The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1890-05-16
ROASTED TO DEATH
An Insane Asylum at Tongue
Pointe, Quebec, Burns.
The Poor Lunatics Laugh at the
leaping Flames.

eoopihS IldllteSs
Over 100 Lost Their Lives-Those
Who Escaped Are Roaming Wild
Over the Country.
TONGUE Po1NTE, Que, May "A
long line Of gaunt towers is all one now
sees of the Tongue Pointe lunatic
asylum, located ten miles from Mon
treal, and which, with many lives, was
yesterday consumed by the flames. The
sights witnessed before this tragic
scene are such as can never be for
gotten. Nothing could exceed the hor
ror attending the terrible calamity, con-
sidering the number of victims, the ter
rible nature of their death and the man
ner In which the helpless victims re-
ceived their fate. What to spectators
was scene of horror was to the luna
tics moment of supreme glee, and in
their delight they disported themselves
in the flames and waved their blazing
limbs in Observation-Disclosures at the
ruin that was about them, and not un-
til the walls tun bled over their heads
were the maniacal screams silenced.
There were incarcerated in Tongue
Pointe 1900 iunatics, for that asylum
was a prison more than hospital. and
now not more than 1,1O0 are accounted
for, but many escaped into the fields
and woods, and the dead are ashes
amongst ashes. What the number of
dead Is is purely matter Of conjecture
and can never be ascertained, since
there was no ether record kept but that
in the asylum books, and they are do
stroyed. Taking into consideration the
whole Of the evidence from tiremen,
half insane inmates and the sisters in
charge, it Is . conservative estimate to
say that 100 victims met their death,
though some assert the number is
double that and others place it below
this figure. However, the fact remains
that no sach calamity has fallen upon
the province Of Quebec since the earli-
est times. Ever since Quebec was
province Its management of these most
helpless Of all creatures has been its
shame. They have been farmed out to
nuns ct 800 q head year and the sis.
ters aim in q way to keep them IS fru-
gally as possible.
From the construction of the building
there is doubt in some minds as to
whether 1t was intended for an asylum
Or blast furnace--in any case, itservcd
the latter purpose admirably. 1t was
constructed of brick and was 600 feet
long. running back from tho river half
the distance. The main building occu-
pied the center, and on each side ex-
tended four wings, six stories in height.
The fire today started in q cupboard in
the the upper story by careless patient,
and as ventilation was carried on by a
longitudinal shaft connected with the
towers, the flames soon appeared through
the roof in the center of each tower. A
telegram was sent to Montreal for aid,
and an engine and reels started at once
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. Law
renee river, and it was half q mile dis
tant. When tho fremen arrived the
dome of one tower had just fallen and
the flames were bursting out every
where.
AS the heat increased the statues fell
from their inches to the ground and
then the habitants Frustrated them
selves, crying aloud that the saints had
deserted them, indeed. 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 patient
WAS lost. Among the women it was
different The less hopeless cases wero
placed in the lower wards, and they
,,tAh 4
from the upper wards, where the violent
patients were secured, there came the
widest screams as they resisted the
make their escape.
seen peering through the bars, grinning
went up to the sky. As tho heat be.
came more intense she would grasp the
bars and remain there until the flames
enveloped her.
Tho inhabitants had come from all
parts roundabout, attracted by the blaze,
and an hour later the little village was
one surging mass of shouting, vocifer-
ating people.
When the fremen found they were
powerless to save the building they
turned their attention to the inmates
and burst In the doors with axes. In
side Chief Benoit says it was such a
sight as no fireman ever before wit
messed. In ono ward he entered there
were twenty-five patients. and at his
approach they huddled together like a
pack Of beasts, entwining their arms
into one mass Of humanity. He seized
the nearest.
But" said the chief. II could nc
more separate the crowd than could
the parts of your horse"
He tugged at them until the fire
darted into their garments and enfolded
them like o shroud of flames, and then
ne escaped with his life.
In another ward three fremen were
nearly trapped to death. They entered
and the door, which had spring lock,
closed behind them. As Is customary
I there WAS no handle on the inside. The
door resisted their axes and they rushed
to the windows, but were driven back
by the flames. The chief, suspectinp
their peril, sent aid to the other side
and tho men we're carried down on lad.
ders.
The engineer of the building did good
work, saving nine patients, and every
fireman made record Of which he NAV
feel proud. On the first alarm the on.
gineer turned on the hose, but IT was
utterly useless, as the fire leaped along
the ventilatiMg shaft to the towers and
burned in dozen places at once.
One Of the tertiary nuns, Soeurmarie
lay sick IN the infrmary on the fifth
floor, and to her rescue came three
others. They seized their companion
and bore her in q blanket to the stair
case, but they were met by sheet OF
flame, and all persisted. None Of them
wore over 20 years Of age.
The sisters worked with the persist
ence Of heroines, by turn imploring, be
sesching and commanding the patients
and finally saving very large mum
Der, In view Of the inadequate facilities
at hand. Sister There's, the superior
ess. is broken-hearted and, being al
present In ill-health, her name may be
added to the already long list Of victims
Drs. Bourqua and Baralet were carried
from tho building unconscious. and
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