The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-05-09
THIRYHBN PBRISHED
In the Burning Of the Chenango
County Insane Asylum.
4 SCENE OF GREAT TERROR.
The Difficulty In Getting the Inmates
to Leave Before tho Fire Reached
Thcm-Thc Cries and Means
of tho Victims Appalling.

UTICA, N. T., May S.-The Chenangc
county Poor House and Insane Asylum
at Preston, six miles west Of here, were
entirely consumed by fire last night.
The fire was discovered about eleven
o'clock in the north wing Of the poor
house building, where the idiots were
kept. There were no provisions for ex.
tinguishiug tho flames. Tho keepers
and ncighbors gave their attention to
getting out the. l25 paupers and insane,
and let the building burn. These were
all rescued, but eleven idiots are missing.
Six bodies were seen slowly burning.
The other five are supposed to be cover.
ed up. Tho poor house building was
three stories high and built Of wood.
The Insane Asylum was also wooden
building two stories high and only sep.
arated from the poor house by drive.
way.
Tho property was estimated worth
S25, 900, and is insured for $4,000. The
Universalist and Baptist Churches have
been opened for the reception of the
unfortunates. Superintendent OF the
Poor Bancock, OF South New Berlin, has
lett for the scene OF the disaster. The
origin Of the fire is unknown. Yester.
day afternoon a woman was in the idiot
department smoking. She put her pipe
in her pocket and was soon enveloped
In flames aud later died from the effects
OF the burns. 1t is supposed that some
Of the idiots got hold OF some matches,
and in playing with them set fire to the
building. The names of the dead so far
discovered are:
Sarah Mills, Mary Gallagher, Sarah
Bailey, Laura Gray, Della Benedict,
Deborah Dibble, Mary Ann Dibble, Lucy
Warren, Amelia Atwood.
A SCENE OF TERROR.
All the departments in the institution
were crowded, and it can well be im-
agined that the rescue OF the poor crea.
lures, many OF them old and very feeble,
and others wild with fear and terror,
which added to their insane delusions,
was by no means an easy task. The
keeper and citizens worked as best they
could to carry, drive, drag and push the
inmates out, but the tlames spread so
rapidly there was little time, and the
great wonder is that SO many were res.
cued. There was little system in the
conduct OF the effort to cave. People
went att haphazzard, appalled, by the
awfulness OF the cries and moans CT the
inmates and the magnitude OF the catas-
trophe. Not one;of those who worked
expected that 80 many would be saved,
as it seemed that all could not be gotten
out.
Sheriff Mckinney has sworn in a large
number Of deputies and is searching for
missing paupers. The number of dead
may possibly reach thirteen, but from
the state of the ruins it is impossible to
state exactly. The most careful account
Of the superintendent does not show
that more than thirteen were burned,
A later message from Norwich says sew
eral OF the inmates OF different depart
ments in tho Preston county house who
escaped to the hills and woods last
night during the confusion have been
recaptured. It is not at. all probable
that over thirteen are burned, though
between twenty and thirty are missing.
ORIGIN OF TIE FIRE.
The origin OF the fire was possibly the
smouldering sparks Of slight fire
which occurred Wednesday afternoon.
Deborah Dibble, a feeble minded old
woman, was smoking pipe and set her
clothing and bedding on fire, and was
burned fatally before the flames could
be extinguished. Her corpse was burn.
ed last night. 1t is supposed that the
ire started from some undisco vc,cd
smouldering sparks,from this event.
The keeper was awakened by pauper,
and attempted to release the idiots, but
was driven back by the fire. He then
ran through the other buildings in his
night clothes, rousing the inmates and
turning them out OF doors. The insane
patients had to be forced out, and fought
against release, but all were saved. Most
Of them were taken under guard to the
Methodist snl Universalist churches till
other quarters are provided, and such
gibberlng motley congregation was never
seen in the churches before. Some
escaped and took to the woods, where
the Sheriff and large number Of depu-
ties are hunting for them-to-day.
Keeper Nlainwaring rescued several OF
them at the peril OF his life. The scene
at the burning was indescribable and
the horrors Of Tongue Pointe were re-
enacted on smaller scale.7 Dcmented
and terror-stricken inmates wandered
around the burning piles in hopeless
manner: The great wooden buildings
lit up the, hills for miles around. a
bucket brigade was formed OF the citi-
zens Of Preston and about hundred
labored to save the smaller building in
the rear, with success. The stables and
farm buildings were saved.
The Board Of Supervisors is in special
session tonight at Norwich to take
measures for prompt relief. The coroner
will hold an inquest into the disaster.
PROMPTED BY=EEyENGE,