The Portland daily press., 1892-01-23


Acts of Heroism Seen Through the
Smoke and FIames-Ghouls at Work.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, January 22.-
When the fire was raging last night, in
the National Surgical Institute, it was at
first reported that all the crippled in
mates had been safely removed. This
first report, unhappily, was not the cor
rect one. Instead of being rescued,
many of the inmates perished in the
| flames, while others were injured in be-
ing removed.
What started the fire is not yet known,
but it began in the office of the secreta-
ry. DR.. John Wilson saw the first blaze,
which was very slight one. After turn
ing in the alarm he was driven back.
When the inmates first awakened they
saw the dining room, on the third floor
of the annex, ablaze. This must have
been very soon after DR. Wilson made
the discovery. But the fire spread with
amazing rapidity, and soon involved both
buildings. The attendants barely awak-
ened all of the patients. In the halls
and upper rooms pandemonium reigned.
Shrieks for help went up as the inmates
realized their terrible situation. In a
few moments frightened faces appeared
at each window of the large building,
and the lips could be seen beseeching
succor from those below, yet their voices
could not be heard The police and fire.
men and atte n1ants all worked diligent-
ly and in perfect accord, and many of
the patients were taken from the upper
a i
places of safety by them. No attempt
was made to save anything but life.
A view in the halls and on the stair
ways before the fire had communicated
to the main building,
Furnished a Wierd Sight.
Inmates, wrapped in bed clothing, crawl
ed and helped themselves along, from
one floor and one landing to the other.
The citizens turned out in great numbers
to help in the work of rescue. Cots
were rudely constructed from mattresses
and the policemen picked up the unfor-
tunate ones and carried them across the
street to the new annex. Two women
jumped from the windows. One Of them
was badly injured, but the other, who
was caught by the crowd below, escaped
serious injury. Two others threw out
their babies, which were caught and
saved by the firemen. One or two men
jumped from the roof and were badly
hurt. AT least 125 persons were taken
out by the firemen and carried to adjoin-
ing stores.
Sergeant Lowe made his way through
smoke to the third floor. Opening a
door he found a woman and a baby.
''For Gods Sake Save My Child
if not me,'' she said. Lowe took the
child in his arms and told the woman to
follow. When the two reached the sec
ond landing the smoke and flames were
upon them. The woman overcome
with fright and smoke, jumped and was
saved Sergeant Lowe carried the child
safely to the ground.
Simon Hoyle, 'ssub'' at the head
quarters, made his way to the fourth
floor, where he found young woman
helpless on the floor. The flames were
all around her and her feet were badly
burned. She was unconscious. In the
heat of the fire and the binding smoke,
Hoyle got his strap fastened to the wom-
an S arm and dragged her to the street.
In the heroic act Hoyle's arms were
UdulN DuInCu. w llSUucI VI HOU GIt
woman died OF is in the hospital could
not be ascertained up to noon.
Mrs. E. d. Purdy was sleeping with
her little daughter in room on what is
known as the "a. B. C.'' floor, and had
only time to spring from the bed, throw
quilt
Over the Crippled Child.
and with nothing but her night robe to
protect her, commenced her escape from
the horror that was closely pressing her.
Out into the hall she pressed, fell to the
floor, recovered her feet, and then stoop-
ing. dragged her little girl about Is feet
to the top of the stairway. Again she
took her unconscious child in her arms
and had made her way half way down
the steps leading to the third floor when
she lost her balance and fell downward
the little one falling upon the mother and
remaining uppermost until she reached
the landing about ten steps below. Here
the mother and child were found shortly
afterward and were with great difficulty
carried through fire and smoke to We'd
dell's restaurant, where they were attend
ed to.
A missing woman, Mrs. DR.. Button,
the lady physician, was last known to be
in room 81 caring for sick boy
At last, when the flames were extin-
guished, the firemen
Made Their Way Into the Ruins
and began the work of rescue. 1t was
difficult task to identify many OF the
bodies, and more than one person turned
awav with the remark: Il cannot tell
whether it is the one / know OF not" :"
Visitors crowded into the institute annex
over the Weddell House and hastily
looked over the great crowd of unfortu-
mates, inhope of recognizing the ones they
knew. If the loved one could not be
found. there was a wall of grief and an-
other search among the dead. While all
this was transpiring, the firemen, the po-
lice and volunteer citizens were prosecut-
ing the search in the ruin for more bod
les. It was dangerous task. The old
shell of building, gutted by fire, trem-
bled when the men walked over the floors
and there was danger connected with
every step they took The search was be-
gun in the upper rooms OF the east wing
of the building, and was soon rewarded
by the taking out of four
Bodies Burned to Crisp.
The upper rooms thoroughly searched,