The Penn's Grove record., 1901-01-11
PERISH In ASYLUM FIRE
Over a Score Of Orphans Lose Their
Lives at Rochester, N. Y.
MANY OTHERS BADLY INJURED

EXPLOSION of Boiler Cut ON Egress OF
Many Children in the Burning Build.
ing and Added to the Mortaiity--Fire-
men and Citizens Did Good Rescue
work-The List of the Dead.
Rochester, N. Y.-Not since the great
lantern works fire of 1888, In which
many persons were killed and many
others injured, has such a catastrophe
occurred here as that of the burning
of the Rochester Orphan Asylum, a
three-story structure, at Hubbell Park
and Exchange street. OF the nearly
200 inmates of the asylum, nearly
thirty persisted outright, and many
will die from burns and other injuries
A large portion of the asylum building
was destroyed.
The following is a partial list OF the
dead: Gertrude Poner, Bertha Han,
Viola Stuck, Lillian Stone, Mildred Slo7
cum. Mary Alexander, Ellen Hamilton,
Hazel Murray, Minnie Tiffany, Myrtle
Patterson, Isabel Marriage, Gertrude
McCaw, Mary McCaw, Loreno Owen,
Charlie Benham, Bertha Potter, Mil
dred Wright, Minnie Skinner, Mary
Kane, Cora Potter. Charles Bryant,
Beachnell Carey, Evangeline Carey,
Mrs. Maria Gordon and Mrs. Martha
ellis.
The flames We're discovered by two
young men, w. Clark and f. Young,
who happened to be passing" the build
ing on Exchange street. Clark ran to the
nearest fire alarm box and sent in an
alarm, after which both turned their
attention to arousing the nurses, at
PENDANTS and children.
Miss Cline, a nurse in the hospital.
says she smelled smoke a few minutes
after / o'clock, and Immediately mott
fed Miss yallient, another nurse, who
reported the matter to the matron,
Miss l.. Dinehart. The smoke was
speedily traced to the boiler room and
word was sent to police headquarters.
Then a terrific explosion was heard
in the other end of the building. In a
few moments the entire half of the
building In which the hospital was sit,
uated was q mass of flames. The
smoke poured out of every window,
ad screams and frantic cries could be
heard from the panic-stricken chill
dren. Long ladders We're strung up
and firemen plunged into the sitting
smoke and bore out inanimate forms.
All of the rescued were unconscious;
many were dead.
The explosion which followed the
discovery of the fire took place near
the west end of the connecting wing,
completely blowing out the lower part
and cutting off the escape of the chill
dIen In the east end. The children
sleeping nearest to the connecting
wing were stunned by the shock, and
it was with great difficulty that they
realized their danger when finally
aroused.
In the east wing We're the sleeping
apartments of the asylum, mainly on
the second and third floors. Forty
children or more were there, in charge
of Miss Sarah Ashdown and Miss
Brad, of the hospital ward, who was
taking care of two sick children. The
report of the explosion was not loud
enough to awaken the sleeping nurses,
but when the smoke began to pour into
the east wing a panic ensued. 1t was
impossible to see anything. The chief
nurse, Miss Ashdown, did all within
her power to control the terrified chill
dren and nurses, but without avail.
Although the work of rescue was
taken up promptly by so many hands,
volunteers as well as firemen, the
flames gained such Roadway and
spread with such incredible speed
that 1t was beyond human effort to
prevent the loss of life.
A dramatic incident of the fire was
the fall Of Morris Heating, a fireman,
who went up to the roof on a ladder
to rescue women and children. just
as he reached the top a stream of
water was turned on him to keep OFF
the flames, but 1t had the effect of con-
fusing him. He reached out for a wo-
man who had jumped toward him.
Suddenly he lost his hold OF the lad
der and fell with the woman to the
right and Heating was seriously In
ground. His charge was killed out
jured.
The hospital building was destroyed
and the main building was damaged,
entailing a total loss of about $4,000.
bt DulllihEh Ntit btdttu W Slttibf
and 1t is believed that the fire was
caused by an explosion of the engine
boiler.
The Rochester Orphan Asylum was
organized in February, 1887. The So
ciety was Incorporated a year later.
In June, 1889, John Creig, of Canal-
daigua. gave to the asylum the valua-
BILE tract of land in Hubbell Park
on which the structure stood. The
main building was erected In 1884.
In 1870 a wing OF the east side of the
main building was erected at an ex-
pense of $10.447. In December, 1873,
a new south wing was built.
Some of the wealthiest persons in
the city are interested in the institu'
tion as managers and trustees, and
there is little question that n more
modern structure will be speedily
arnnfnI