Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-23
Particulars of the Indianap-
oils Holocaust.
A Score of Helpless Human Be-
ings Perish.
The National Surgical Institute a
Veritable Fire-Trap.
Many Acts of Hsroism Performed by
the Firemen-Pathetic Scenes in
the Morgue and the
Hospital.
A sociated Press Dispatches.

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. GA score of
helpless human beings burned to death.
That is the record of Thursday night. At
IL :45 the night alarm was turned in
from the corner of Meridian and Georgia
streets. Being in the heart of the whole
sale trading district people naturally
expected great FIRE, but when the box
at Illinois and Louisiana streets was
pulled, and in a moment a second and
third alarms were heard, it was plain
that the confagration was dangerous
one. Every piece of fire-fghting appar-
atus in the city was quickly on the run,
and upon their arrival the fremen were
Mortified to see flames leaping from the
roof and fourth floor windows of the
National Surgical institute, located on
the corner OF Illinois and Georgia streets,
with an extension on the latter street.
About 250 crippled people were in the
institute at the time. The building was
almost totally enveloped in flames. and
the order was: ''Let the building burn,
but save the people,"
MANY ACTS OF HERoIsM.
When the fire was discovered it was
confined to the Georgia-street building,
but soon swept across the alley, and
both buildings were enveloped in flames.
On the third and fourth floors horrible
work was done. The buildings were
network sof marrow halls, entrances and
stairways In small rooms throughout
the building were from one TO four beds,
IL ,sal bxrx rfa
helpless. When they became aware of
their peril they were frantic in their
efforts to reach place of safety. Every
effort was made by the fire, police and
ambulance forces to rescue the unfor-
tunates, and many acts of heroism and
daring were performed.
A vERrTABLE FIRETRAP.
The surgical institute was veritable
firetrap. The stairways were narrow,
the halls dark and the whole structure
labyrinth. The rooms ON the third
and fourth floors of the main building
and nearest the alley, were the scenes of
the greatest fatalities. In one room
were two women, both of whom per-
ished. In another there was man
whose lower extremities were paralyzed
Although unable to walked he dragged
himself to a window in the rear OF the
building, and threw himself out. He
dropped about eight feet to roof, then
to another, and finally rolled off to the
ground. saving himself from death.
THE SEARCH FOR THE DEAD:
The entire rear half of the Georgia
street building fell in. Debris filled
completely the first story, and when the
firemen began to search for the dead,
they were obliged to commence work on
a level with the second floor 1t will be
several days before they can reach the
bottom.
When the fire department arrived,
crippes were seen at every window !;
their heartrending cries we're terrible.
Heroic efforts at rescue were made.
Soon after o'clock, when the fire was
nearly subdued, the police and firemen
went into the building and found in one
room mass of roasted humanity There
were seven persons IN that mass alone.
Nearly all the bodies were found in the
Georgia-street annex.
The list OF dead was further swollen
by four who died from injuries received
in leaping from windows. Identified
tion is almost impossible, many of the
dead being charred beyond recognition.
LIST OF THE KILLED.
The killed are: Kate l.. Strong,
Salem, Ore. Mrs. Lazarus, Dallas, Tex.
William Ramstack, Milwaukee; Miss
Kate Buns, Newport, Mimi; Frank
Burns. Newport, Mimi; Minnie Ar
mold, Lancaster, Mo. Irma Payne, Dex-
ter, MINI. Stella Specs, Macomb, o. !;
George Ellis, California, KY; Mrs.
Eard and daughter, Shelby, o.; Fannie
Breedan, Memphis, Tenn. Mortie Deck,
Frederick Dockendorf, Saltwater, MINI:
Hannah Brook, Taylorville. ILL.,; G. H.
Bayless.
THOSE THAT WERE INJURED.
The injured are: Fanny Stern, Des
Moines, Iowa; Clara Morris, Mrs.
Thomas, Indianapolis; Mrs. j. R. Gid
and son, Medaryville, Ind; Grant Van.
hoesen, Athens, N. Y. Clarence Mead,
Athens, N. Y; w. D. Wagner, Troy
Ohio; William Ii. Albach, Dunkirk, N
Y: Nora Knowles, Independence, Ind
Will Mansfield, Otsego, N. Y; Mrs
John Stokes, Danville, Ill. Nellie Ma
son. Wisconsin; Mrs. G.. j. Simpson
and daughter, P. R. Connor, Roy Har-
ris. New Orleans; Minnie Gargarus, Chi
cago; Mrs. II. p Idena and son.
Many OF the above are fatally injured.
In addition to those mentioned, six
bodies have been taken out OF the ruins
that have not yet been identified.
HEARTRENDING SCENES.
The scenes in Griffith's restaurant
at the Grand hotel and at the Wedde
house, where the injured were taken,
were very sad. Soon after daylight this
morning people began to gather at the
scene of the holocaust. To picture al
that occurred around the burned build
ing from that time on would be difficult
A strong guard of police kept back the
crowd. By O'Clock the. news of the
fire spread all over the city, and hun
dreds OF persons who had relatives OF
acquaintance in the institution began
to join the vast crowd. They searched
for their dear ones among the
dead and living. and the grief ol
those unable to find their relatives