The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1890-05-27

shall come into force on the Ist OF
October"
The Emperor concluded his
speech by saying: "If the labors
before you are brought to pros
porous termination, new and strong
guarantees for the internal welfare
and the external security of the
Fatherland thereby have been OBJ
tanned"
A Terrible Fire.
The Tongue Pointe Insane Asy-
lum near Montreal, Canada, caught
fire about 11:30 A. NJ. May 9th, and
at o'clock P. NJ. the building was q
mass of flames. The fire apparatus
at the asylum was utterly made
quate and several steamers were
forwarded from Montreal on a spe.
cial train Hundreds of Iunat;cs,
male and female, were grouped to-
gether IN the asylum grounds in o
gibbering and frenzied condition.
The nuns made every effort to con-
troll them and allay their fears, and
as rapidly as possible the poor
creatures were removed to places of
shelter in the neighborhood. A
few minutes past 2 o'clock de-
tachment of the Montreal Fire Bril-
gade arrived en- the scene and did
good work. The fire is SAID to
have originated in cupboard in
the middle wing of the structure.
1t is reported that terrible
scenes followed the discovery of
the fire. The attendants were
fighting with hundreds of violently
insane persons, who struggled,
screamed, swore and attempted to
throw themselves from the win
dows and roofs. 1t is said that fully
100 patients persisted in the flames.
The building, which cost $1,000
900, was completely destroyed.
The disorder during the fire was so
great that it was impossible to OBJ
tain anything like correct estim-
ate of the killed.
About ninety patients in the
small cells, many of whom were
raving maniaes, and some in chains
and letters, had no means of escape.
The fire broke out in the north
western building, rushed UP the
ventilator and attacked the roof.
From there it spread to the large
central building with incredible
rapidity considering the solid char
acter of the structure, and swept
everything before it. Dense vol
umes of smoke burst through the
windows, then the flames shot
through the roof high into the air,
red, massive and terrible, dyeing
the sky for miles.
The smoke increased and the
flames burst through every barrier.
Within an hour the vast pile was
doomed. The roof Of the central
building fell in with loud report
like heavy cannon. The heat be-
came so intense that the fierce glow
could be felt on the cheek from the
high road at the end of the long
avenue. The walls toppled and
fell, and only their black and
ragged remains were left standing
at 2 o'clock.
No power en- earth could have
checked the fire. Sixteen hundred
inmates were in the building, many
of whom were bed-ridden. AS fast
as possible they were rushed to the
western wing and hurried down.
stairs and out upon the grounds.
One young girl in the midst of
the drizzling rain sat at piano in
the grounds and played sweet
music while the flames rose above
her. Those who saw the spectacle
will never forget it.
Seven nuns are known to be
among the victims who were roast
ed to death. Their names. as far
as can be ascertained, are: La
Mere Lahia of the Sacred
Heart, Sault au Recollect; Sister
Marie Graveile, her sister Julia,
and two other nuns named Gilbert
and Bouthelier, all from Quebec.
At the windows were maniacs
peering through the bars, grinning
and jabbering until, enveloped in
the flames, they were compelled to
their hold, and drop back
10 an awful death.
Chief Bennett says it was such a
sight as no one ever before wit
messed. In one hall were twenty
i've patients, and at his approach
hey huddled and clasped them
selves together like pack of beasts.
He seized the nearest, "but," said
he chief, II could no more separ-
tie that crowd than l could separ-
tie the parts of body"
He tugged at them until the fire
eized their garments and embodied
hem in a shroud of flames.
One nuns sister, Marie, had been
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