The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-15
Over Fifty Little Children Lose
Life When Home of Grey
Nuns Is De-
stroyed.
MANY HEROIC REscUEs
Thirty-Eight3 Charred Bodies Removed
From Ruins In First
Search Of the
Ashes.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.1
MONTREAL, Que, Feb. 15-More
than fifty orphan children are dead
today In fire which partially do
stroyed the great Guy street home
Of the Grey nuns. Many other In
mates Of the building, returned SOL
dlers, nursing nuns, aged sick and
crippled men and children arc report
ed to have been saved.
All available ambulances and other
vohloles were rushed to the scene
ard are waiting while Arernen and
rescuors search the ruins.
Il 10 thought some survivors may
die 40 q result Of shock and ex-
posure. Several days may pass be-
fore a complete list Of the toll Of
lives can be made.
Late last night firen1en searching
In the ruins found the charred bodies
Of thirty-eIght babes. 1t is thought
many other bodies will be found In
the portion Of the building that was
still In flames today.
Heroic rescues by returned SOL
diers were numerous.
When flremen arrived to battle
with the flames, soldiers were already
at work and were fighting desper-
, The soldiers were 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.
II was only after orders of the fire
chief that soldiers stopped entering
the burning building. Sudden burst
Ina forth Of flames famed to fury
by the stiff gusts Of wind prevented
further reseulng work.
| Bedridden men and women and
aoed nuns, some Of whom have not
! seen the outside Of the institution for
score Of years were carried from
the building on cots, chairs and
blankets, by soldiers, policemen and
voluntary workers.
| WrInkIed faces, crowned with snow
white hair, gave mute evidence of the
shock caused by their sudden re-
movaI.
Many of the recovered bodies OF
children were burned to a crisp and
were beyond recognition. Under the
direction Of the police officials, many
bodies were laid on the floor of a
| room In which but few hours be-
fore the bodies had been playing
with blocks and toys.
Sister Laframberse expressed the
| belief that most Of the dead children
had been smothered by the dense
clouds of smoke.
~ was just leaving the chapel"
| she said, "where | was ending re-
treat, when the fire alarm sounded.
met other sisters hurryng to the
west and they cried that the Creche
was on fire. When arrived there
| found two rooms abIaze, but
seized two little ones and managed
to carry them to place Of safety"
One Of the nuns, her face black.
ened from smoke, said the flames
came from floor below. She be,
Iieves the fire started from spark
from the switch Of the x-ray machine
In the soldiers hospital
Three Burned to Death.
| NEW ORLEANS, La, Feb. 10
Three persons were burned to death
and three seriously injured in fire
sweeping half a dozen houses at Nc
Donoughville, near here.
Hioh School Burned
ST. CHARLES, Mo-, Feb. 15.-Twc
hundred and fifty students narrowly
escaped injury when fire destroyed
the st. Charles high school. Prof
cheney of students in fire drilling ant
coolness Of teachers In maintaining
order probably averted loss Of life.
Fifty-Hve Lost.
i MONTREAL, Que, Feb. 15.--Fifty
FIVE babies, founding orphans, are
now known to have lost their live:
in the fire that swept through thu
west wing of the Grey nunnery here
At noon today firemen had takel