The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-05-08
THE ASYLUM FIRE.
Further Particular Prom the Tongue
Pointe Calamity.

Further Particular Prom the Tongue
Pointe Calamity.
Tongue PoINTE, Quebec, May The
laundry Of the insane asylum, in which
100 patients were housed during the night
has just taken fire. The inmates were
beinR removed when the fire broke out
and all are now safe on the outside.
LoSGUE PoINTE, May 7.-Sister Thecse
DE Jesus, superioress OF the burned asy-
i,im, places the loss OF life at certainly -
and possibly 80. DIR. Duquet, government
medical inspector, at at least 10. He Is
strongly opposed to the system Of placing
lunatics under the care OF the sisters and
will ask the government To place incur
able lunatics In small institution where
they can have skilled treatment. The
harmless insane, he said, could he placed
To greater advantage under the care OF
the sisters.
The ruins Of the asylum were next visi-
tcd-nothing but smoking brick and NOR
tar were seen. No vcstigc Of the dead can
bc traced. In the rear OF the asylum are
stables where about one hundred men
patients were quartered last night under
the supervision of the sisters and four
Montreal policemen. The scene was not
one 20 be easily described and not TO he
easily forgotten. Lying on heaps of straw
sickly and feeble lunatics were to he seen
moaning, glibbering, shriekinn. twisting
and jumping. IL made one shudder to
pass down between the two large hay
mows i'm which were confined the worst
cases, NO fierce was the expression Of their
countcnanccs. In th q laundry there are
about one hundred patients, mostly quiet
whose aid has been Of advantage In put
ting things In shape. Some OF them did
most heroic work in rescuing the unfortu-
mates from the flames. One of the at
| tnnaants sat1 TINT Inv
| istetl.
The loss fnahcialIy is placed as high as
1,5O0,000; insurance SDO.0O.
MONTREAL, May As full details of
the Tongue Pointc asylum fire become
known the horror in intensified and the
sisters deri,lcd who assert that the num-
bcr OF dead does not exceed 6D. II Is
known by the last report To the Quebec
| government there were L. 40 inmates in
stead Of 40, and this much Is certain
that no one will ever know the number
\ Of victims. From collateral information
IL must bc there are l50 dead. IL enough
material can he found an inquest will bs
held. The iiremen have left the ground
! The heat is dying out of the
ruins. An Associated Press reporter
was ON the spot all day, his horse fioun
dering among the smoke and ashes.
discharged patient to-day affirmed that Z.
all inquiries sent by friends as to th,
progress patients were making. one ster
cotypcd answer was given without any ~
striction as to accuracy: "Sour friend,
physical condition in excellent, but men
tally there Is no improvements" Ii is nov
known that many of the ward
were locked and in cases whcr'
friends did not break ia Who'll,
roomfuls pcrishcd mscrably. The sigh
the screaming wrctchcs yesterday wa,
bad enough but to-day there was
sa,l,lcr spectacle In the weeping relativci
seeking In vain for some tidings Of som,
member of their family. Men coming al
tonight To the scene were startled by see
ing a lunatic paradiug the streets rcjoic
ing ia his freedom. and frightening th
women till he was seized. Paying pati
ents Jared the hest. hut the great loss wa
among those confined in the upper storic
and those imprisoned Ia the dark base
ment cells. Fire COMMISSIONER PER-
char,icterizcs the building as a death tra
aud a disgrace to civilized country.
startling r.port current Tonight IN that
large number of male patients perishe
in the flames. All of the women ar
thought to have escaped. Ii is ai,solutel
impossible. however. TO add any ne,
names tn the list Of dead. IL will he week
before the nuns will he able to give AN
| information.