The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-22
CRIPPLES IN FLAME.
National Surgical Institute at
indianapolis Burned.
UNKNOWN LOSS OF LIFE.
A HALF. Million Dollar Fire in the Heart
Of New York-Destruction Of
College for Women.

IspIaxAroIrs. Jan. 22-0ne Of the most
appalling fires II the history Of IndianaE-
oil. occurred late tonight. The National
Surgical Institute. one OF the most famous
Of its kind II the country, was
burned 20 the ground. The IRE
started sc midnight IN the offices OF
rhe building. Above the Offices were the
wards for babes and mothers. Smoke was
discovered few minutes before midnight
issuing from the advertising room, oe-
Eeved 70 have been caused By spon-
taneoGs combustion, and II fifteen
minutes the whole lower floor was
in danes. The attendants had barely
awakened all the patients, when IN the
halls and the upper room psndemoniun
reigned. Shout after shout went up IS
the inmates realized their terrible situa-
ton. In 3 few minutes white faces could
be seen at each window OF the large build
ing. and the unfortunate creatures yelled
beseeching appeals 20 those below for aid
The police, fremen and attendants
worked diligently, and many patients
were removed from the burning building
in short time. Patients who were able
30 ger about &C all assisted nobly n the
work Of rescue. The view in the halls and
On the stairways before the fire communi-
Gated TO the main building furnished
weird sight. Patients wrapped
in bed clothing crawled and
helped themselves along from one floor
and one landing 10 another. Cots were
hurriedly constructed from mattresses,
and the policemen and fremen carried the
rescued across the street to the new annex.
Those seriously burned II the hands and
lTrn he
By $50 4 n nine bodies had been taken
out from the main building. all from the
upper floor. Il IS believed that there are
more bodies on the upper floors and many
more in the annex. where the
FIRE originated. SIX OF the bodies
were taken out from one room.
Six more are believed 10 be in thar room
aud IN unknown number IN another part
OF the building.
AT least l25 persons were taken from the
windows by fremen and earned ID an
adjoining storeroon. At WeddelIs
restaurant, where seventy or eighty
Of them were taken, the sight presented as
one entered and looked upon the in
discriminate gathering OF suffering
cripples, many OF them maddened
by the pain OF burns and anxious
for friends, was one that almost defed de-
scriptiou- Spread on tables were little
children, moaning, crying and coughing,
their faces bianched with pain and their
lungs sore with the pungeas smoke they
had inhaled.
NEW York, Jan. 21.-Shortly before
noon, when upper Broadway was crowded
with shoppers. a fire broke out in the base
ment OF huge ive-story stone front
building running from Fifth avenue 70
Union Square. Before the fremen ar
rived the IRE had extended all through
three cellars and smoke was pouring out
of every window. The building is
fanked on the left by Tifany's Jewelry
house, and on the right side by the hand
some Lincoln Offices. The lower floor of
No. Union Square is occupied by Bren-
tano's book establishment The fire
started in the basement of Schneider &
Campbell, gas fixtures. The walls on
either side confined the flames 10 the
building n which they originated,
and within an hour and half the
hremen had the fire under control. The
loss on the building is about s65,GOO.
Tifany's was protected By pulling down
the shutters when the fire broke out.
Brentano's front was effeetuslIy wrecked,
and their loss will be 500. 900;
jewelry works. loss $4,000; Leon
Rheims, importer of millinery.
500, 900; Schneider & Campbell,
sl0o, coo; Samuel Green, decorator, $4,000.
A number Of small losses will make about
half million, well insured.
FRANKLIN, KY, Jan. 2l.-Cedar Bluff
college for women was burned early this
morning. The inmates escaped without
injury, though much excitement pre-
vailed.