Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-01-09
NEW YEATS HOLOCAUST.

!
| Fire IN the Pauper School at Forest Gate
| Lon DON. in Which Twenty-Six Boys Lost
Their Lives hy burning or Suffocation-
Young Hefo-Fire in the Eoyai faiace
at Laekeaa. Belgium-One Life Lost ana
| One of the Finest Art Collections IN
Europe Destroyed.
LONDON, Jan. 1.-The Paupers' school
at Forest Gate, a connection OF the
Whitechapel Unions, was burned early
Yesterday morning and twenty-six boys,
who were asleep in the upper stories
were suffocated before they could be
rescued. Fifty-eight others were rescued
by the attaches of the Institution and
members of the fire brigade amidst tae
most intense excitement and at great
risk Two of the matronS effected their
escape by sliding down water pipe.
They reached the ground uninjured.
Some of the boys, emboldened by the
example set by the matrons, escaped in
the same manner. The superintendent
of the school exhibited great bravery
and repeatedly dashed through the
flames returning each time with the al
most inanimate form of some youngster-
The school contained in all six hundred
pupils.
the twenty-six dead bodies were re-
moved to the main hall of the institu-
ton, where the profuse Christmas deco
rations still depended from the ceiling
and walls. The fire originated from an
overheated stove.
The girls wing of the schooI contain
ing $50 inmates was not touched by the
flames. The boys retired in the highest
spirits in anticipation of promised pres
ents to be given them yesterday. A
New Years fete was also TO be held
The scenes in the death chamber, where
the relatives and schoolmates of the
victims are viewing the bodies, are
heartrending.
During the day thousands of per-
sons, impeled by curiosity, have visited
the scene of tho fire, and the
police and attendants have been kept
busy in their endeavors to retain suf-
fcient clear space wherein necessary
work might be done. The school was
filled with boys who had been commit
ted to its care because of their incor-
rigible habits, and altogether the in
mates were of character from
which little discipline or obedi-
ence might be expected in mo-
ments when both were imperatively
demanded. AS a rule, however, the
boys yielded readily to the directions of
their superiors. and to this fact is due
the safety of scores who otherwise
would have persisted. Out of the twen-
ty-six who lost their lives only two were
burned to death, the others having bee
suffocated in their beds. Many of the
latter were aroused with the rest, but
became stupefied with the smoke, and
crawled back to their cots to die.
THE HERO OF TIE OCCASION
was boy who acted in the capacity Of
monitor in the fatal ward, himself boy
whose vicious habits had made him an
inmate of the institution. Through his
efforts many boys were literally driven
from the building, and he ceased his
work of rescuing his fellows only when
he was himself driven out by the
flames. Several of his companions he
dragged unconscious out of the windows,
while others he carried into the air in
his arms.
Latest reports show that the fire
originated in a clothing room beneath
the boys dormitory. The ages of tho
dead boys range from seven to twelve.
FIRE IN THE ROYAL PALACE.
BRUSSELS, Jan. 2.-The royal palace
at Laekean, a suburb of Brussels, was
almost completely Quilted by fire yester-
lay, and portions of the building were
entirely destroyed. The origin of tho
fire is not yet known. The flames
spread rapidly, and at one time threat
ened to cut off the escape of most of the
inmates. The Princess Clementine had
very narrow escape from death, and
her rescue was effected with the great
est difficulty. young lady who acted
as governess to the Princess was unable
to follow her mistress and was burned
to death. The only portion of the pal
ace which escaped the ravages OF the
flames was that in which the private
apartments of the King were situated.
The royal collection of works of art,
one of the finest in Europe, comprising
some of the most valuable paintings and
.tatuary extant, was entirely destroyed.