The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-08
Twenty to 30 Inmates known
to Have Perished.
EXPLOSION OF BOILER
Cuts Of Escape Of Many Who
Might Have Got Ont.
Nurse Wrapped in Flames Leaps
From a Window.
Fireman Falls From Roof With
Woman i'm His Arms.

Rochester, N IT.. Jan.S.-By the purn 7
ing OF the Rochester Orphan asyluta
today between 20 and 60 lives were lost
and many OF the inmates viii die from
burns or other injuries The asylum was
4 three story structure at the corner Of
Hubben Park and Exchange street and
its occupants numbered between l65 ana
1a5.
It was but a few minutes after
O'Clock this morning when nurse IN
the hospital Miss Cline smeiled smoke
she Immediately informed another
nurse, Miss Vallient and the latter re
ported the matter to the matrons MISS
l.. Rinehart. The smoke was speedily 4o-
Gated in the boiler room and word Was
sent to police headquarters. All the fire
apparatus was hurried to the buiidlnA
but before the first engine arrived the
structure was in flames Scores OF peo-
pie had rushed to the scene and We're
doing their best to rescue the inmates
Shortly after the fire broke out a Doll
en- exploded with terrific force, conf
pletely blowing out the lower part Of the
west end of the connecting wing there
by cutting of the escape Of the children
from the east of the building
In the east wing were the sleeping
apartments of the asylum They Were
located mainly on the second and third
Abe first nursery and the upper. as the
second Herein We're 40 children or more
Hiss Sarah AShd0Wn was in charge or
the night and with her was Miss Brad
of the hospital ward who was taking
care Of two sick children
The explosion though Of great force
did not awaken the sleeping nurses. The
smoke that began to pour into the east
wing awakened the inmates to the real
izatton OF the situation with a sudden
ness which at once seemed to rob every
body of judgment and mental faculties.
Cries and gFoans filled the air Tt was
impossible to see anything and as the
thick smoke poured In the scene became
one or undescribable confusion. The
chief nurse, Miss Ashdown, did all with
IN her power to save the children and
nurses.
When the firemen arrived on the
scene their attention was first turned
TO the inmates Of the hospital ward, in
the west wing of which is the older Sec
tion of the institution On the floor
next to the top was Miss Brad. With
the flames leaping all around her it
seemed impossible 70 escape. She did
however but was so seriously injured
by falling that she viii not live 1T
was stated by the marron. Miss Rine-
hart, that there were Is girls in the west
wing Besides these there We're two
chlldren and two nurses in the hospital
department which was also in that
wing lt was estimated at o'clock that
all OF the inmates Of the west wing had
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 difficulty
be counted.
The work 81 rescue ana attempted
rescue was taken up by volunteers as
well as tiremen, but the flames gained
with such incredible speed that it was
beyond human effort to prevent the loss
Of life
Ambulanees from ali Of the hos
pitfalls were on the ground almost
as soon as the fire companies and
houses in the neighborhood We're
thrown open to receive the
little waits who were carried from the
asylum The ambulances were started
to the hospitals with the more seriously
burned Of the children In several
cases the little victims We're dead when
taken from the vehicle at the hospital
doors
A large portion of the asylum building
was totally destroyed and the portion
that remains standing probably is in
EuCh condition that its demolition win
Pc necessary. Two young men w
Clark and r. Young, were coming down
Plymouth avenue at / o'clock this morn
ing when they saw the smoke issuing
from the asylum. Clark Immediately
ran to a are alarm box and sent in an
alarm Then he and his companion ran
UP the IRE escape to the roof of the
building 1arthest away from the fire.
lust as they reached the top a terrific
explosion was heard and the flames
burst forth with renewed vigor. In a
Few minutes half Of the building in
Whlch the hospital was situated was a
mass or flames The smoke poured out
from every window and screams and
frantic cries could be heard coming
from the imprisoned inmates.
Inc long ladders were run I'D and
Diunging into the sitting smoke. fire.
man after fireman came sliding down
the ladders bearing inanimate forms in
their arms. Most OF the children and
ADULTS carried from the burning building
were unconscious from the effects ~ tl,s
thick smoke.
al general alarm was sent i'll bringing
out the remainder Of the Department
The IRE Was fought from every avail-
able point, but in spite of thar the build
ling was almost completely DESTROYED ne
Iore the blaze was finally under control
Fireman Norris Keating went m IN
the roof on a ladder to rescue v,or,af,
and children. Just as he reached fba
TOD stream Of water was turned an
him to keep away the flames but il had
the effect TO confuse the man. Ha
reached Tor a woman and the latter
Jumped lor ms arms Suddenly the man
lost MS hold on the ladder The crowd
groaned as the fireman fell with 4ha
woman to the ground The woman vsas
killed outright and the fireman was "a
seriously injured that he may die The
roof was covered with children who ha7
escaped through the scuttle from the
upper rooms and the firemen were kept
busy carrying them down
01s@ nearby mouse was like a nOlgane
falf a dozen dead bodies lay on tile ffoar
tators turned away sickened a the aFrrui
Miss T.. Nf Hfbbsrd. VINO Ma cbaroa III
tFenty-enree children on the third floor
Az the main building said.
was awakened by the cries of the
was on fire As quickly as possfisia rly5
M4 made pur way to THE ROOF of the bufid-