Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-15
HOLOCAUST.
An Insane Asylum Burned near Mon
treal-Une Hundred Lives Lost.
No Water with which to Qusnch the Fiery
Demon-The Maniacs sport in the
Flames-Terrible scenes.

PoENTE, QUE, May GA long line Of gaunt
towers, Glazing debris, shining in the wild eyes
of maniacs. That is all one now sees Of the
Tongue Poente lunatic asylum, located ten
miles from Montreal, and which, with man
lives, was to-day consumed by the
flames. The sights one witnessed before
this tragic scene are such as can never be for
gotten. Taking it all in all, nothing could ex-
coed the horror attending this terrible calamity
considering the number of the victims, the
terrible nature of their death and the manner
in which the helpless victims received their
fate. What to spectators was scene of horror
was the lunatics' moment of supreme glee, and
in their delight they displayed themselves in the
flames and waved their blazing limbs in turbu-
lent satisfaction at the ruin that
walls wal tpmbled n over them hen we're their
maniac screams silenced. There were incar-
cerated in Tongue Poente 1900 lunatics,
than hospital, and now not more than IICO
are accounted for, but many escaped
into the feds and woods ana the dead are ashes.
What is the number of the dead is purely q
matter of conjecture and can never be ascer-
tanned. since no other record il kept than
that sn IN the asyIm 6G iOt and they
the whole of the evidence from the fremen, tiisn
inmates, the sisters in charge, bystanders and
personal observation, it is conservative esti-
mate to say that 100 victims met their death, 8
though some assert that the number is doubls1
that stated, and others place it below this
The fire originated in the cuapbord and was
the work of patient. At five minutes of II
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 well have remained at home for
in i've minutes they exhausted the water sup
ply. The only thing that could save the build
ing was the st. Lawrence river and it was half a
mile distant.
When the Associated Press reporter arrived
with the fremen the dome of one tower had jus
fallen. The flames were bursting everywheret
Streams of water were brought to bear on the
flames and while they lasted some good was
done, but that was very brief space,
revealed. AS the heat increased the statues
fell from their places to the ground, and then
the inhabitants prostrated themselves, crying
aloud that the saints had deserted them, indeed.
Meantime beds, furniture and utensils of every
description were being shovered from the win
dows, and stream of ill-clad men poured out of
the eastern wing.
The sights in the groupds surrounding the In
stitution were horrible beyond description.
Hundreds of lunatics, male and female. were
grouped together gibberinE and In frenzied
condition. Nuns were making every effort to
control them and allay their fears, and IS rap
idly as possible the poor creatures were re-
moved to places of shelter in the neighborhood.
The fremen worked heroically and suc-
ceeded in rescuing many persons, IN many in
stances at the risk OF their own lives. Thou
from the city and surrounding country. Nuns
doctors and other attendants are beseiged with
anxious inquiries after friends and relatives.
ton was seen this afternoon, and he said that
there was very little connection among the in
IN the forward part all walked out
quietly; some, however, refused to leave
their cells and had to be taken out by force.
Those who perished were IN the wards on the
top floor. Efforts to learn their names have SO
far proved futile, as the rescued are scattered
that no roll can be called.
Not male patient was lost. Among the
women it was different. The less hopeless cases
were placed in the lower wards and they were
removed without difficulty, but from the upper
wards where the violent patients were Sc
cured there came the widest screams as
they resisted the nuns who came beseeching
them to make their escape. At the windows the
bars, grinning and jabbering at the bright flames
that went up to the sky. As the heat be-
came more intense they would grasp the
flames enveloped them. On the inside
Chief Benoit says it was such sight as no fire.
were nstients and at his annroaeb
they huddled together like pack Of beasts, en-
twining their arms into one mass OF.
but &An said the s chief: Il could NO 0ei more
separate the crowd than could the parts Of ]
your horse" He tugged at them until the irk
darted into their garments and embodied thsEA1
like shroud Of flames and then he escaped with
his life. The sisters worked with the persistency
of heroines, by turns imploring, beseeching and
very large number in view Of the inadequate
facilities at hand. Sister Therese, the superior
ess, Is hrokeR-heartsd and being as present in i'll
health her name may be added
to the already long list Of vic
Tins. Drs- Bourque and Baralet were7
carried from the building unsconscious and y
whatever must be said of the management as al
whole, the individuals exercised every power to7i
lessen the calamity, they had neglected to
avert.
A loud explosion was followed By 6 crash OF
beams. The interior was giving way The wild