The state herald., 1890-05-16
A TERRlsLE FIRE.
4 Canadian insane Asylum Burned and
Many Lives Lost.


Tongue PoINrE, Quebec, May g.
The insane asylum at Tongue Pointe,
which 10 ten miles from Montreal, burned
last night The building was constructed
Of brick and was 600 feet long, running
back from the river half the distance. Tho
main building occupied tho center, and on
each side extended four wings, six stories
In height. The fro to-day was started in
q. cupboard in the second ward, on the
woman's side, in the upper story by care.
less patient, and, as ventilation was car
ried on by a lonitudinal shaft connected
with the towers, flames soon appeared
blazing through the roof In tho center OF
each tower.
A telegram was sent TO Montreal for old
and engines and reels started at once.
They might Us well have remained at
home, for In five minutes they exhausted
the water supply. The only thing that
could save the building was tho ST. Law
rence River, and it was half II mile distant.
When tho firemen found that they were
powerless to save the building they turned
their attention to the inmates md burst in
doors with axes.
Inside, Chief Benoit says, was such
sight rs no fireman ever before witnessed.
In or, ward he entered were twenty-five
patients and ut his approach they huddled
together like pack Of beasts entwining
their arms into one mass Of humanity. He
seized the nearest but, says the chief, "l
could no more separate the crowd than
could the parts Of your horse" He tugged
at them until the fire dartcd into their
garments and embodied them like shroud
of flame, and then he escaped with his
own life.
1t is thought that not a male patient was
lost. Among the women 1t was different.
The less hopeless cases were placed In tho
lower wards and they were removed with
out difficulty, but from upper wards, where
violent patients were secured, there came
tho widest screams as they resisted the
nuns, who were beseeching them to make
their escape. At the window maniac
grinning and iabbering at the bright flame
that went up to the sky. As the heat be-
came more intense she would grasp the
bars and remain there until the flames en-
veloped her.
Ono Of the Tertiary nuns, Sister Marie,
lay sick in the infirmary on tho fifth floor,
and to her rescue came three others, Dem
erese, Gilbert and Lumiene. They seized
their companion md bore her in blanket
to the staircase, but they were met by
sheet Of flame and all persisted. None OF
them were over 20 years of age. The sis
ters worked with the persistence Of hero
ines, by turns imploring, boseeching and
building.
The closest estimate that can be made
at this time places the number Of lives lost
ut fifty.
A new dread has come upon the inhab-
itants from the presence Of so many es-
capped lunatics, aud they will count them
selves fortunate II they are not visited by
series Of such crimes as only madmen
can devise.
Tho Sisters of Providence spent IN
founding and organizing this institution
81, l32, l39 OF which $4,000 was spent on
the buildings. The buildings were in
surcd by tho government for s3oo,oo0
With the exception of the medical depart
ment, consisting of the doctors, the sisters
retained complete control Of ali the de-
partments.
Premier Mcrcicr has placed the Mon.
treal exhibition building ut the disposal of
tho nuns and tomorrow the building will
be stocked with provisions. The strangcst
wonder TO the iircmen is that such an alb
sence Of fire fighting facilities could exist
Although the appliances were there they
were utterly useless. The institution had
m excellent engine, ten good pumps aud
new boilers, but no connection between
the pumps aud the boilers.