Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1901-01-09
MANY ORPHANS DEAD.
Twenty-Six Lose Their Lives in q
New York Asylum.
MANY MORE NAMED.
Some Are No Badly Injured They VIII
Dle-The Explosion Of a Boiler
Cut on All Means Of Escape
and They Persisted.

Rochester. n. Y. Jan. s.-By the
burning of the Rochester Orphan asy.
lum here between 20 and 30 lives were
lost and many Of the inmates will die
from burns or other injuries The
asylum was a 3-story structure and it,
occupants numbered between 1865 and
1876.
II was bat few minutes after
O'Clock this morning when nurse in
the hospital, Miss Cline. smelled smoke.
She Immediately called a nurse. Miss
Vallient and the latter reported the
matter to the matron. Miss L. Dinohart.
The smoke was located in the boiler.
room and word was sent TO police head
quarters. All the fire apparatus was
rushed 20 the burning building, but b.
fore the first engine arrived neighbors
for blocks around had arrived and were
doing the best they could TO rescue the
inmates.
shortly after the fire broke out the
boiler exploded with terrific force, COM
pletely blowing out the lower part Of
the west end Of the connecting wing.
thereby cutting of the escape Of the
children from the east end Of the build
ing. The children who were nearest o.
the connecting wing were apparently
dazcd hy the force Of the explosion and
with difficulty were able 20 take iu their
surroundings when finally aroused. In
the east wing were the sleeping apart
mcnt. Of the asylum They were locnt-
cd mainly ON the second and third
floors. the lower floor known az the first
nursery and the upper rs second. Here.
in were 90 children or more Miss Sarah
Ashdown was in charge for the night
and with her was Mis-, Brad Of the hos
pital ward, who was fauhg care Of two
sick children. The explosion, though
Of great force. was not loud enough TO
awaken the sleeping nurses.
When the smoke began TO pour into
the east wing II was but a matter Of
few seconds before the whole sleeping
population was brought 10 realization
Of the situation with suddenness which
at once seemed 10 rob nearly every one
of Judgment and mental faculties. A
terrible chorus Of cries and groans filed
the air. Il was impossible TO see any.
thing and as the thick smoke poured in
the scene became one Of Undesirable
confusion. Chief nurse, Miss Ashdowu,
did all within her power TO save the
children and nurses When the iiremen
arrived ON the scene their attention was
first turned TO inmates Of the hospital
ward in the west wing.
ON the floor next To the top was Miss
Brad With the flames leaping all
around her IL seemed impossible for her
b. escapo. She did, however, but was
80 seriously injured by falling she will
not live. IL is stated by the matron
that there were 20 girls in the west
wing. Besides there were two children
and two nurses in the hospital depart.
ment which was also in that wing. II
Is estimated that all the inmates Of the
west wing, have been gotten out, either
dead or alive.
Many children We're taken away
early and the number saved and those
dead and injured could with great diff.
fculty be- counted.
The latest report is the identified dead
at the asylum had reached 20 children,
one nurse and cook.