The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-05-16
Tho FIRE Started in a Cupboard

in the second ward on the woman's side in
the upper story by Q careless patient, and
as ventilation was carried on by a longi-
tudinal shaft connected with the towers.
the flames soon appearing through the roor
in the center of each tower. A telegram
was sent to Montreal for aid, and an en-
CINE 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. Lawrence river,
and it was half q mile distant. When the
Associated Press reporter arrived with the
fremen, the dome of one tower had Just
fallen and the flames were bursting out
everywhere. j.
As the heat increased the statues fell
from their inches to the ground and then
the habitants FRUSTRATED themselves, crying
aloud that the saints had deserted them, I'm
deed. Beds, furniture aud utensils Of
every description were being showeredf from
the windows, and . 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
were placed in the lower wards, and they
were removed without difficulty, but from
the upper wards, where the violent patients
we're secured, there came the widest
screams as they resisted the nuns who were
beseeching them to make their escape.
At one window a maniac could be seen
peering' through the bars, grinning and
jabbering at the bright flame that went up
to the sky. As the heat became more in
tense she would grasp the bars and remain
there until the flames enveloped her.
The inhabitants had come from all parts
roundabout, attracted by the blaze, and an
hour later the little village was one surging
mass OF shouting. vociferating 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. Inside Chief Benoit
/ says IL was such . sight as no 2reman ever
before witnessed. In one ward he entered
there were twenty-five patients, and at his
\ approach they huddled together like q pack
4 of beasts, entwining their armD into one
! mass of humanity. He seized the nearest.
But" said the chief, Il could no more
separate the crowd than l could the parts
Of your horse."
He tugged at them until the Ire dsrted
\ into their garments and
4 EMBODIED Them Luxe . Stroud OF Flames
! and then he escaped With his life. In an
other ward three iremen were nearly
\ trapped to death. They entered, and the
] door, which had . spring lock, closed be-
\ hind them. Az 10 customary 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
1 chief, suspectinR their peril, sent aid to the
other side and the men were carried down
on ladders.
The engineer Of the building did good
work, saving nine patients, and every fire.
man made . record Of which he may feel
proud. On the frat alarm the enRinse,
turned on the hose. but il was utterly use.
less. as the fire lnped along the vsutilat.
ing shaft to the towers and burned in q
dozen places ct once.
One Of the tertiary nuns, sosurmarie,
lay sick in the infrmsry on the 9th door.
and to her rescue came three others.
They seized thor companion end bess hsl