The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1890-05-10
WILL NEVER Be KNOWN.
The Extent Of the Awful Calamity
at Tongue Point,
Quebec.
Or the 1900 Insane Inmates 200 Are
Missing - Most Of Them
Cremated.
Nuns Perish in Attempts to Rescue
UnfoItunates-Vivid Description
Of the Horror.

N"" AS'Aoh Al AuooAhPt5 W ntSCuO
UnfoItunates-Viyid Description
Of the Horror.
TONGUE POINT, Que, May "a long
line OF gaunt towers and a mass Of blaz-
ing debris, reflected in the wild eyes of
the maniacs, is all that is left of the
Tongue Point lunatic asylum, and the
horrible sights that were witnessed dur
ing the destruction of the building will
eve be forgotten by the spectators,
though TO the lunatics it was a time of
sudden glee and in their delight they
sported themselves in the flames and
waved their arms in turbulent satisfac-
ton at the ruin that was being wrought.
Not until the walls tumbled over their
heads were their maniacal screams 81
fenced. There were incarcerated in the
asylum 1900 lunatics; for the place was
more like a prison than a hospital, and
in the evening not more than LOO had
been accounted for, but many had e.
capped into fields and woods. The num-
Der Of dead is now purely a matter of
conjecture and is not likely to be ever
ascertained, since no other record is
kept than the asylum books and these
were destroyed by the fire. Taking into
consideration all the evidence from fire.
men, half Val inmates, the sisters in
charge, ~by-standers and personal obser-
walton, 1t is a conservative estimate to
say that
lW VICTIMS MET THEIR DEATH
in the flames, althou III some assert that
the number is 200. No such calamity has
fallen upon Quebec province in time out
of mind.
Very few male patients persisted in
the flames. Among the women it vas
different. The less hopeless cases
were treated in the lower
wards, and these persons were
removed without difficulty, but from
the upper wards, where the violent pa
tients were confined, there came the
widest screams as the u~nfortunates re-
sisted the efforts Of the nuns in making
their escapes. At the windows the ma
MACS could be seen peering through the
OA4py JUDOCA LIZ uAU1A N1lCy W6lc SA1N6k-
open in the flames and compelled to re-
lease their hold and
DROP BACK IN HI cAULDRoN.
When the firemen found they were pow
erless to a " the building they turned
their attention to the inmates and burst
in the doors with axes. Chief Bennett
says it was such a eight as no fireman
ever before witnessed. In M hall he
entered were twenty-five patients, and
at his approach they huddled and
clasped themselves together like a pack
of beasts. He seized the nearest, "but,"
said the chief, Il could no more separate
the crowd than I could separate the
parts of one body" He urged them un-
til the fire darted into their garments
and embodied them
IN A sHRoUD OF FLAMES.
One of the Tertiary nuns, Soeur Marie,
had been asleep in the sick infirmatory
on the fifth floor, and to her rescue hur-
ried three others. They seized their
companion and bore her in a blanket to
the stair case, but there they were met
by q sheet Of fame and all four persisted.
Their names we're: Soeurs Marie, De-
morris. Egilbert and Lumiene. None Of
them was over 20 years of age. All came
from the parishes below Quebec. The
sisters worked most h%eroicaliy, implor-
ing and commanding patients, and
despite the disadvantageous circum-
stances succeeded in rescuing q large
number.
Sister Theresa, the superioress, has
been in poor health, and it is feared that
the shock may prove fatal to her.
Drs. Bourque and Baralet remained at
the work Of rescue until exhausted, and
were carried out unconscious.
The management Of the pauper insane
has been a long standing shame to the
Province of Quebec. The un~fortunates
have been farmed out to nuns at 500 a
head per year, and the aim seems to
have been to keep them As eheaply as
possible, and with the least possible out
lay for buildings or repairs. While tie
most urgent bodily wants Of the patients
have been supplied, no attempt has been
made at systematic medical treatment.
By = curious coincidence the only Frot-
estant insane asylum in the province
was inaugurated Tuesday by its new
superintendent. For years the govern
ment has been urged to adopt a modern
lied treatment of the insane, and last
summer the mother superior was sent
abroad to ascertain if any improvements
could bo adopted from similar institu-
lions In Europe; but nothing Of value
seems to have resulted from the voyage.
The patients who had fed from the
burning building wandered about aim
lessly clad in scant garments, many OF
them veritable Ophelias in their fantas-
tic dress. When released many Of them
wept for joy and bounded like deer
across the fields to the woods. Patients
Of both sexes escaped, and though a cor.
don Of police was formed not all the pa.
tents were included, and horribly sug-
gestive rumors were brought in by peo'
ple who came through the woods to the
scene Of the disaster. Anew dread has
come upon the inhabitants from the
presence of so many lunatics, and they
will count themselves fortunate If they
are not visited by a series OF such crimes
as only madmen can devise.
The death roll is now estimated al
fifty, though many moro are missing. 1t
is feared that seven Tsrtiary nuns arr
burned. Three more are missing.
Among the patients who persisted i
Sister La Hale, q nun OF the Sacred
! Heart convent at Sault An Recollete
who was under treatment at the Longua
SPointe institution Tor I'm months.
AGAIN AFlRE. q
Laundry Of the Tongue Pointe Asylum
Burnsd--Paaisnts safe.
Tongue PoTNrE,, Cue, May 9Th
laundry Of the asylum in which 100 pa
tisnts were housed during the night
tool fire at noon. The inmates were be
ing removed when the fire broke on
and are all safely outside.
Must Refund The Money. r
KANSAS CIrY, May 9.-Ths salaries o
nearly all the employees Of the Santa F
were advanced Jan. l by President Mar
vel, but now the salaries are to be re
duced again to their former places, an
an order has been issued that all none
received by the employees in advance
salaries since Jan. / must be refunded
This has caused much discomfort,
BRtte Rsjoicing.
BUTTE, May 8.-The fire 10 out In th