St. Paul daily globe., 1893-11-17

MADISON, Wis, Nov. 16-Edg eWood
the Catholic seminary situated two
miles east OF this city, was totally de-
stroyed by fire tonight and two of the
inmates were burned to death, while a
third was probably fatally injured.
The financial loss is about $4,000, par
TALLY insured.
The victims of the fire are Margie
Rice. of Stevens Point, Wis, and
Maggie Stock, of Chicago. aged seven.
Frances Hennebey, another little girl,
was unconscious aud nearly dead from
smoke when rescued, but at last reports
1t was thought her life would be saved.
How the fire originated is a mystery.
1t started shortly before o'clock in a
room on the second floor of the main
building. The girls whose lives
were lost slept in or very near
to this room. Before the fire
was discovered it must have gained
considerable headway, for when the
Sisters in charge became aware of the
danger, the halls were filled with
dense smoke. They started at
once to rescue the inmates, of
whom there were about fifty, and
among whom panic was threatened.
The discipline and bravery of the Sis
ters at once restored order, and in the
face of the greatest danger they worked
so earnestly and to such advantage that
all OF the inmates were soon in safety
away from the burning building, with the
exception Of those named above. Even
these were not abandoned, and their
bodies were taken from their rooms
through binding smoke and death
threatening heat, they having died from
suffocation, and not from flames. In their
moving robes the Sisters hurried about
the buildings mingling their words of
reinsurance to the frightened children
with prayers and doing physical duties
which more than once seemed like a di-
rect invitation to death at the same
time as fast as the little ones were
brought out they were marched away to
places Of safety, where they were ten
Cerly cared for.
After the fire started its spread was so
rapid that it was feared that more fatal
ltleS would be discovered to have oc-
CURED, but as soon as the excitement
was over it was but a short time before
the sisters had all OF their wards ac-
counted for.
EdgewOOd is situated on the south
shore of Lake Wingra, over two miles
from the city, and has neither telephone
nor telegraphic communication with
Madison. 1t was not until after the ire
had been burning for some time that
messenger was sent to Madison for aid.
An alarm Of fire was turned in, but it
was over an hour before any assistance
left the city for the scene of the holo-
caust. The fire was then too far adj
vanced for any effective work to
be done. An effort was made to
save the uther buildings, especially
new addition erected at cost of S35,-
800. Before IL o'clock this was also
burning, and at midnight the whole
Institution was a fire pit. The flames
are burning fercely at a. m.
The bodies of the TWO girls were
brOugh to this city.
The little Henneberry girl can scarcely
live until morning; she is also from Chi
cago. Kate Sweeny, a little girl from
Michigan, was nearly Suffocated, and
was rescued with great difficulty, be-
ing picked up from the floor. Sister
Bertha was brought out of the building
with the body of one of the dead in her
arms. She had fallen unconscious to the
floor.