The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-05-09
ANOTHER FIRE HORROR
4 New York Insane Asylum Burned to
the Ground.
Ten Lunatics Lose Their Lives-He-
roic but Futile Efforts to Res
cue the Imprisoned
Inmates.

UTICA, \. ", May s.-The larger por-
Don Of the Chenango county buildings, lo-
ca:ed at Preston, near Norwich, were
Burned at midnight last night and 10 in
mates and possibly more were burned.
The buildings destroyed were an asylum,
- which were about 40 inmates, and the
pauper house and idiot ward, IN which
were 40 inmates. Both were two-story
wood buildings In good repair, having
wings of two-stories i'm height. They were
valued at $4,000 and insured for
et9,uD, and are total loss. The
horrible part of the disaster
Was the burning Of 10 idiots who were in
t1elr cells and roasted alive. The origin
OF the fire is probably the smouldcring
sparks OF slight fire which occurred
"wednesday afternoon when Deborah
Dfbblc feeble old woman was smoking
. pipe set her clothing and bedding on
fire and was burned fatally before the
hanies could be cxtingtIished. Ii Is su =
passed the fire started from some undis-
covered smouldering sparks from this
event The keeper was awakened by the
pauper and attempted TO release the
IDIOTS, hut was driven back by fire.
He then ran through the other
buildings in his night clothes
rescning. Insane patients had some
Of them to be forced out and fought
against release, hut all were saved. Most
OF them were taken to the Methodist and
Universal churches until other quarters
were provided. Some escaped and took
10 the woods, where the sheriff and depu-
ties were hunting for them to-day. The
names of nine idiots who were burned
are: Sarah Mills, Sarah Gallagher. Ar
vile Atwood, Sarah Bailey, Deborah Dib-
bic, May &. Daniels, Alemedc Austin and
Adela Bemalt.
Main Warning rescued several at the
risk of his life. The scenes at the burn
ing were understandable and the horrors of
Tongue Pointe were enacted on a smaller
scale. The dcmen ted aud terror stricken
inmates wandered around the burning
pile In hopeless manner. The great
wooden building lii up the hills for miles
around. A bucket brigade was formed
and labored To save the smaller buildings
ON the rear with success.
NORWICH, n. ". May s.-Thc excite
ment Of the destruction of the poor house
and county insane asylum this morning
was intense, and all those W ho had friends
among the unfortunates eagerly sought in
the ruins for their fate. Preston is six
miles from the railroad and n procession
OF all sorts OF carriages has been going
there all day. At the scene Of the disas-
ter the stenchos sickcning. The idiots
werv roasted like beasts. Keeper Main
Waving said; "On the opening OF the
door leading from the hall 10 the idiot
departments was thunderstr,lck To see
the interior mass of flames. |
attempted to rescue the poor inmates
who were shut i'm their cells as usual, but
was driven back by the heat and smoke.
saw the idiots were doomed aud nothing
could save them. | then aroused the
paupers. In some instances the poor
people were dazed and il was necessary
To carry them bodily from the house and
turn them loose in the yard. There were
II inmates in the idiot asylum and they
must have been overcome by heat, for l
heard nothing from them and they were
roasted alive A bucket of water was
dashed upon them aud the legs and
roasted trunks pulled out and laid on the
grass. All were burned beyond recogni-
ton. In some instances there were re-
moved with shovels nothing but frag-
mputs.