The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-28
CONVENT BURNED.
Dominican 0rphanage Of st.
Agnes, at Sparkhill, N. II,
Destroyed By Fire.
FOUR LIVES LOST TO DATE
Many Injured, Some of Whom
Will Probably Die De-
tails of the Disaster.


BLAUyELT. N. Y, Aug. Is, lSss-Tho
entire group Of buildings, with the exeep-
tion of the hospital which comprised the
convent Of ST. Agnes. an organage in
charge of the Dominican Sisters. situated
about half a mile from Sparkhill, were
burned this morning and as far as IS
known three lives were lost and many
We're injured, two OF whom will probably
die. The fire was discovered about one
O'Clock this morning and In short time
all the buildings with the exception Of
the hospital were burning fercely The
fire started in the lavatory at the north-
| west corner of the group of buildings.
nine in number. which faced the road to
the south.
It soon communicated to building No.
l, which was occupied by the older boys.
The lads were quickly awakened and SOON
rushed TO Building No. 2, and in this man.
ner word was quickly passed through the
nine buildings and the Sisters in charge
of each soon had all the occupants Of the
dormatories out Of bed. Along the back
of the builings a covered archway extend
ed the entire length of the structures and
from this archway the entrance to the
several buildings opened. The fire ate It's
way with extraordinary swiftness through
this arehed hallway which acted as .
fiue and the flames were famed by
northwest breeze which forced them on
ward in their destructive sweep.
The work of getting the children out
of the building was heroically performed
by the Sisters in charge and these were
ably assisted by some nurses and moni-
tors as well as many of the older boys.
In the meantime the alarm had been
spread and people from the surrounding
neighborhood quickly gathered and help
ed in the work of rescue. The alarm of
fire was sent by telephone to the nearest
towns, but when the fire comany from
Piermont arrived all but the hospital
building had been demolished.
All of the children were taken out alive,
but two little tots, Helen Brown, aged
years and Emma Mackin, years old, died
of commissions after they had been
rescued. An aged woman nurse known as
Jane" who is said to be 70 years OF age
is supposed to have perished in the build
ing where it is expected her charred body
will be found. All the other inmates have
been accounted for. Kate Mccarthy,
servant, who is suffering from shock will
probably die and Theresa Murphy, ls
years old. is also seriously injured
OF IQe 01SleIS Jutupt0 4AOt-l -tA-
second. third and fourth floors Of the
buildings, but only one Of them was dam
gerously injured This is Sister Bertrand.
who is suffering from concussion OF the
spine and. consequent shock.
Sister Marie, who, the doctors say VIII
live. is severely burned. and Sister Cath
crime had an arm broken. Sister Sienna,
who assisted in the work of rescue,
showing wonderful nerve and courage,
collapsed after the children were gotten
out and remained unconscious Ior seVeras
hours Sister Agnes. who Climbed out OF
a fourth story window, mad mIraculoQs
escape from injury and possible aealn.
After climbing out of the WINDOW sle
took hold of the swinging shutter ana a.
ter swinging herself free OF the oulia-
ing, dropped to the ground, four stories
below, and alighted without apparent m
In all there were s26 childrens Of whom
so were girls in the institution wnen ths
fire broke out. There were also g 5y 1as, s,lS-
Mother Peters Most of the children
were sent TO the orphanage through the
Gerry Society and poilee :.s magissf&SsSo = So-
329 East Sixty-third street, New, . n.
where Mother Superioress Dom1nlck re-
sides. All Of the Sisters ana cna,eIls, - l,a5
care of at the Blauvelt. Convent. y NntSn IN
Is about two miles from the scene oi tAS
conlagIation About . Of nln fne the Smssda doc-
ftGS4ttu lAJNl4Cs. mo-
tors think will prove fatal
The loss by the destruction OF the group
of buildings is estimated at $4,000. coyered
BY insurance to the amount OF Sssivv. ,ss.
1,ei+ Convent oyercrowds that institution
ana this afternoon fifty children will 60
10 the New York House Of the Sis[srs
of ST. Dominic, at No s2s Easl Lesa
street. and fifty to the Convent al Nanuet-
The sisters controlling the destroyed n
stitution belong to the third order OF 81
Dominic. 49,
nhy. sixteen years old, monitor: In1s
makes four dead in all, SO far as known.
The Murphy girl escaped with the rest
of the inmates. but went BACK 10 saws
a baby and perished- aoo -
The damage is estimated at sloo.vW ana
If Is believed that the fire was or incens
diary origin.