El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-08
NARROWING SCENE
As the Little Children Tried
So Hard to Keep Alive
Until Strong Men
Rescue Them.

ROCHESTER, N V Jan. S.-Thir-
ty-two little children are known to be
dead, six dying in the hospitals. and
over a hundred were injured, as the
result of the burning. early this morn
ing of the Rochester Orphan asylum.
corner of Hubbell Park and Exchange
street
Heart rending scenes marked the
confiagration. Many of the terror
stricken children caught in the death
trap, leaped from windows and had
their tender limbs crushed and broken
on the pavements below. Many in
fants were thrown from the windows
in frantic effort to save their lives,
but the little ones were dashed to
death where they fell.
The scene was the most horrible ev-
er witnessed in this city. Groups of
little children in their night gowns at
the windows of the upper stories cried
pitifully and logged for assistance
reach them. Little
more than two and
/ out on the crowd
lille the flames licked
id out their chubby
ent that assistance
..,-, ue sent them. Strong men with
babes of their own at home were made
sick at heart and iremen and volun-
teers goaded into madness by the
spectacle. performed deeds of heroism,
risking their lives time and again to
drag tiny stupefied children from the
roaring furnace
High up at one of the windows were
five little ones in their night dresses.
The oldest was not above five years of
age The room was filling with smoke
and they were driven to the window
for air Two Of the oldest were sob
bling pitifully in their fright, but a
little curly haired boy not above three
years of age, leaned out over the win
dow sill and looked intently at the
sIIrging throng below as ii wondering
what it was all about He smiled en-
couragingly at a brave fireman, who
was making a noble effort to reach
him at the risk of his life, and waved
his small hand at the crowd
Just then a heavy cloud of smoke
plosion and when it cleared away the
easement was a mass of flame and the
babes had vanished.
The scene was one of indescribable
horrors. Women shrieked and tainted
and men became almost maniacs at
the sight of the little ones being rOas-
Z ted alive and because of their own in
ability to aid them.
The actual loss of life is not yet
known.
AT 9:15 this morning remnants Oh
what appeared to be the bodies of
two infants were taken from the mass
of debris on the south side of the asy
lum. The remains consisted of a few
small bones, some hair, and as near
as could be determined, portions of
two babies skulls. Neither was recog-
niZed.
If the bones found turn out to be
portions of bodies not already includ-
ed in the list the number of babies
dead will reach thirty-two.
A 1ull lnVeStlgatlOn into the cause
of the fire has already been started.
There were about three hundred in
mates in the institution and hardly
one of them escaped withopt injury.
Nearly one hundred received hurts
which are serious. Five are dead at
the Homeopathic hospital. eight at
St. Mary's hospital, and four bodies
are at the morgue. Several more are
dead Or dying in other hospitals, and
in private houses near the scene of
the fire.
Seventeen different private houses
shelter sufferers, and it will be some
time before the list of dead and injured
can be completed.