The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-09
MANY ORPHANS DEAD.
Twenty-Six Lose Their Lives in q
.s,x New York Asylum.
irks '~
MORE MANNED.
Some Are SO Badly Injured They VIII
Die-The Explosion Of a Boiler
80 Cut or All Means Of Escape
e. and They Perished. =

Rochester, N. Y, Jan. 9.-By the
burning of the Rochester Orphan asy-
lum here between 20 and 80 lives were
lost and many of the inqates will die
from burns or other Injuries. The
asylum was 3-story structure and its
occupants numbered between 165 and
1876.
1t was but few minutes Cfter 1
yesterday morning when a nurse i'll
the hospital, Miss Cline, smelled smoke.
She Immediately called a nurse, Miss
Valliont, and the latter reported the
matter TO the matron, Miss. l.. Dinehart.
The smoke was located in, the boiler
room and word was sent to police head
quarters. All the fire apparatus was
rushed to the burning building, but bo
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 off the escape of the
children from the east end of the build
ing. 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 i'll their
surroundings when finally aroused. In
the east wing were the sleeping apart
ments of the asylum. They were locat-
ed mainly on the second and third
floors, the lower floor known af the first
nursery and the upper as second Here
i'm were 40 children or more. Miss Sarah
Ashdown was in charge for the night
and with her was Miss Brad of the hos
pital ward, who was taking 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 it was but a matter of q
few seconds before the whole sleeping
population was brought TO a realization
of the situation with suddenness which
at once seemed to rob nearly every one
of Judgment and mental faculties. A
terrible chorus of cries and groans filed
the air. 1t was impossible to see any
thing and as the thick smoke poured in
the scene became one of indescribable
confusion. Chief nurse, Miss Ashdown,
did all within her power TO save the
children and nurses. When the firemen
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 it seemed impossible for her
to escape. She did, however, but was
so seriously injured by falling she will
not live. 1t is stated by the matron
that there were 75 girls in the west
wing. Besides there were two children
and two nursesin 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 were 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 26 children
one nurse and a cook.