Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-11
THE INSANE ASYLUM FIRE.
Awful Scenes as the Poor Lunatic'
Were Roasted Alive in Seeming
Furnace.

Awful Scenes as the Poor Lunatc'
We're Roasted Alive in n SeethinE
Furnace.
DOVER, n. H., February l0.-Amost
shocking catastrophe occurred IN THIS
vicinity last night when the Insane
Asylum of the Stafford county work
house, about four miles out Of the city,
was entirely destroyed by fire, and forty
four of the inmates were burned to
death. The building was a two-story
wooden affair, 130 by So feet In dlmen-
sions, and burned so furiously that only
four Of the inmates survive.
In making his rounds shortly after 10
o'clock, Watchman Chesley discovered
the fire. He at once gave an alarm and
Wm. p. Driscon, the keeper, and at
tendants rushed through the inmates
quarters, which were mainly on The Sec
ond floor, and burst the locks to the
cells and tried to apprise the inmates OF
the serious danger. The fire h1d gained
rapid headway, and the majority OF the
inmates were so bewildered and con-
fused that they retarded the escape OF
the others, and the scene was one
beyond description and heartrending TO
witness, Keeper Driscoll used every
possible effort TO liberate the inmates
and remained in the building until be
was obliged to Jump from a second story
window in order 70 save himself. A
messenger was at once dispatched TO
the city for assistance and portion OF
the department was sent 10 the scene
but before assistance arrived the onlld'
ing was reduced to ashes and nothing
remained cut the smouldering ruins.
BY the efforts of the tremen the main
building Of the institution was saved.
Those who arrived on the scene early
will never forget the horrible scenes
witnessed.
The fire brightly Illuminated the
country for miles around, and the poor
uniortunates could be plainly seen as
they writhed and tossed about the
blazing furnace.
The fire was discovered In a cell occu-
pied by woman named lie Romlan,
and was very small, but Watchman
Chesley states that it spread with ra-
padity that was astonishing, and before
he mad given the alarm to Keeper Drls-
coll il had gained such headway that
the only thing left to be done was an
ATTEMPT TO rescue the inmates. The two
broke the locks of the fifty cells, and
then Chesley got out his wife and two
children, who lived in the building.
The fire extended to the main building
of the county farm, which was occupied
by over 100 OF the county's poor.
Supt. Merritt at once organized ire
brigade Of these people and through
their heroic efforts the fire was sub
dued.
One OF the female inmates Cf the asy'
lum Jumped from the burning bdildin5
10 the yard below, but was unable 70
escape, owing to the high fence that
surrounded that portion Of The building
and shared the fate Of the others. The
building was erected twenty years ago
and cost $40, 600. How the q. caught
is a mystery.
It took the fremen 95 minutes to
reach the scene, the roads being In ter
rible condition.
Coroner John S. Daniels, OF Roches-
ter. empanelled a jury and the inquest
was BEGUN at / .. u. The scene is five
miles from this city, over one Of the
worst roads ever travelled.
I FIND Salvation Oil the best 'are FOR
rheumatism l have ever nown. Joseua
Zimmerman, Wetheredville. Nd.