The evening world., 1890-02-12
edition
ASYLUM ON FIRE.
Early Morning Blaze In the Roman
Catholic Orphan Boys Home
Their Admirable Fire Drill Train.
Ing Prevents a Panic.
Damage Estimated at $50, OO0-The
Cause Unknown.

Policeman Roo, OF tho East Fitty.hrst
street station, was standing on the corner
OF Fifty.irst street and Fifth avenue at
.. 90 o'clock this morning. when he saw
fro and smoke bursting through the vim
dows on the top floor of the south wing
Of the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum
for Boys, which occupies the block
bounded by Fifth and Madison avenues,
between Fiity-frs. and Fifty. second
strce,s.
Roo rushed to n firc.box and turned in
an alarm. Then ho dashed ny the Grav-
elled path leading 10 tho main entrance
OF the asylum. to warn the inmates.
Two citizens we're running like race
horses ahead Of him. Tho first man
A servant girl opened the door and the
man jumped by her and tore upstairs.
before she could close, the door the
second man had followed the FIRST, and
thcn Policeman Roe arrived to explain
that the house was on fire.
The girl quickly summoned Sister Mary
Martha, Mother Superior of the Asylum.
who sounded the gong, notifying the
other twenty-six Sisters In the institution
that II was on fire.
The 4l4 orphan boys. ranging in age
from i've to fourteen years, had just
finished breakfast aud were assembling
in their clnssrooms in the north wing for
their daily l~essonr.
They have been thoroughly drilled, in
expectation Of Just such an occurrence.
and were quietly m~arshalled into nnka
and marched ont. without n sign OF panic,
into the big paved courtyard o n the
Madison avenue side OF the building.
Every one was ont within two minutes.
The older boya have formed Q cadet
corps. under the leadership OF Col. Rob-
ert johnson, orphan. aged fourteen, and
he had not been in the yard long before
he approached Sister Mary Martha and
said:
"Sisier. tho boys want to go In and get
mi beds ont OF that part of the building.
We can save them"
She was reluctant to permit them. bat
Dire seemed SO insignificant, that she
finally consented.
Like trained soldiers. the lads in per-
feet order re-entered the building and re-
moved NIL the portable furniture from the
throe floors below TINT where the fire was
before the firemen arrived.
When they did get there ON the first
alarm. thev sent ont q second. on account
of the building being al asylum crowded
with humanity.
Fifth venue awoke. Men and women
lined the roof of the Vanderbilts' man.
Rion opposite. and soon every window IN
the neighborhood wns crowded with
people.
Captain Warts and the reserves from.
the Fitty-frst street station. formed Q
Gordon around the asylum. and let non
but the iiTemen pass.
A great crowd of wollto-do people
gathered. Ladies in costly furs and
cloaks, and moneyed men hurried to tho
spot anxious to ascertain the real condi
ton of affairs.
Eugene Kelly. one of tho managers OF
the Institution, was among the first to
arrive.
Soon afterwards Directors John d. Grim
Minis and William Labor appeared. aud
were relieved TO learn of the comparative
inSignihcance of the fire.
The flames were all extinguished by 0
O'Clock. aud as much damage was done
by the water used TO put out the flames
as by the fire itsslf.
The asylum is a four story structure,
leased with the ground twenty-five years
ago from the city for q term OF ninety
years.
The cause OF the fire is unknown. Il
in . room used as a storeroom
and repair shop, which was Allied with
broken furniture, mattresses. DC.
Mr.. Crimmins attributes the fro to
spontaneous combustion. and so .
Father Layelle. rector Of the Cathedral.
who is also spiritual adviser to the
orphans.
Tho younger boys were sent to the Fs-
male Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum on
Madison avenue and FIfty-tirS street
Some will sleep there tonight, but room
he found for themajority ofthe boys
IN their own building.
The chapel on the second floor We
ruined by water. SO was the room IN
the Cathedral choristers practise.
Mr.. Crimmins estimates tho damage 1t
$50. COO. the police say $40. 900. The loss
IS covered by Insurance.
The fire never got beyond the fourth
floor. The wing IN which it started has
Dnly recently been entirely oyerhauled
md made practically a new building in
side. A defective fue. il is thought, may
have caused the fire.