New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-09
TEN INMATES WERE BURNED.
THE CHENANGO COUNTY POORHOUSE De
STROYED

sMpklN" P1PE-THE FLAMES, AT FIRST
sUBDUED, BROKE OUT AGAIN AT MID
NIGHT AND NINE PERSONS IN THE
IDIOT WARD PERIsHED.
Utica, May s.-The larger portion of the
Chenango County Buildings. which for fifty years
have been atarcston, about six miles from Nor
wich. were destroyed by fire last night. about
midnight, and ten of the inmates. possibly monc,
were burned. The buildings destroyed were the
asylum, in which there were about eighty inmates,
and the pauper- house and idiot ward. in which
there were about forty inmates. Both
wooden buildings, in good reDair having wings
and two stories in height. They stood side by
side, driveway separating them. They were
valued at $4,000. and insured for 81 o, ,000 and
arc total loss The fire started in the idiot
ward OF the main building and as the inmates
were asleep and no sounds heard, it is probable
that the smoke and gases smothcred them before
they felt the pain Of the fire
The origin of the fire was probablY the
smouldcring sparks OF slight fire which occurred
on Wednesday afternoon Deborah Dbbc, n
icchlc-minded old woman, was smoking a pipe
and SET her clothing and bedding on nrc. and was
burned fatally before the flames could he en-
D. H.
II is supposed thai the fire started from some
undiscovered smoulderine sparks
The keeper was awakened by paupcr. lie
attempted to release the idiots, but was driven
back by the fire. He then ran through the other
buildings in his nght-cothcs. rousins the inmates
and turning them ont Of doors. Tie insane pa
tcnis had some Of them to be forced out and
fought against release. but all were saved. Most
Of them were taken under guard TO the Methodist
and Univcrsalst churches till other quarters were
procured, and such a gibherinG, motley congrega-
ion was never in churches before. Some
escaped 10 the woods, where the Sheriff and a
large number Of deputies hunted for them to-day.
The names Of tie IDIOTS Who were burned
are Sarah Mills Alton: Sarah Gallagher, Arvella
Atwood, Norwich: Sarah Bailey. Columbus Laura
Gray, Greene Deborah Dibblc. BainbrdGc; Mary
ODlnies, Preston; Almeda Austin, Adclia Bcnc
dict, Lucy Warren. County.
Keeper Mainwarns rescued several persons AT
the peril Of his life. The scene was indcScrbable
and the horrors Of Tongue Poin,e were re-enacted
ON a smaller scale Dcmcntcd and tcrror-strcken
inmates wandered around the bnfninS pile in
hopeless manner. The flames lighted up the hills
for miles around. \ bucket brigade was formed
by the citizens Of Preston, and about hundred
lahorcd 10 save tie smaller buildings IN the rear
with success The stables and farn-buildinss
were saved The large mikehouse was burned
The Board 81 Supervisors held special session
tonight al Norwich 10 take measures for prompt
relief 1t is probable that the county buildings
will he erected at some place where there are
railroad facilities.
Edward Francis pouper. tells this story My
room was in the rear of the pauper department,
Just across the alley from the idiots and i'm
mcdiatcly on hearing their cries. ! called Keeper
Mainwarng who came dQwn stairs from his room
in hurry. I;y that time the building was
doomed and the folks insiGc were screaming ana
calling for help but no one could lIyc a minut"
in there. 50 went for the Others and got tAem
ont safe and sound You know that Mrs. Dihble
was smoking pipe in there in the afternoon and
set herself on fire and WIS burned 50 badly that
she died about o'clock 1st night Her bed was
all on ire, too. but we threw water on II and
put II out anerward washing the floor; and |
thought al tie time that everything was all
right. but some sparks must have been left to
snouldcr and they finally broke into a blaze.
Everybody who could possibly lie saved was taken
out and none pcrishcd who could be- awakened
J.. T. Manwnrn!, the keeper, said: How
the fire originated is a mystery to myself. as well
rs to every one else. When took possession a,
keeper OF the house, threw out all the oil stove
pilT ana replaced IL WIN new, IfStV's putting
heavy sheet iron screens around every stove.
B sides this ii has been my hobby - 90 every
thing 10 prevent Il conilagratlon. IL must have
been ease Of spontaneous combustion.
The Insurance amounted 10 $4,000 and Is
equally divided among The following companies
except that the policy IN the Citizens Is for
$2,0OO: Phoenix. Hartford Home North
America, Royal Imperial, NlHgara, Pcnnsy ylyania,
Citizens, GlcnS Falls. Washington. Pacihc. Lon
don and Liverpool AID Globe. Gcrnan-Ancrican,
Hanover, American. orient aHd sun.
The Chcnaago County Poorhousc situated
on tie county larm on the east side Of the road
leading from Preston 10 Oxford II was slN
miles west Of Norwich. SIX miles north of Oxford
and about one mile from PrSton Corners. The
hulldlng devoted 10 pauperS was built Of wood,
three stories high above the base
ment and was pleasantly situate
an cmincncc facing the wcs.. The
main building, or central part. was forty
by eighty feet. Attached to this were two two
story wings extending east each thirty by forty
feet In the of these at a distance of twenty
six feet, was the milk house The building was
erected in 1852. and afforded originally accom-
notation Ior 12j inmates The insane aSy lun
was south of the poorhonse, and WAS separated
from II by driveway twenty three feet W!dr
This building was two stories high and eighty
five feet long Several additions had been made
to from timc TO time the latest bcine twcstory
wing, which extended east from the rear thlrtN
feet The fa rm has been used by the county Ior
poorhous" purposes for fifty years. This Is the
first disaster In It's history.