Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-10
ORPHANS
PERISH
BY FIRE
Rochester Orphan Asylum
Burned Early Tuesday
Morning.
MANY CHILDREN DEAD
The Exact Number is Not Yet
Known.
The Exact Number is Not Yet
Known.
EXPLOSION ADDS TO The HORROR.
Structure Contained One. Hundred
Seventy Children, Whose Agonizins
Cries for Help Enlisted the Services
of Volunteer Workers.

Rochester, N. Y, Jan. s.-By the
burning of the Rochester Orphan asy-
lum, three story structure, contain
ing about ITO children and nurses, at
10 o'clock this morning, between TWEEN
ty and thirty lives were lost, and
many other inmates will die. from
burns and injuries.
The flames were discovered by two
young men, w. Clark and F. Young,
who were passing the building.
Clark ran to the nearest fire alarm
box and sent in an alarm, after which
both turned their attention toward
arousing the nurses, attendants and
children.
Battered Down the Doors.
They proceeded to batter in the
door, when terrific explosion oc-
Cured which blew out the lower
part of the west end of the building,
cutting off the escape of the occu-
pants in the east end. In a few min
utes the entire half of the building in
which the hospital and sleeping apart
ments were situated, was mass Of
flames.
Frantic Cries for Help.
Smoke poured out of every window
and screams and frantic cries could
be heard from the panic-stricken
children. Ladders were strung up
by the firemen who plunged into the
sitting smoke and bore out scores of
inanimate forms in their arms All the
4 rescued were unconscious, and many
of them dead.
Matron Dinehart stated there were
seventy-seven girls and two nurses
in the west wing. 1t is believed all
of them were gotten out, either dead
or alive. Many children were taken
away early and the number of dead
and injured cannot be definitely
stated.
Willing Hands Help.
The work of rescue and attempted
rescue was taken up by many hands,
volunteers as we'll as firemen, and in
many cases carried on in manner
nothing less than heroic, but the
flames gained such rapid Roadway
and spread with such incredible
speed that it was beyond human eff
fort to prevent loss of life.
Heart Rending Scenes.
Ambulances from all the hospitals
were on the ground almost as soon as
those of the companies. Houses in
the neighborhood were thrown open
to receive the little waits who were
carried from the asylum. Scenes
about the building while the fire was
at its height were heartrending in the
extreme. Crazed women were run
ming about trying to find out whether
certain little ones had been taken from
the building in safety, while Others
were looking for their friends. AL
who were rescued had nothing on but
their night clothing.
Fireman Fell With Woman.
Miss Comerieux, one of the attend
ants, was rescued by Fireman Heating
from a third story window. Wher
part way down the ladder the fireman
slipped and fell to the ground. The
woman was killed and the fireman
was seriously injured.
Almost Totally Destroyed.
A large portion of the asylum build
ing is totally destroyed, the portion
standing is probably in such condition
that it's demolition will be necessary
A Dozen in One House.
Rochester, N. Y, Jan. 8.-Most o
the dead taken from the building were
carried temporarily to nearby resi-
,1M5m, vr~ ----