The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-02-16
INSANE WOMEN BURN.
-. \ l-ota
Insane Asylum Perish I'm . Fire
L which Destroys Cottage.

Omaha, Neb., Feb. ia Bee speciaI
from Yankton, S. D., says: One of the
most horrifying sfress il the his tory of
two o'clock at the state insane asylum
when one of the cottages took fire in the
basement, completely quitting the
building and causing the loss of lives of
II inmates confined there. The names
of those missing and the counties from
whence they came, are:
Augusta Boerse Lake county: Julia
Erickson Meade, Ella Lokken, Coddington,
Margaret Lynch, Union: Josiana Olson,
Hamlin; Martenia Tennyson, Pennington,
Elizabeth Stolpe, Dawson, Mrs. Rampant,
Brown: Maggie Flynn. Hamlin; Lucina
Gossage, Hamlin; Adelina Hurley, Potter;
Christina. Johnston; Coddington; Jennie
kronfg, Pennington; Lusia Keene, Cod
dington: Caroline Lindberg. Brown; Katie
Plavitz, Bonhomme; Gaini Swanson,
The cottage was erected of stone and
granite walls with wooden interior and
intended for laundry purposes, but ow-
| ing to the crowded condition of the
main building 40 of3the female patients
were placed here with the laundry in
the basement. 2! The exact cause of the
fire is not known, except that it origin
ated in the dryroom of the laundry.
Here there is coil of steam pipes and
the theory is that either fine particles
similar to lint settled on the pipes
which ignited, or that clothes, which
were thickly hung here, dropped on
the pipes and were fired.
With the sthermometer standing at %
degrees below zero it was a heart
rending sight to witness those escaping
coming down the narrow flight of stairs
| in their night clothing and bare feet
into the bitter cold, and had it not
been for the nearness of shelter the suf-
fering and probable loss of life from
freezing would have been terrible. The
building was three stories high, with an
one west. There was one stairway from
the second and third floors which led
into the main halls to these entrances,
thus giving but one egress for those in
the second and third floors and attic.
Fifty-two persons were in the burning
building, 40 patients and IL female at
tendants. The attendants escaped, as
did the others who were saved, with
none of their personal effects, many
losing all that they possessed.
& .Anl1nquestsis now IN progress at the
asylum, not yet completed, which may
develop the exact cause of the fire. 1t
is not thought blame will be attached
to anyone for carelessness.s Portions of
charred remains can. be seen in the
debris at the bottom of the basement
which appear to be nearly in pile near
the northwest wall. The four walls of
huge stone still stand black and grim
and will make the work Of removal dan
gerous, as a total collapse is liable to-
occur without moments warning.
Competent labor will be employed for
the removal of the walls, debris and
remains. The replacing Of the laundry
will necessarily be made at once and
undoubtedly steps for the immediate
replacing of the building will be taken.
The asylum in 1882, then frame build
ing, was destroyed and only six lives,
lost except for loss of property. It was
in no sense an instance to this fire.
Total loss on building and machinery:
is estimated to be $4,000. No insur-
| anoa whofovor