The Saint Paul globe., 1899-02-13

YANKTON, S. D., Feb. 12.-(Spe-
cial.)-Seventeen inmates, all women,
of the South Dakota Hospital for the
Insane lost their lives this morning
in fire which destroyed one of the
cottages Of the Institution. The fire,
which occurred at o'clock this morn
ing, originated in the basement of the
cottage, destroyed and entirely gutted
the building In addition to those who
lost their lives, there were thirty five
three patients and twelve employees,
all of them escaping In their night
clothes and losing all their personal
effects.
CAUSE A MYSTERY.
The cottage was erected of stone and
granite, with wooden interior, and was
intended for laundry purposes, but ow
ing to the crowded condition Of the
main building forty of the female pa
tients were placed there with the laun-
dry in 3ife baacment. The exact cause
OF the fire is not known, except that
It originated in the dry room of the
laundry. Here there is a coil of steam
pipes, and the theory is that either fine
particles, similar to lint, settled on the
pipes and ignited, or that Clothes which
were thickly hung above, dropped on
the pipes and were fired.
LACK OF WATER.
Lack Of water greatly hindered the
work Of the firemen. The burned cot
tage stands some 300 feet in the rear
Of the main building the water tank
for fire protection standing 100 feet in
the rear of the cottage. The steam
pipes used for pumping ran from the
boiler room to the main building,
through the cottage for heating and
then to the artesian we'll or tank. The
intense heat in the burning building
caused the pipes to burst shortly after
the fire began, leaving the fire hose
without power, except in the direct
pressure from the tank, which was in
no way sufficient to quench the flames.
Two streams of water were thrown on
the building, but did little good.
INTENSELY COLD:
With the thermometer standing at %
degrees below zero, the inmates who
could escape came down the narrow
fight Of stairs in their night clothing
and bare feet into the bitter cold,
and had it not been for the nearness Of
shelter the suffering and probable loss
of life would have been more terrible.
ESCAPE CUT OFF.
The building was three stories high,
with an attic and two entrances, one
east and one west. There was no stair
way from the second and third floors
which led into the main halls to these
entrances, thus giving but one exit
for those on the second and third floors
and attic. Fifty-two persons were in
the burning building, forty patients
and twelve female attendants. The at
tendants escaped, as did the others
who were saved, with none Of their
personal euectS, HdHy loSluS dil lheS
possessed.
INQUEST IN PROGRESS.
An inquest is now In progress at the
asylum, which may develop the exact
cause. 1t is not thought blame will at
| tach to any of the attendants.
Portions of charred remains can be
seen in the debris at the bottom of the
basement. The work of removing the
| remains and debris will begin in the
| morning.
The four walls Of the cottage still
stand and will make the work of re-
moval dangerous, as collapse is liza
BILE to occur without moments warn
| ing.
In 1882 the asylum, then a frame
building, was destroyed by fire and six
| lives were lost.
| Loss on the building and machinery
| in todays fire is estimated to be $751;
coo; uninsured.
BIG CHICAGO BLAZE.