The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1890-05-08
DEATH IN A MADH0USE.
Fire Destroys the Insane Asylum
at Tongue Point,
Quebec.
Thirteen Hundred Inmates in
the Institution-Two Hun
bred Missing. $751;
Fifty Patients and Seven Nuns Sup
posed to Have Perished in the
Fire Trap.

Tongue Point lunatic asylum, and the
horrible sights that were witnessed dur
ing the destruction Of the building will
never be forgotten by the spectators,
though to the lunatics it was time Of
sudden glee and in their delight they
sported themselves in the flames and
waved their arms in turbulent satisfac-
ton at the ruin that was being wrought.
Not until the walls tumbled over their
heads were their maniacal screams 81
fenced. There were incarcerated in the
asylum 1900 lunatics; for the place was
more like prison than a hospital, and
in the evening not more than |, 100 had
been accounted for, but many had es-
capped into fields and woods. The num-
Der of dead is now purely matter Of
conjecture and is not likely to be ever
ascertained, SINCE no other record ID
kept than the asylum books and these
We're destroyed by the fire. Taking into
consideration all the evidence from fire.
men, half sane inmates, the sisters in
charge, by-standers and personal obser-
walton, it is a conservative estimate to
say that
100 VICTIMS MET THEIR DEATH
in the flames, although some assert that
the number is 200. No such calamity has
fallen upon Quebec province in time out
of mind.
Five minutes before noon telegram
was received in Montreal imploring as
sistance. The mayor as once ordered
help to be dispatched. An engine and
two reels were soon started and they
were quickly ON the spot, but might as
well remained at home, for in five min
utes they had exhausted the water sup
ply. The fire started in the second ward
on the women's side in the upper story,
and its spread was hastened by long ven=
tlatien shafts connected with the tow
ers. The flames soon spread, blazing up
through the roof in the center of each
tower. When the firemen arrived the
dome Of. one of the towers had just
fallen, and the flames were bursting out
everywhere.
Streams were laid on and while they
lasted some good was done, but that was
for very brief space, and then the hoEs
rOr Of the situation was revealed. Mean
time beds, furniture and utensils were
being thrown from the windows, and
streams Of ill-clad men poured out of
the eastern wing, not one male patient
being left. Among the women it was
different. The less hopeless gases
were treated in the lower
wards, and these persons were
removed without difficulty, but from
the upper wards, where the violent pa
tients were confined, there came the
widest screams as the unfort unates re-
sisted the efforts of the nuns in making
| their escapes. At the windows the ma
MACS could be seen peering through tha
bars, jabbering until they were envel:
openi in the flames and compelled to re-
lease their hold and
DROP BACK IN THE cAULDRoN.
When the fremen found they were pow-
erless to save the building they turned
| their attention to the inmates and burst
in the doors with axes. Chief Bennett
says it was such sight as no frelnaa
ever before witnessed. In one hall he
entered We're twenty-five patients, and
at his approach they huddled and
clasped themselves together like pack
of beasts. He seized the nearest, "but,"
said the chief, II could no more separate
the crowd than 7 could separate tho
parts of one body.n He urged them I'M
til the fire darted into their garments
and EMBODIED them
IN A sHRoUD OF FLAMES.
One of the Tertiary nuns, Soeur Marie,
had been asleep in the sick inarmatarV
on the fifth floor, and to her rescue hur-
ried three others: They seized their
companion and bore her in blanket to
/ by a sheet of flame and all four persisted.
Their names were: Soeurs Marie, De-
morris. Egilbert and Lumiene. None Of
them was over 20 years of age. All came
from the parishes below Quebec, The
sisters worked most hereicaliy, implor-
ing and commanding patients, and
despite the Instantaneous circum-
stances succeeded in rescuing a large
number.
Sister Theresa, the superioress, has
been in poor health, and it is feared that
the shock may prove fatal to her.
Drs. Bourque and Baralet remained at
the work of rescue until exhausted, and
were carried out unconscious.
The management of the pauper insane
has been long standing shame to tho
Province of Quebec. The unfortunates
have been fafmed out to nuns at 500 a
head per year, and the aim seems to
have been to keep them as cheaply "a
possible, and with the least possible out
lay for buildings or repairs. While the
most urgent bodily wants of the patients
have been supplied, no attempt has been
made at systematic medical treatment.
By curious coincidence the only Prot
estant insane asylum in the province
was inaugurated Tuesday by its new
superintendent. For years the govern
ment has been urged to adopt a modern
/ iaed treatment of the insane, and last
summer the mother superior was sent
abroad to ascertain if any improvements
could be adopted from similar institu-
tions in Europe; but nothing Of value
seems to have resulted from the voyage.
The patients who had fled from the
burning building wandered about aim
lessly clad in scant garments, many of
them veritable Ophelias in their fantas-
tic dress. When released many of them
wept for joy and bounded like deer
across the fields to the Weeds, Patients
Of both srxes escaped, and though cor
don Of police was formed not all the pa
tients were included, and horribly sug-
gestive rumors were brought in by PEG.
pie who came through the woods to the
come upon the inhabitants from the
presence Of SO many lunaties, and they
will count Themselves fortunate if they
are not visited by series of such crimes
as only madmen can devise.
The death roll is now estimated at
fifty, though many more are missing. It
is feared that seven Tertiary nuns are.
burned. Three more are missing.
Among the patients who psrished Is
Sister La Hale, a nun Of the Sacred
Heart convent at Sault Au Recollete,
who was under treatment at the Tongue
! Pointe institution for some months,