The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-02-04
FIRE IN A HOSPITAL.
SEVERAL. OF THE CRIPPLED INMATEs
BURNED TO DEATH.

f"ndemonium Reigued for Time.-Po-
lice and Citlzsn, Aid In tho wsrkoS
Saving the Unfortunates-Hotels Open
ed for Their.Aocommodation.
lNDIANAPoLIs, Jan. 23.-One of the
most appalling fires in the history of
indianapolis occurred last night when
the National Surgical Institution was
burned, The fire started at midnight in
the office. Above the Office were wards
ioc Dapes and their mothers. known as
the A, B, 9 Department.
Smoke was discovered before mid.
night Issuing from the advertising room
OF the building which joins the opera.
tlDg room back Of the office. The or.
IGN IS claimed to have been from spon-
taneous combustion of chemicals which
mad been placed in the room. Circulars
ana papers about the room soon were
ablaze and in fifteen minutes the whole
lower lloor was enveloped In flames.
Attendants awakened all Of the pa
tlentS and pandemonium reipned.
ShriekS 1or help went up as the inmates
realized their terrible situation and the
Slontesc hearts were appalled,. Police.
ilremon and attendants all worked dill.
gently and in perfect accord and many
patients were taken from the upper
floors by means Of ladders and carried
to places of safety.
No attempt was made to save any
| thing bnt life. The patients, both male
| and female, themselves under ordinary
circumstances unable barely to get
| about, assisted nObly in the work Of res
cue. The view in the halls and on the
Stalrways, before the fire had commune
Gated to the main building. furnished a
weird sight. Inmates wrapped in bed
clothing crawled and helped themselves
along from one floor and landing to
another. Many touching scenes occur.
red. such as friends stopping to assist
others more unfortunate. Cjtizens
turned III to help in the work Of rescue
Cots were rudely constructed from
mattresses and strong armed policemen
picked up unfortunate ones and carried
them across the street to the new annex
put recently purchased by Doctors Al
len and Wilson.
an immense crowd gathered about
ana great anxiety was felt, for it seemed
Improbable that every one could have
gotten out Of the burning mass alive
ana their Tears were justified.
TWO women jumped from windows.
one OF these was badly injured, but
another who was caught by a man
standing IN the crowd escaped serious
INJURY. Two others threw out their ba-
hie5 which were caught by iiremen.
One or two men jumped from the roof
, and were badly hurt. Many rescued
people were taken to the nearest shelter.
!, Two large restaurants soon had five or
SIN hundred Inmates. among whom
scenes Wee indescribably pitiful. The
majority OF patients in the hospital
We're children under treatment for de-
lormitics or disease which rendered
thrm. helpless. n very large number
, Ildd been more O" less burned in addition
10 their former misfortunes and had be-
come separated from, their mothers and
nurses. Among these occurred most
; plliful and touching scenes.
, GrlIllth'3 restaurant held the great
est number of sufferers. 1t is hardly
possible to tell how many owing to the
confusion. The house is unadapted to
the use TO which it is put in emergency
by three or four hundred. Seventy or
cighty more found shelter in the Wad-
an House restaurant. Nineteen bo.
dies so far have been taken from tho
ruins.