St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-08-30
FIRE IN A CONVENT.

Blauveit N. Y, Aug. 29.-Fire was dis
covered in one of the buildings of the
convent Of the Dominican Sisters at
Sparkill and in few minutes the several
buildings were in flames. Four persons
were killed. The fire destroyed nine out
OF the 10 buildings in the group and that
1t did not claim more victims Is due to the
bravery of the Sisters of Chirity, who
conducted the convent and orphanage,
and of some of the older inmates.
The fire occurred about o'clock Mon
day morning, and found the 400 tenants
of the institution asleep There was
hasty, but timely, warning that started
the work of rescue. Hundreds were
gotten out in almost perfect order, but
score, who risked their lives to
save others, were finally forced to either
jump from the upper stories or make
desperate dashes through stairways and
corridors filled with flame and smoke.
1t Is charged that the buildings were
fired by an incendiary.
The known dead are: Helen Brown,
years old; Emma Mackin, aged Z;
Jane -, aged 70; Mary X. Mccarthy,
aged 2S. The missing and unaccounted
for are: Therese Murphy, aged IS;
Mary Brown, aged 4.
The seriously injured are: Sister
Sienna, shock and collapse, serious;
Sister Marie, burns and conclusion,
moderate; Sister Bertrand, concussion
of the spine and shock, serious; Sister
Katherine, broken arm; Sister Ignatius,
slightly injured by fall; Sister Liguri,
shock and hurt by fall, slight Hanna
Shea, leg broken. Twenty-Five inmates
were injured by falls, jumps and burns,
none very seriously.
The fire was discovered in the lava
tory, separate building, which stood in
a corner Of the square formed by the
10 buildings. 1t was seen first at 1850
o'clock by Waterman Lynch, who gave
the alarm. The lavatory adjoined the
No. dormitory, in which over 200 boys
slept, and was connected with it and
with the other buildings by an enclosed
archway or corridor that ran clear
across the grounds and tapped the rear
of every structure.
The clang of the electric gongs and
the cries of the Waterman had hardly
begun to ring through the convent be-
fore the fire had attacked the archway
and was eating it's way into the first
dormitory. The archway acted as a
great flue that gave furious draught
that grew in intensity at every corridor
that opened into it. Flames shot down
this horizontal chimney, and the con-
vent proper and chapel, at the extreme
eastern end of the grounds, were afire
before the first dormitory was fairly
ablaze.
The boys in the first dormitory got
the first warning. Sister Reginald,
who had trained the lads in the fire drill,
rushed down the line of white beds, and,
arousing the sleepers, clapped her
hands. The boys turned out with a
rush, and while some waited to hustle
into clothes, the majority fastened to
the front of the building and gained the
lawn in their night clothes.
By that time the second dormitory
where the little boys slept, was ablaze
The older lads made dash for the
building, and were soon carrying the
smaller fellows out. The building.
were all finished with Georgia pine
which burned like fireworks. Forks OF
flames gained the roof Of the second
dormitory and great blasts Of fire
swept through the windows, doors and
halls. But the sisters stood at their
posts, and little squads of heroes rushed
In, bundled up the sleeping waits, and
dashed out with them.
Meantime there were other stirring
scenes. The convent and chapel made
great stack Of flames, and between
them and the second dormitory the
girls dormitory blazed and cracked
as the fire leaped up It's wooden walls.
A dozen sisters were cut off in the
upper stories of the convent building
They were forced to the windows, and
while some climbed out to the sills
others knelt in prayer, there were cries
for aid. Engineer Otto placed long
ladder against the outer wall, and by
speedy and heroic work managed ia
rescue half a dozen. Six were forced
to jump for their lives, but, with one
exception, Sister Bertrand, all escaped
without serious injury.
The escape Of Sister Agnes seemed al.
most miracle. She was cut off on the
fourth floor. Climbing out upon the
window sill, she seized the shutter and
swung out clear Of the building. Then sht
loosened her hold and shot downward
She struck the ground squarely upor
her feet, and then fell over on her side
Immediately she got up and walked
quickly away from the burning wall
She had escaped unhurt.
The fire reached the girls dormitory
last hut nnna II took hold of the hnildinu