The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-01-23

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were injured, most OF them badly, some
OF them slightly. Two hundred and
forty.six patients and thirty nurses
sleeping in the two four-story buildings
at the corner OF Illinois and Georgia
streets, in which the institute is located,
were in imminent danger Of their lives.
1t was almost on tho stroke OF twelve
when Janitor Gill gavo tho alarm OF
fro and box 90 was pulled. Tho first
alarm was instantly followed by tho
second and third. The telephone had
conveyed word to tho chief that the
building OF all others where fro was
dreaded was in flames. This meant no
ordinary danger. 1t proved to be hol.
ocaust.
At 0:S0 this morning there were nine
teen dead bodies. Some were killed by
jumping, but the others were suifocatod
or burned to death.
The list OF identified is: Irma PAYNE.
age eighteen, Dexter, Mo-; Minnie Ar
mold, age seventeen. Lancaster, Mo. /;
William Ramstack, age seventeen, Mil
waukcc; Mrs. Earl and child; Mrs. Laz-
arus, Chicago; Stella Spirclc; q. NJ. E.
lis, aged forty; Kate L. Straughan, this
city; Mrs Burns and nephew, OF St.
Paul, MINI.
Missing-Mrs. NJ. Lump, Arthur Bay
less. Minnie Mcdonald, Fred Dacken-
dorf.
Injurcl-Minnic Lazarus, age seven,
leg broken and in critical condition !;
Mrs. II. II. Idcna and son, both se-
rercly injured; Mrs. Thomas, OF this
city, burned on face and body, suffering
terribly; Fannie Breeden, Memphis,
Tenn, badly burned; Mrs. j. r. Guild,
Medaryville, Ind, internally, probably
fatally; Mary Stearns, Warren, Ind,
badly burned; Clara Morris, hurt in
back; Grant Van Uoesen, Athens. n.
y, slightly burned; Clarence Mead,
Athens, N. Y, leg hurt; William Ii. Al
bach, Dunkirk, n. Y, slightly burned; !;
Leora Knowles, Independence, Ind,
back hurt by jumping; NJ. W., Wydner,
Troy, Ohio, internally injured, Will
Mansfield, 0tsego, n. Y, slightly; Mrs.
John S. Stokes, Danville, ILL.,, slightly;
Nellie Mason, OF Walworth, county,
Wis, badlyin jumping, probably die !;
Mrs. G. J. Simpson and little girl, bad
ly burned; R. Conner, serious il not
fatal; W. NJ. Widener, Miami county,
Ohio, terribly crushed, fatally injured !;
Roy Harris, New Orleans. not serious.
BY the time the department arrived
the scene was one TO blanch stout hearts.
Poor, helpless cripples were hanging on
the fire escapeu and in every window,
the heartrendin. cries OF those shut in
the burning building mingling with the
shouts OF the tiremen and police. He
roic deeds OF rescue were performed,
and for two hours the dclusion was en-
tcrtained that all the inmates had been
saved. In tho Georgia annex, third
floor. the fire ragged furiously all this
while, and there was a sickening sus-
picion OF part OF those first on the scene
that in that raging furnace were Gagged
some OF the patients who were cut of by
the flames before help could reach them.
Soon after 9 o'clock this suspicion be-
came certainty, the fire having been
then nearly subdued. The police and
tiremen made their way into the build
ing. In one room 4 mass of roasted hu-
manitv lay entwincd. When their bodies
were discngaged it was found that there
were seven persons in that mass alone
From that hour on UP to midnight Fri
day other bodies were found, nearly all
in the Georgia street annex. The list Of
dead was further swollen by four who
died from injuries received in leapins
from the windows. Identification be-
comes difficult task. Many of the dead
were charrcd beyond recognition.
Seventeen dead had been found up to
S o'clock this morning, and ut 0 o'clock
woman and child wrapped in each
others arms were discovered in the ans
mex. Thus the total grew to 10.
What started the fire is not certainly
known, but it began in tho office Of the
secretary about midnight. DIR. John
Wilson was called by the watchman and
saw the blaze which was II very slight
one. After turning in the alarm he
was driven back. When the inmates
first awakened they saw the dining
room OH the third floor OF the annex
ablazc. This must have been very soon
after DR.. Wilson made the discovery.
But the fire, spread with amazing rapid
ity and soon involved both buildings.
The total insurance on the buildings
and furniture was SOL 500.
This afternoon the ashes and cindcrs
were washed from the dead and hun
dreds viewed the blackened remains.
Said Fireman Jim Madden, at head
quarters: II will never forget those
shrieks. My God, it was awful. Those
poor Gagged people, who could not. help
themselves, screamed until you could
scarcely stand 10 listen any longer.n
Firemon Morris Donnelly and John
Higgins were among those who did
many acts OF valor.
The former went 10 4 second story
room where hc found n number OF
female patients He took one under
each arm, and ordering q third to cling
about his neck, he landed them on the
floor below out of harms way. Fire.
man Higgins stood on the sidewalk, and
seeing a woman leap from window
above him.he determined to save her
lilo at the risk oil his own, He stood
firm and the awful load struck him like
q tonweight, nearly pulling his arms
from their sockets and throwing him to
the stone walk with great force. He
struck on his head and received pain
ful injury, but had the satisfaction OF
knowing that he had broken the fall of
the woman sufficiently to save her life.
PhilndeIphIa'o Tiro Loss. u ~ ~
EPHiLADELrnlA,P Pa, Jan. 2oo,-The total