Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-20
BABIES IN DANCER.
Nearly Hundred |mperiIled
On Lofty Roof Garden.
High Wind Wrecks Retreat al
Top Of Boston Asylum.
The Nurses Manage to Get Their
Tender Charges to Safety.

|
| Boston, July ia wind of almost
cyclonic velocity, sweeping high up in
the air, struck with full force the lofty
| roof garden of st. Mary's Infant asy-
lum, Dorchester, Saturday, on which
| ut the time We're scores of infants IN
| their baskets, tumbling the children
about with its fury, tearing down the
huge canvas roof of the garden, knock
| ing over the uprightS which held this
! tent, blowing over a heavy Ventilator
on the roof, and breaking to pieces the
chimney which surmounts the struc-
/ ture.
That many OF ,the babies We're not
blown from the roof, to fall four stories
| to the ground, is considered as we'll
nigh miracle by the nurses in attend
ance, and is laid to the heroism of
| these same nurses by those nearby
| who know the whole story. The res
cues number just sc, the number of
children on the roof, all helpless, and
several We're snatched back even as
they We're at the edge of the roof.
Just before 3 o'clock, Mrs Mary Nc
| Cam, the head nurse, was looking to-
| ward the black clouds that We're APP
| preaching from the west, when she saw
| rreat pillar of dust sweeping in the
| direction Of the asylum, and with
! shout 20 her assistants to get the ba-
bies inside, she set to work.
| Hardly had the work begun, how
ever, when the wind was upon the
| building. Almost at the first gust the
huge canvas was ripped to shreds. The
uprights could not stand the strain,
and down came the whole on the ba-
bies and nurses. At the same time
ventilatOr was boWled over.
All around the roof is Il railing, and
just inside this are two rows of beams
which held the baskets in which the
infants arg placed and as the roof
came down many of these children
| were buried beneath it and the baskets
| overturned, sending the occupants roll
ing over the rough planks of the roof.
| Many others We're nearly smothered by
the folds Of the canvas.
No sooner had the storm struck than
| Mrs. Mccain and the nurses began to
gather in the children, and under the
calm direction of Sisters Vincent and
Everett Woh are in general charge of
the roof, this was done with practically
no confusion. On the roof also We're
James Hayes, a prominent worker for
the institution, and Drs. Morris Sean
| Ian and George Connor, all of whom
did valiant service in rescuing the
infants.
The nurses were obliged to scramble
under the canvass and pick up the
screaming children as best they could.
and many were the acts Of heroism, for
no one could approach the edge of the
roof after the children without danger Of
being blown off.
One baby named Lamb was in 4 ham
mock at the time of the accident and as
the upright holding gave way the baby
| fell almost to the edge of the roof and
was about to fall over when Mrs. Nc
| Cam rescued her. An instant later Mrs.
! Mccain was gathering upan unknown
child, whose given name is Gertrude, one
of the favorites at tho institution. and
| was carrying it to safety, when q loose
board flew up and was about to hit the
child on the head when Mrs. Mccain in
tcrposed her own body and took the blow,
injuling her slightly. Miss May Helger,
a nurse, caught 2-year-old Mary Creatin
as the child was at the edge of the roof.
All was over in less than five minutes,
and before that time was past all the
Sc children We're safely housed down.
stairs in the institution.
Assisting Mrs. Mccain. the head nurse,
We're the following experienced nurses
who aided in rescuing the children: Miss
Mary Sullivan of st. Johns hospital,
| Lowell; Miss Mary Riley. late of the
Carney hospital; Miss Mary Walsh, Miss
Annie Hart, Miss Bertha Murray, Miss
Lizzie McGonagle, Miss Anna Howes,
| Miss Mary Donahue and Miss Anna Kill
burne.
] The roof garden where the accident oc
Cured is on the top Of the main building
of st. Mray's infant asylum which stands
on the top Of high hill close to Up
hams Conner, and is about 700 feet long
and - feet wide. Nearly all this was
| wrecked.
That the wind took serious effect at this
spot alone in all Dorchester is explained
by the fact that the hill is one of the
tallest on the ocean side OF the Blue hills,
and that the building rises four stories
at the very highest part. The temporary
| structure Of the roof garden, which is
kept up by charity, made easy worl; for
tht wind which had full sweep for many
miles. The damage to the asylum will
exceed $1,000 and as the roof appears to
be the only place in the institution where
the babies can be given the open air, the
accident badly cripples the work being
done. 1t is intended if sufficient interest
is aroused among the public, to erect
permanent strong roof in place of the
canvas in the near future
Father Bartholomew Laurent, Bra
lillian priest, described in the London
Evening Post of Dec 20-22, 1909, fly
ing ship of his invention. BY means