Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-05-08
AxInsANr ASYLUM BURNnD.
Awful scenes and Terrific Incidents
-Rascinaten BY tne glare OF thc
Flames Many vi tho Violent Pa-
tleuIN aEesIsI Their Rescuers.

this morning stood the Asile do 81. jean de
Dleu, the largest lunRtic asylum In America
except the willard, at Ovid. N. Y, Mt snnsst
a gloomy mas Of ruins grimly stands out
against the spring sky. A long line OF
4 gaunt 70 wers, tho blazing debris shining In
4 the wild eyes OF mRniacs-that Is all one
now eseS OF the asylum but the sights one
witnessed before this tragic scene are such
as can mover be forgotten.
1 shortly after IL O'Clock, just as the Sisters
OF Providence, who own and are In charge
/ Of the institution, were preparing the mid
day meal Tor their / 300 patients, sister In
l charge OF the women's ward was surprised
by noticing smoke Issuing from PICARD
al the end Of the ward. Opening the door
Nth trembling hands she almost tainted as
huge mass OF IRE and smoke burst into
: h3me, sinestnR her hair. The patients at
once became frantic; one Of them, who 10 u
moment OF morosensss had set the ire,
alone retaining calm demeRnor. Amid
the turmoil some Of the POOR creatures
chung 10 the dazed sisters hands; others
hung about her neck, rendering 1t pnysi.
cal impossibility for her to move, much loss
10 give the alarm.
/ To others among the demoniac patients
this scSna, which struck terror to the hearts
OF even It's partially insane beholders. soon
contributed moment OF supreme glae,
and IN their delight they dlsported them.
selves In the flames and waved their limbs
was about them, and not until the walls
rumbled over their heads were their
maniacal screams silenced. 1But to re urn to
the opening scene. Fortunately tine sister
In charge Of the adjoining cell heard the
turmoil, and opening the dividing door
rushed to her collsague's assistance, and
together they managed to arouse the at
tandants OF some OF the other wards.
A verltabie pRndemonium feigned SUI
prene: but the sisters and attendants
succeeded in conveying every patient OF
that ward out OF the building. The flames,
however, spread with fearful rapidity, and
by the time the two wards In which the
alarm had been given had been emptied OF
their patients the fire hal eaten It's way
through the two stories Immediately above
In which We're situated the inhrmary and
the furious women's wards
The asylum, II should BE- stated here, con.
sisted Of six live story buildings, connected
By hvs four.sioty buildings. Although the
plan appeared particularly adapted TO the
Isolation OF the different WINGS there were
no hre'doors or any other attempt at isola-
ton. III an Incredibly short time from their
first breaking out, the flames, besides
ascending to the upper stories OF tbs wing
in which they started. had spread tnrough
the wings on either side. Tue sisters gen,
orally displayed great nerve and presence
OF mind, but they could not do impossl6ii-
ties. With the assistance OF the lRborers
CONNECTED with the institution the inmates
OF the adjoining wings were gotten out
safely, but the upper fists and the building
in which the fire started were developed ia
flames before the large majority OF the In
mates were rescued.
In the inflrDAry we're 40 sick patients, IN
Gliding the lady euperloress, the Rev. Sister
Iherese, lAiyof stnguiar snrewdness and
untirlng energy, to whose devotion the In
stltution owed Its origin and development.
She was only sufficiently strong to effect
her own escape. Another sister, Louise
drnvsl, beautiful young girl scarce 20
years OF age, nun OF only a years stand
ing and the pct OF the conmunity-if such
term car bs applied-Was weak, and the
hrst light flames witch entered the ward
rendered. her completely Incapable Of exer-
ton, Her sister, Marie, only a few months
heS senior, was also a nuu In the lngtltu-
lion, having charge OF one Of the ehildren's
werde
BsallglnR her sstor's terrible danger this
young girl ran hurriedly to the burning
wing. Struggling through the stream Of
poor demented creatures making their oxit
she gainsd tho stairs leading TO the In
Urinary. As she plunged through the
smoke she was followed by TWO other young
women, Deuere5a Gilbert and Lumina
authiliter, who belong to the quiet villag.
beloT Quebec, where the two Misses Gravel
were bora. Those four took their vows to.
gether The three frhtl but gallant res.
Guerra reached the bed OF the sister and
friend.
one Of the male guardians, from the door
OF the ward, saw Thorn raise her IN their
arms. lie was about to assist them when
he was driven back by a sheet u fine.
X lactantly he stepped back to taE5 a
breath Of air. Then the three girs--none
81 them were wonsu--fell together TO the
floor, overcome with sutfocatiop. He madn
another attempt 70 reach them, but without
avail.
meanwhile scenes which TOR horror have
scarcely ever been eqGhled were trapHDir-
Ing III the ilamlaG ward beneath. Stalwart
women fought iuriously with the COOL nuna
and brave men VINO were striving ~ ssve
them, Gnd tore their hair cut In handsiui
scratched thelr faces and hands GDd toce
their clothes. 1t took as many as four men
to move single patient. Several, after
being carried out, rushed baek again, hll
the unfortunate creatures all the while
screaming ut the top OF their voices.
Not male patieut was lost.
The MontEsal Are brigade, which had
be5u teIegrHPhed Tor As soon AS ths fire
! broke out, did not arrive until the flames
bad complete c0nstol of not only this bu Id.
| Ing, but OF the Two on either side. Two
steam engines wore, soon after the iite-
meu's arIlSni, playing ON tho flames. The
. vorb well Describes The action, for It was
! playing" thuu=aad streams could bnve
NEbhNNAAfNAi
. furnace.
Every window WINS closed with strong
iron blrs, and the rescue OF the poor Gagged
lunatics was beyond hope. Crowds OF
women pressed against the bars, some ap.
pearinR To realize tlgir awful posit on and
shrieking teariully; otheT- quite calious &c
their terrible danger They were soon
! however, literally Tons,ed alive before tht
yves Of the horrllsd spectators.
While these terrible and blOod-curdllnl
even.s were trauspiring the nuns and hos
pltal attendants we're busily engaged ii
! clearing the patients out of all the Other
; wings. Great difficulty was experienced IL
; removing the patients from the men.
/ warde, many OF them having to be Bound
hand and foot. The large grounds around
the buildings presented peculiarly motely
! scene. WITH the patients either rushing
, about or chatterlnR together ia groups
while the shrleks and general hubbub were
deafentng. Many of the patients at once
prohted by their release aud prevailing
confusion to escape.
i All afternoon and evonIng tine authorities
! have been sending the patients to different
! institutions in the Vicinity and to Montreal
) On calling over the roll tonight 1t wa
i found that nearly 800 patients were miss
: ing, but 1t is expected that large propor
: ton oil them will turn up eventually. Tht
I surgeon OF the asylum says that certainl,
90 patients are dead, and tho sisters admit
, Lhat thY death-roll may run beyond 100
1 Several patients, after being rescued, were
. with difficulty prevented from returning
! into the burning building, and 1t is feared
4 that several did return and perish.
d Among the beautiful art treasures anC
ornaments In the tnstttution'S chapel was
princely gift from the pope to the reverend
mother superior. number of beautiful
. palnitngs-some OF great value-weIe 20 h
a seen upon its walls. One OF these was
A.. L., na..a