The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-01-27

terrlDIe pOSSlOlllIle5 VI ulsdStoi.
He rang in second, third and
fourth alarm, and within twenty minutes
every piece OF fire fighting machinery in
the city was on the ground.
The 25O or 500 cripples, de-
formed, halt or blind, who had
but two hours before retired to
needed rest and dreams of fut-
ure soundness, were suddenly
awakened to find themselves surrounded
by sitting smoke and threatening flames.
Some went fairly wild with fear. Others
more seli-possessed sought the unequal
fire escapes and outer windows and calm
ly awaited the outcome.
They searched blindly for crutches cast
under their couohes, and dragged their
wasted forms to nearest windows with
coolness and dehberatiOn, as a whole,
which was most remarkable.
Some. to be sure, had not the presence
of mind and self-possession to thus secure
themselves against panic and its conse-
quent horros. Some men and women
hobbled, crewled and hitched themselves
to windows on the street, where they
piteously pleaded for succor in tones
which met with prompt and heartfelt re-
spouse from the rapidly gathering crowd
below,
But the children-those doubly
helpless victims of affiiction-more
than any others excited the sym
pathy of the quickly assembled
multitude. These young sufferers
fast as their emaciated and distorted limbs
would permit, appeared at the windows
on Illinois and Georgia-sts. Their
faces were blanched with terror,
and their wild-staring eyes spoke
irresistible appeals to the hundreds of
mute spectators rushing here and there
through the heavy snow which almost
blocked the surrounding streets.
The work OF relief was prompt and ef-
fective. Even before the first shrill
scream Of fright from the earliest awakened
patient had died upon the crisp night air,
a volunteer and disorganized but faithful
and dauntless relief corps had
been organized and from the narrow
Railways appeared big, burly men, half
suffocated with smoke, bearing In their
arms men, women and children, deformed
and helpless, braced and harnessed in
every way with surgical appliances.
The volunteer rescue force did noble
work.
When the fire department reached
the scene the work of rescue
was rendered comparatively easy. Dozens
OF fladders were set against the succeed
walls, and those who could not escape
through their own efforts were carried from
the burning, smoldering rookery
to points of safety if not of comfort in
restaurants, hotel offices and other places
near the scene Of the disaster.
The tiremen also did heroic work in
the way OF rescuing the inmates of the in
stitutlon. Men in blue fought and CROPPED
their way through the stuffy corridors,
felt where they could not see,
through the rooms of the dormitory.
Whenever a patient was found he was
quickly gathered in strong arms and
carried to the nearest escape.
1t was not till o'clock Friday morning
that it was known lives had
been lost Then it became
noised about that in the
Georgia-st. dormitory, where the fire
originated, number had lost their lives.
1t was 2:30 before the fire was under
control. Then searching pipeman came
to window and whispered to the man at
the head of the ladder that he had found
bodies in the northeast room. Down the
ladder, across the street, the word was
passed. Police officers were seen in
whispered consultation. Then the work
of recovery began. For two hours it went
on, and then it was believed that all the
bodies had been recovered. The main
building had been searched.
The eastern wing or annex of the build
1 ing was still seething mass of flame. II
was known that terrible loss of life hac
occurred there, but it was hours before
the streams of water had sufficiently re-
duced the flames to permit of entrance.
The dead from the main building hac
long since been conveyed to the various
undertaking establishments 1t was
o'clock before the first entrance was made
to the Office building and there the frs
fears were quickly realized Body after
body, horribly twisted and distorted, wa
taken out. and not till noon was tho full
extent of the catastrophe known.
DEATH TRAP
Many Expressions IN Regard to the Inssi