirely Cremassd
MALE Nadmsn Escaps to the woods
-Heroism Of Young Nans-

TONGUE PolSrx, ORR, May GA long line
OF gaunt towers is ali one now sees of the
LoLgue Posnte iunatic asylum, located ten
miles from Montreal, and which. with
many lives, was today consumed BY flames.
The sights Witnessed during this tragic
scene were such as can never be forgotten.
Nothing could exceed the horror attending
the terrible calamity, considering the num-
Der OF the victims. the terrible nature OF
their death, and the manner in which the
helpless victims received their fate.
What to the spectator was a scene Of hor-
ror was to the lunatics one OF the most SUI
preme glee, and in their delight they dis
ported themselves in the flames and waved
their blazing limbs in turbulent satisfaction
IT the ruin that was about them, and not
until the walls tumbled over their heads
were their maniacai screams silenced.
There were incsrcerated in Tongue
Pointe 800 iunatics, for that asylum was
prison more than hospital, and now not
more than LOO are accounted for. but
many escaped into the fields and woods
and the dead are ashes amongst the ruins.
What the number Of the dead is, is purely
Q matter of conjecture and can never be
ascertained, since no other record is kept
than that in the asylum books, and they
are destroyed. Taking into consideration
the whole of the evidence from the firemen,
half of that of the safe inmates and that
OF the Sisters in charge. it is q conservative
estimate to say 100 inmates met death,
though some say the number is double
that. and others place il below this figure.
However, the fact remains that no such
calamity has fallen on the province of
Quebec since the earliest times.
Ever since Quebec was a province its
management OF these most helpless of all
creatures has been its shame. They have
been farmed out to the nuns at 500 head
per year. and the Sisters aim was to keep
them as frugally as possible. From the
in some minds as to whether it was In
tended for an asylum or . blast furnace.
In any case, it served the latter purpose
admirably. 1t was constructed of brick,
and was GOO feet long. running back from
the river. The main building occupied the
center, and on each side extended four wings
six stories in height
The fire today was started in cup
board in the second ward on the woman's
side, in the upper story, by careless
patient. and as the ventilation was carried
by longitudinal shaft connected with the
towers, the flames soon appeared blazing
up through the roof in the center of each
tower. A telegram was sent to Montreal
for aid, and one engine and reels started
at once. They might rs well have re-
mained at home. In five minutes they
exhausted the water supply. The only
thing that could save the building was the
St. Lawrence river. and it was half mile
distant When the Associated Press re-
porter arrived with the firemen the dome
of the towers had just fallen. and flames
were bursting out every where.
As the heat increased the statues fell
from their inches to the ground, and the
inhabitants prostrated themselves. crying
aloud that the saints had deserted them.
Beds. furniture and utensils Of every de-
scription were being showercd from the
windows. and . stream of il-clad men
poured out of the eastern wing.
Not male patient was lost Among the
women il was different. The less hopeless
cases we're placed in the lower wards, and
they were removed with difficulty. From
the upper ward. where the violent pa
tents were secured, there came the widest
screams, rs they resisted the men who
were trying to induce them to make their
escape.
At times. maniac would be seen peer
ing through the bars. grinning and jabber-
ing ct the bright fame that went up TO
the sky. As the heat became more in
tense she would grasp the bars and remain
there until the flames enveloped her. The
inhabitants had come from all parts
around about, attracted by the blaze. and
in an hour the little village was full OF
surging. shouting. vociferating people.
When the firemen found they were pow
erless to save the building they turned
their attention to the inmates and burst in
the doors with axes. Inside, Chief Beyoit
says, was such . sight as no fireman ever
before witnessed. In one ward he entered
there were twenty-five patients, and
at his appearance they huddled together
like pack of beasts, entwining their arms
into one mass of humanity. He seized the
nearest. but, said the chief. II could no
more separate the crowd than l could the
parts of your horse" He tugged at them
Till the fire darted In their garments and
embodied them like shroud of flame. and
then he escaped with his life In another
ward three tiremen were nearly trapped TO
death. They entered . room and the
door, which had q spring lock. closed
behind them. As Is customary, there was
no handle on the inside. The door resisted
their axes and they rushed to Q window
but were driven back by the flames. The
chief. suspecting their peril, sent aid to the
other side and the men were carried down
on ladders. The engineer OF the building
did good work, saving nine patients. and
every fireman made record of which he
may feel proud.
On the first alarm the engineer turned on
the hose. bat IL was utterly useless. ~ the
FIRE ieaped along the ventilating shaft 10
the towers and burned in . dozen places at
once One OF the nuns. Sister Mary, lay
sick In tie infrmary on the fifth fioor. and
TO her rescue came three others. Demorest.
Gilbert ana Lumiene. They seized their
companion and bore her In blanket 20
the staircase. but they we're met BY
sheet OF flame and all perisbed. None OF
them we're over 20 years os age
The Sisters worked with the persistence
of her0iFe.. 10y turns irnploring. beseeching
and commanding the patients. and finally
saving a very large number, IN view OF the
inadeqcage facilities at hand.
A loud explosion was followed BY the
crash OF be@ns The interior Was giving
way. Wild faces sank from Ehe windows