Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-05-14
ANOTHER HOLOCAUST.
Tongue Pointe Insane Asylum, Neal
Montreal, Destroyed.

L
| MontreAl, Destroyed.
| A Montreal dispatch of the 9Th says:
A long line of gaunt towers, the blazing
debris shining in the wild eyes of
maniacs-that is all one now saes of the
Longus Pointe Lunatic Asylum, located
| ten miles from Montreal, which, with
many lives, was to-day consumed by
| flames. Fifteen minutes before noon
the cry of fire" was given. 1t origina-
ted In q cupboard and was the work of q
patient.
From the construction of the building
| there Is doubt in some minds as to
whether 1t was intended for an asylum
or blast furnace; in any case it served
the latter purpose admirably. 1t was
constructed of brick, and was 900 feet
| long, running back from the river half
the distance. The main building oc-
cupied the center, and on each side
extended four wings six stories In
| height. To the east were the mems
wards, and to the west the women's,
making sixty in ali. In the rear were
the engine-house and the laundry and
store-rooms, all of which were saved.
The fire started in the second ward, on
the woman's side, in the upper story,
and, as ventilation was carried on by
longitudinal shaft connected with the
towers, the flames soon appeared blaz-
ing through the root in the center OF
each tower.
There were incarcerated in Longe
| Polnte j $50 lunatics, Tor that asylum
| was prison more than hospital and
now not more than ITO are accounted
| for; but many escaped into the fields
and woods The number OF dead is u
matter Of conjecture, and can never
be ascertained, since no other record
| is Kept than that in the asylum books,
and they are also destroyed. Tax
| ing into consideration the whole OF the
| evidence from the fremen half-sane in
mates, the sisters in charge, bystanders
and personal observation, it is con-
sentative estimate to say that 100 vic
Tins met their death, though some as
sert that the number is double
that stated, and others place it
| below this figure. Ever since Que
| bee was province its management OF
| these most helpless of all creatures has
been its shame. They have been farned
out to the nuns at 500 a head per year,
ana the sisters aim was to keep them
as frugally as possible and with the least
| possible outlay for permanent works or
repairs. While their most urgent bod
| lily wants were supplied, no attempt was
| made at systematic medical treatment.
At IL 90 o'clock telegraphic message
was received in Montreal, saying that
the asylum was on fire and imploring
| assistance. One engine and two reels
| started on their ten-mile run, and were
quickly on the spot, but they might as
| we'll have remained at home, for in five
| minutes they exhausted the water sup
| ply. The only thing that could save
| the building was the st. Lawrence nv
or, and it was half mile distant.
~ 10 1or A
the women it was different. The less
| hopeless cases were placed in tie low
er wards, and they were removed with
out difficulty, but from the upper wards,
| where the violent patients were
secured. there came the widest
screams as they resisted the nuns
who were beseeching them to
| make their escape. at the windows
maniac would be seen peering through
the bars, grinning and labbering at the
bright flame that went up to the sky.
AS the heat became more intense she
| would grasp the bars and remain there
until the flames enveloped her.
When the fremen found they were
powerless to save the building they
| turned their attention to the inmates
| and burst open the doors with axes.
Inside, Chief Benoit says, it was such
| sight as no fireman ever witnessed. In
one ward that be entered were twenty
| five patients, and at his approach they
huddled together like pack of beasts.
entwining their arms into one mass Of
| humanity He seized the nearest, bat,
said the chief, II could no more sepa-
rate the crowd than I could parts of
yonr horse" He tugged at them until
the fire darted into their garments and
embodied them like shroud of
fame, and then he left them. In
another ward three fremen were
nearly trapped to death. They
| entered. and the door, which
| had spring lock, closed behind them.
| AS is 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 chief, suspecting their peril, sent
| aid to the other side, and the men were
| carried down on ladders.
| The fremen say there was lack of
| fre-fghting facilities. Although appli-
ances were there they were utterly use
| less. The institution had excellent
| engines, ten good pumps and new boil
ers, but no come ctiOn existed between
the pumps and boilers.
The st. Jean de Dieu asylum, COM
| monty called Tongue Pointe," was
founded in 1873. The government be-
Ing OoSlrOuS OF Closing the st. j can de
Iberville asylum and relieving the Beau
port asylum at Quebec, which was over
crowded, came to an understanding with
| the Sisters of Providence with the view
of establishing an asylum for idiots and
| insane. The erection of edifces was
commenced the following year, and on
| July Is, 1875, this asylum received it's
| first patients.
The Hon. Premier MERCER has placed
| the Montreal exhibition buildings at
| the disposal of the nuns, and tomorrow
the buildings will be stocked with pro-
| visions.
| The Sisters of Providence spent in
founding and organizing this institution
ST, 1920, 232, of which $7OO,O0o was
spent on the buildings. The build
| Ing was insured by the government
for 100000, in the Royal Insurance
Company. This sum had been reinsured
in eighteen local companies in sums
varying trom $1,000 to $4,000. The SIS
| terhood of Providence, VINO owned the
building, and under whose management
4 & ha futio hos l.