St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-07
Frightful Fatality Attending
the Burning Of a Canadian
Asylum.
From Fifty to One Hundred
Lunatics Are Roasted to
Death.
Hundreds Elude the Keepers
and the Dead Are Ashes
Amongst Ashes.
No Such Calamity Has Ever
Fallen Upon the Province
Of Quebec.

TONGUE POINTE, Que, May Ga
long line of gaunt towers, the blazing
debris shining in the wild eyes of mani
acs-that is all one now sees OF the
Tongue Point maniac asylum, located
ten miles from Montreal, and which,
with many lives, was to-day consumed
by flames. The sights one witnessed
before this tragic scene are such as
can never be forgotten. Taking it all
in all, nothing could exceed the hor-
ror attending this terrible calamity,
considering the number of victims. the
terrible nature of their death and the
manner in which the helpless victims
received their fate. What to the spec
tatorS was scene of horror was to the
Inmates moment of supreme glee, and
in their deIght they disported them
selves in the flames, and waved
their blazing limbs Ill turbulent
satisfaction in the ruin that was
about them, and not until the
walls tumbled over their heads were
their manacal screams silenced. There
were incarcerated in Tongue Point ], 300
lunatics, for that asylum was a 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 ashes. What the
number Of the dead is is purely matter
of conjecture and can never be aScer-
tanned. since no other record is kept
than that In the asylum books, and they
ole Tol- mfr
sideration the whole of the evidence
from the half-sane inmates, the
sisters in charge, bystanders and
personal observation it is con-
sentative estimate to say that
A Hundred Victims
met their death, though some assert
that the number is double that stated,
and others place it below this figure.
However, this tact remains that no such
calamity has fallen upon the province
of Quebec since the earliest times. Ever
since Quebec was province its man
agement of these most helpless OF all
creatures has been It's shame. They
have been farmed out the to nuns at 500
a head per year and the sisters
aim was to keep them as frugally as
possible, with the least possible outlay
for permanent works or repairs. While
their most urgent bodily wants were
supplied, no attempt was made at sys-
tematic medical treatment. By curl
Gus coincidence the only Protestant in
sane asylum in the province was inaug-
urated to-day by its new superintend-
ent. Hitherto patients of all
denominations were crowded together,
and the Protestants, by persistent
personal solicitations. raised enough
money to found an institution of their
own, in which their own patients are
being cared for. For years the govern
ment has been urged to redeem Its
treatment of the insane, but last sum-
mer the Mother Superior, with body
guard, was sent abroad with due sol
emnity to ascertain if anything could
he learned from similar institutions In
Europe, but up to this morning she
had evidently discovered nothing
that would be OF value to her in the
care of those entrusted to her. Ten
miles below Montreal point of land
iuts into the river. Here is the village
of Tongue Pointe, and here was the
famous lunatic asylum. Fifteen min
utes before noon
The Cry OF "Fire?'
was given. The fire originated in
cupboard, and was the work of pa
tient. From the construction OF the
building there is doubt in some minds
as to whether it was intended for an
asylum or blast furnace: IN any case
it served the latter purpose admirably.
It was constructed of brick, and was
600 feet long, running back from the
river half the distance. The main build
ing occupied the center, and on each side
extended four wings SIX stories in
height. To the east were the mems
wards, and to the west the wOmen's,
making sixty in all. In the rear were
the engine house and the laundry and
store rooms, all of which were saved.
The fire started in the second ward, on
the woman's side. in the upper story,
and as ventilation was carried on by a
longitudinal shaft connected with the
towers, the flames soon appeared blazing
up through the roof in the center
of each tower. At Ii :55 a telegra phic
message was received in Montreal say
ing that the asylum was on fire, and i'm
ploring assistance. This could not be
given without consulting Mayor Gren-
Ter, who was found at the Bank du Peu-
pie, and he at once 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 we'll have remained at home,
for 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
reporter arrived with the fremen the
dome of one tower had just fallen and
flames were bursting everywhere.
Streams of water were brought to bear
on the flames. and while they lasted
some good was done, but that was for a
very brief space, and then the
Horror of the Situation
was revealed. As the heat increased
statues fell from their inches to the
ground, and then the habitants pros
| trated themselves, crying aloud that
| Meantime the beds, furniture and
utensils of every description were being
| showered from the windows, and a
stream of ill-clad men poured out of the
eastern wing. Not a male pa
tient was lost. Among the women
it was different. The less hope
less cases were placed in The
lower wards, and they were removed
| without difficulty, but from the upper
| wards, where the violent patients were
secured, there came the widest screams
| as they resisted the nuns who were be-
seeching them to make their escape. AT
the windows maniac would be seen
peeping through the bars. erinning and
| iabbering at the bright flames that
went up to the sky. As the heat be-
came more intense they would grasp
the bars and remain there until
the flames enveloped her. The inhab-
itants had come from all parts around
about, attracted by the blaze. and in an
hour the little village was one surging
mass of shouting, vociferating people
recounting the strange scenes they had
beheld. When the firemen found they
were powerless to save the building
they turned their attention to the in
mates and burst in the doors with axes.
Inside, Chief Benoit, says it was such a
sight as no fireman ever witnessed. In