Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-27
PRENZIED BY FLAMES
A Michigan Insane Asylum
Burned.
The Inmates Saved with Great
Difficulty.
Five Hundred Female Maniacs Set
at Liberty.
The Mems Wing of the Building Saved.
Terrible Scenes During the Prog
ress OF the Fire-A Confa-
grafton at Chattanooga.
Associated Press Dispatches.

PONTIAC, Mich, Dec. 26.-Fire was
discovered in the north wing Of Eastern
Michigan insane asylum at Ii O'Clock
this morning. The flames spread with
fearful rapidty, and with the limited
facilities at hand, the firemen were
powerless. Fifteen minutes after the
first alarm was sounded, the occupants
OF the wing. 500 women, were turned
loose. Screaming frantically with ter
ror, the maniacs surged through the
corridors, where the air was already
filled with smoke. The flames were
visible through it all, and the sight filled
the demented creatures with terror.
Some ran like wild animals, trampling
their slower companions in their mad
efforts to escape. Others were paralyzed
with fear, and stood rooted to the spot
with eyes staring horribly into the roar
ing fire.
DEEDS OF HERoIsM.
The attendants performed deeds of
heroism in their endeavor to rescue the
helpless; rushing hither and thither.
dragging hesitating ones from their
rooms, they drove the insane women
into the open air. When some were
once upon the outside, they would
break and run for the building again.
Superintendent Burr and his assistants
on the medical staff gave directions for
the removal Of the inmates. BY their
excellent and valiant labors, all, it is be-
lieved, were rescued alive. Neverthe-
less, some saw several women we're seen
at windows after the patients were sup
posed to be all out. They had torn away
every vestige of clothing from their per-
sons and were laughing in hideous
manner at the approach OF the flames.
sHRIEKs OF ANGUISH.
By IL 80 the entire north wing was
wrapped in flames. The attendants had
done all in their power, and nothing was
left but to try to save the rest of the asy-
lum from the flames. The spectators 5e-'
clare that they heard shrieks of anguish
from the awful pyre, as of demented vic.
tins yielding their lives to the flames.
but in the confusion it was impossible to
distinguish the screams of the frightened
maniacs without from the expiring out
cry of the victims within, if any there
were. Strenuous efforts were made to
convey the patients to cottages for safe
keeping. This was accomplished with
the utmost difficulty.
THE MEMS WING SAVED.
Great fear was felt that the fire would
leap across to the south wing, where
nearly 700 men were confined. Prepa-
tions were Immediately made to emove
the men if it became necessary. Inside
the south wing, from the moment the
a., ~, ,,0ht b., NJ
ment prevailed. The 700 crazy men
demons. Hundreds OF people from
Pontiac and vicinity joined in the fight
with the flames, at this junctnre, and
by most stubborn resistance the wing
was saved. Aside from this, everything
save the chapel, hospital and engine
house was destroyed.
HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES.
A number of women who were in the
section of the building first destroyed,
were severely burned on being removed,
but prompt attention averted any seri-
GUS consequences. James Lyon, Fred
erick Linton and another attendant
whose name could not be learned, had
a narrow escape while fighting the
flames on the fourth floor. Unknown to
them the fire surrounded the spot at
which the men were working, and only
when they found every avenue of es-
cape, except one small window, closed.
did they think of their safety. When
the flames were nearing them a long
ladder was secured and the men were
rescued just as they were on the point OF
falling back into the raging furnace. A
number of narrow ESCAPES occurred, and
but few OF the attendants escapted with
out severe burns or other injuries.
FIGURES ON THE LOSS.
1t is difficult to obtain accurate figures
of the loss. One of the board of
trustees of the asylum estimates it at
not less than 100000. The patients
must for several days at least suffer
great hardships. The kitchen is among
the destroyed buildings, and some time
must elapse before the culinary depart
ment can be re established and the luna
tics properly fed.