The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1901-01-10
Nearly Two Score Of Lives Lost
in the Awful Disaster at
Rochester, N. Y.
Twenty-eight Bodies Recovered
and at Least q Dozen Peo-
pie Are Missing.
Flames Spread So Rapidly II
Was Impossible to Prevent
the Loss of Life.

ROCHESTER, N. Y, Jan. 9.-As .
result of the destruction of the Roch.
ester orphan asylum % bodies have
been recovered-26 children, l nurse
and q cook. In addition dozen others
are missing. The asylum was s-story
structure and it's occupants numbered
between 1875 and 1876.
The fire was discovered at 1 q m,
and word was promptly sent to police
headquarters AL the fire apparatus
was rushed TO the burning building,
but before the first engine arrived the
neighbors for blocks around had gath.
cred and were doing their best to res
cue the inmates.
Shortly after the fire broke out q
boiler exploded with terrific force,
completely blowing out the lower part
of the west end Of the connecting
wing, thereby cutting off the escape of
the children from the east end Of the
building. The children who were
nearest to the connecting wing were
apparently dazed by the force Of the
explosion and with difficulty were able
to take in their surroundings when
finally aroused.
Flames Spread Rapidly.
The work of rescue and attempted
rescue was taken up by many hands,
volunteers as well as fremen, and In
many cases was carried on in manner
that was nothing less than heroic, but
the flames gained such rapid Roadway
and spread with such incredible speed
that it was beyond human effort to
prevent the loss of life. In few min
utes after the fire broke out half of the
building within which the hospital
was situated was a mass Of flames. The
smoke poured out from every window
and screams and frantic cries could be
heard coming from the imprisoned in
mates. The long ladders were run up
and plunging into the sitting smoke
fireman after fireman came sliding
down the ladders, bearing inanimate
forms in their arms. Most Of the chill
dren and adults carried from the burn
ing building were unconscious from
the effects of the thick smoke. The fire
was fought from every available point,
but in spite of that the building was
almost completely destroyed before the
blaze was finally under control
Caring for the Injured.
Ambulances from all of the hospitals
were on the ground almost as soon as
the fire com panles, and houses in the
neighborhood were opened to receive
the little waits who were carried from
the asylum. The ambulances were
started to the hospitals with the more
seriously burned children. In several
cases they were dead when taken from
the vehicle at the hospital doors.
Fireman Morris Heating went up to
the roof on ladder to rescue women
and children Just as he reached the
top a stream of water was turned on
him to keep away the flames, but it
had the effect to confuse the man. He
reached for a woman and the latter
jumped for his arms. Suddenly the
man lost his hold on the ladder and fell
to the ground. The woman was killed
outright and the fireman was so seri-
ously injured that he may die.
The roof was covered with children
who had escaped through the scuttle
from the upper rooms and the fremen
were kept busy carrying them down.
Many escaped unframed in this way.