The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-15
Orphans SmOthered by Smoke
and Bodies Incinerated.
Home of Grey Nuns in Mon
treal Partly Destroyed.
SOLDIERS DO HEROIC WORK
Aged, Sick, Crippled and Infirm
Rescued ON Their Cots.
Recover Bodies of 3S Babes; !;
Many More Still in Ruins.

Montreal, Que, Feb. 15.-Fifty-five
babies, founding orphans, are known
to have lost their lives in the fire that
swept thru the west wing of the Grey
nunnery here. At noon today firemen
had taken forty-three blackened little
bodies from the ruins. Twelve more
have been sighted.
1t is feared the death list will reach
at least seventy, for the work of
checking over the living babes has not
been completed.
Some of the little forms were almost
consumed by the blaze that swept
quickly thru the portion of the nun
merry used for wounded soldiers and for
homeless children.
X-Ray Machine Started Fire.
An investigation today proved that
the fire was caused when a wire lead
ing to an X-ray machine came in con-
tact with a floor. Loss to the build
ing is estimated at s12o.o00. Military
author tiles lost medical apparatus
worth about S150,000.
Montreal Que, Feb. 15.-More than
fifty orphan children are dead today
in q fire which partially destroyed the
great Guy street Home of the Grey
Nuns. Many other inmates of the
building, returned Soldiers, nursing
nuns, aged, sick and crippled men and
children are reported to have been
saved.
All available ambulances and other
vehicles were rushed to the scene and
are waiting while firemen and res
cuers search the ruins.
Il is thought some survivors may
die as result of shock and exposure.
Seye eral days may pass before com
plete list of the toll of lives can be
made.
Late last night firemen searching in
the ruins found the charred bodies of
thirty-eight babes. 1t is thought many
other bodies will be found in the por-
ton of the building that was still in
flames today.
Soldiers Are Fire Heroes.
Heroic rescues by returned soldiers
were numerous.
When firemen arrived to battle with
the flames, soldiers were already at
work and were fighting desperately to
save the lives of the inmates. The SOL
diers ware handing baby after baby to
each other down the fire escapes. In
many instances soldiers were seen to
have as many as four children in their
arms at one time.
1t was only after orders of the fire
chief that soldiers stopped entering
the burning building. Sudden burst
ing forth of flames famed to a fury
by the stiff gust wind prevented fur
ther rescuing work.
Bedridden men and women and
dS6C nuns, some OF WhOm nave not
seen the outside of the institution for
score of years, were carried from
the building on cots. chairs and blan-
kets, by soldiers. policemen and volun-
tary workers.
Wrinkled faces, crowned with snow
white hair. gave mute evidence of the
shcck caused by their sudden removal.
Children Burned to a Crisp.
Many of the recovered bodies of
children were burned to crisp and
were beyond recognition. Under the
direction of the police officials many
bodies were laid on the floor in a
room in which but a few hours before
tho babies had been playing with
blocks ard toys.
Sister Laframberse expressed the
belief that most of the dead children
had been smothered by the dense
clouds OF smoke.
81 was just leaving the chapel" she
said, where l was ending retreat,
when the fire alarm sounded met
other sisters hurrying to the west and
they cried that the Creche was on fire.
When I arrived there / found two
rooms ablaze, but 1 seized two little
ones and managed to carry them to
a place of safety"
One of the nuns, her face BACKED
from smoke, said the flames came
from floor below. She believes the
fire started from a spark from the
switch of the X-ray machine in the
soldiers hospital.