New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-07
BEES RESPONSIBILITY.

THE DEAD UNKNowN-oUE-
BEES RESPONSIBILITY.
Tongue Pointe. Que. May 6.-The large insane
asylum at this place. ten miles from Montreal, was
burned TO the ground to-day. and in the ashes Of
the fire lie the remains of over 90 inmates. All
in all, nothing could exceed the horrors attending
this terrible calamity. considering the number Of
the victims, the awful nature Of their death, and
the manner in which the helpless victims met
their fate. What to the spectators was a scene
of horror was to the lunatics a moment OF supreme
glee, and in their delight they disported them
selves in the flames and waved their blazing limbs
in turbulent satisfaction at the ruin that vas
about them. Not until the walls tumbled over
their heads were their maniacal screams senced
There were in the Tongue Poinfe Asylum 300
lunatics, for this asylum was prison more than
hospital and now not more than 100 are
accounted for: but many escaped into the fields
and woods. and the dead ashes among the
ashes
What the number of the dead is is purely
matter of conjecture, and be ascertained.
since no other record was kept than that in the
asylum books and il is destroyed. Taking into
consideration the whole of the evidence from the
! iremcn, half-sane inmates, the Sisters in charge,
! bystanders and personal observation, il is con-
! servative estimate to say that 90 victims met
their death, though some assert that the number
is double that stated and others place it below
| this figure
Fifteen minutes before noon to-day the cry Of
| . ,iv no riQ-n IN a
cupboard, and was the work of patient, who
! must now no doubt he pleased with his work.
| From the construction Of the building there is
| doubt in some minds as 10 whether IL was in-
tended for an asylum blast furnace IN any
case il served the latter purpose admirably 10
was constructed Of brick. and was 500 feet long.
running back from the st. Lawrence River half
the distance The main building occupied the
centre and on each side extended four wings
six stories In height To the east were the mems
wards and the west the womens sixty wards
in all. In the were the engine-bouse and
the laundry and stOre-rooms all Of which were
saved The fire started in the second ward on
the women's side in the upper story. and as
ventilation was carried on by longitudinal
shaft connected with the towers, the flames soon
appeared blazing up through the roof In the
centre of each house.
few minutes after the fire broke out word
was sent to Montreal, imporing assistance.
Mayor Grenier at ordered engines TO be
dispatched One engine and two reels started
on their ten-mile run and were quickly on the
spot, but they might as well have remained at
home for in five minutes they exhausted the
water supply. The only thing that could save
the building was the 81. Lawrence River. and it
was half a mile distant
Wien the Associated Press reporter got here
had itisf
fallen and flames were bursting forth everywhere.
Streams Of water were brought 10 bear on the
flames and while the flow of water lasted some
good was DONE but that only for short
time and then the horror Of the situation was
revealed.
As the heat increased statues fell from their
inches to the ground, and then the maniacs pros
trated themselves crying aloud that the SAINTS
had deserted them indeed. Meantime the beds,
furniture and utensils of every description were
hen! showered from the windows, and a stream
of ll-cad men poured out Of the eastern wing
Not male patient lost. Among the
women il was different. The less hopeless cases
were in the lower wards. and il was possible to
remove them without difficulty, but from the
upper wards where the violent patients were
secured there came the widest screams as they
resisted the nan, who were beseechins them 70
make their escape.
Everv now and then a maniac would he seen
at the window pccring through the bars Grnnlng
and labbcring at tine bright flame that went mp
to the sky As the heat became more intense
she would grasp the bars and remain there until
the flames envelopcd her
When the Cremen found they were poweress 10
save the building they turned their attention to
the inmates and burst in the doors with aNes.
Inside Chief Benot says, il was suoh sight as
no fireman witnessed. In one ward that lie
entered there we're twenty five patients. and at his
approach they hudded together hike a pack of
beasts lie seized the nearest, but, said the
chief. 81 could no more separate the crowd than
| could parts of your horse" lie tugGed at them
until the fire darted into their garments and en-
folded them like shroud of flame, and then he
escaped with his life.
In another ward three iremen were nearly
trapped 10 death. They entered and the door,
which had spring lock. closed behind them.
There was no handle the inside. The door
re- listed their axcs and they rushed 10 the WIN
dows but were driven back by the flames. The
chief suspectng their peril. sent aid to the other
side. and the men were carried down on ladders.
The engineer of the building did good work IN
saving nine patients. and every fireman made a
record of which he may feel proud. On the first
alarm the engineer turned on the hose but 1t
was utterly useless as the fire leaped along the
yentilating shaft to the towers and burned IN
dozen places at once.
And here melancholy incident occurred. one
Of the tertiary nuns. Socur Marie lay SICK IN the
on the fifth floor. and to her rescue
came three Others. They seized their companion
and bore her in a blanket to the staircase, but
they were met by sheet of flame. and all per-
ishcd Let their names he recorded: Soeur
Marie Demerse. Gilbert and Lumiehe None
of them over twenty years OF age, ana all
came from parishes below Quebec
The Sisters worked with the peslstency OF
hcroines. by turns imporng, beseeching and COM
manding the patients. and finally saving large
number in viewof the inadequate facilities at hand
Sister Therese the superioress. is broken hearted.
and. being at present in ill-health, her name may
~. adiad To the already long LIST of victims Doc.