Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-01-28
CAUGHT IN A FIRE TRAP.

Burning of the Indiana Surgical Institute
at Indianapolis-A Scene of Horror Be-
yond Description-A Large Number of
the Patients Badly Injured, and at Least
Sixteen, Whose Bodies Have Been Re-
covered, Cremated.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Jan. 22.-The
Indiana Surgical institute burned last
night, the flames breaking out just be-
fore midnight in the old annex, a block
separated from the main building by
just a narrow space. Before the fire
was discovered the whole interior was
ablaze. The institution had about 500
inmates, most of whom were helpless
cripples. When the fire department
arrived the windows were full of
screaming, moaning cripples, and the
scene was one of horror beyond descrip-
ton.
The work of rescue was begun at
once with ladders, and the inmates were
removed with great rapidity, but at
least thirty were I'M ured, some terribly.
In the confusion and excitement it is
almost impossible to get names, but
some of the worst hurt are:
Mrs. Gales, of Madison, Ind; fell
from ladder with child in her arms;
internally injured.
Kate Elstrang, indianapolis; fatally
burned.
Mrs. Thomas, Indianapolis; fatally
burned.
Fannie Breeder. Memphis, Tenn
badly burned; recovery doubtful.
Harry Stearns, Warren, Ia; burned
about feet.
Clara Morris, address unknown; back
injured.
Grant Van Hoesen, Athena, n. Y;
hand and hair burned.
Clarence Mead, Athens, n. Y; leg
hurt.
William Helbach, Dunkirk, N. Y;
burned.
Leora Knowles. Independence, Ind. f.;
back hurt in jumping.
w. w. Snyder, Troy, O.; internally
injured falling from window.
VIII Mansfield, Otsego, n. Y; foot
hurt in jumping.
Mrs. John S. Stokes, Danville, Ill.
ankle sprained.
Nellie Mason, Warworth county,
Wis; jumped from the third story and
is fatally hurt.
Mrs. Lazarus, of Texas; jumped from
third-story window and will die.
Mrs. ]. j. Simpson and child, seri-
ously hurt.
R. Common, fell through hole in floor;
fatally hurt.
May Ballinger, Indianapolis; terribly
burned.
The patients were carried to various
hos pitals and hotels as fast as rescued,
and nobody knows who is missing.
One girl was seen to come to a window
and moment later fall back into the
flames.
After the fire had been in progress a
half hour twenty women were found
standing on rear roof just ready tC
jump. They had escaped attention in
the confusion, though screaming at the
top of their voices. They were recued
in safety.
It is feared at this writing that as
many as fifteen were suffocated by
smoke and persisted in the flames of the
old annex. If time proves this to be
true, a terrible responsibility rests upon
the owners of the institute. It was a
veritable fire trap. The old an.
mex and main building were moth
ing more nor less than old-fashioned
four-story business blocks, the main
building at the corner of Georgia and
Illinois streets and the annex, imme.
diately east of it, fronting on Georgia
street. The halls were narrow. as
were also the stairways; there were nc
proper exits and no conveniences to be
used in case of fra.
The fire originated in the second foo,
of the east annex, near the east wall, and
burned that building, spreading from it
to the main building. The patients in
the main building were all gotten out
amid indescribable scenes of excite
ment and horror. Many were rescued
from the annex, and it is hoped that
all were gotten out, yet it is feared that
several were lost.