New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-08
THE LONGrE POINT ASYLUM FIRE.

THE LONGUE POINT ASYLUM fIhh'
This &c called q humane age, yet how often
!. tho henevolence of modern civilization found
,,on.;nc !, common sense The fnghtful
calamity in the Tongue Point Insane Asylum
near Montreal offers practical demonstration
Of the reckessness with which philanthropic
schemes are conducted even III TINS progressive
age Large and costly buildings five and SIX
stories in height, had been erected without any
ATTEMPT to make them fire proof These build
;rgs wore closely connected so as to multiply
Tho risks of fire and the ventilation system
was inpeniously contrived for carrying flames
from the ground floor TO the roofs, long lOngl-
tudinal shafts operating as tues. The asylum
was situated in an inaccessible district, ten
miles from Montreal, and was provided neither
with an adequate water supply nor with any
available appliances for lighting fre. 1t was
crowded with patients at least 1900 being
lodged in the wards and cells but no precau-
tion, had ever been taken to anticipate or 10
avert the catastrophe which finally occurred
There were no means of connecting pumps
with boilers there were neither ladders nor
fre-escanes. there was no drilled fire brigade
Of atxnndants: there was no organized system
for rapidly emptyng the wards and reScung
the inmates Thirty minute after the flames
wore discovered the enormous asylum was an
nnmanaceable bonfire. A hundred lunaticS
were roasted to death.
The nuns and attendants worked with heroic
energy. but they could not reach the upper
floors in time 70 rescue the patients. There
had been criminal neglect on the part of
architects and projectors to recognize the risks
of fire. and equally rcprehenSblc negligence
on the part of the management to supply prop
or facilities for eXtinguiShing flames and clear
ing the wards There had been reckless
benevolence without prudence and common
sense. and the penalty had to be paid, horror
upoi horror IierOSm on the night of the
calamity was a meagre compensation for the
lack of judgment displayed in the construction
and management of the buildings. The Prov
ince of Quebec. instead of erecting suitable
buildings for the insane and maintaining them
as State institutions on humane principles, has
found it cheaper to farm out the unfortunatc>
at 500 a head The religious si>tcrhood IN
charge of this asylum has been compelled TO
conduct il "a economically possible and 70
avoid outlay for permanent Improvements ana
needed repairs. 1t was benevolence ION the
cheap" and the Province must share the re-
preach of the horrors which have been cn'1lcd
lN lack of prudence and by reckless disregard
of the most ordinary precautions against ire
and panic.
The disaster at Tongue Point is a warning
against the construction Of high buildings and
large structures for the use OF the insane. The
most humane as well a the safest method OF
housing and caring for these unfor'una'e> l.
the plan of forming colonies in cottages and
detached buildings. In this way patients ar"
readily classified and large numbers are not
masSod together with added risks IN the event
Of outbreak Of fire and with the most dc'r
mental effects at all times in the treatment OF
durable and convaleSccnt cases. Even when II
is necessary 70 have a large structure Tor IN"
accommodation of hundreds Of inmates. II can
be built ON the ground and not high in the air.
4 model building Of this sort has recently been
opened i'm the woods kshind the state Hospital
for the Insane at PoughkecpSic Even when
the buildings are properly constructed there
must be systematic organization OF the body oi
attendants as a prcCautiOn against lire and
sudden panics At Tongue Point the nuns said
their prayers and performed their work of
mercy: but there was no thought on the part
of the management or OF the state officials Pc
,pccting the terrible risks 20 which the un-
fortunate inmates were daily exposed. y min
imum cost of maintenance per head was the
main consideration with them. The plain rc
uu.<emcntS of humanity were disrcgardcd.
4 HLTNUER ABOTT COINAGE.