Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-02-19
NEWS OF THE FINANCIAL BUILDING :
twenty-five Perish rll
wv from Page One)

' , attendant in charge. and
as HUI nl;,; S of Hartford. Conn.
lick Blm BILL emo and George f..
as. \. - three attendants 0s,o VINO +. We're e. :.
IS Nv ~ death, prevented a lar
stsi hol0caust. ., , hose line and
unpusi. - the flames. while the
,sht o !'aassted by Hill, ran up and
r' M 10 feet top Moor cor dor;
10, g. ne patients WIN '"' '00'
Nr: ,reakfast."
al up I've y. The maniacs-declared
" 'aa .,r ss Marcus Is. Hey :
supelln ~ heen the most dangerous
% 10 nav, .eaNcould be marshalled
!hs s !. rooms, they were marched
10 ,n Ns n,rocession to the fire proof
adesss;r ia far from the scene OF the
=, the % inmates of Ward
NvensH .s N led or carried TO safety
had s sug. water tank in the blaI ;
hen ; nu esrashed through the CELL
ts sHs so,stcly blocking the corri-
b; coa ,aS to safety and filling the
n ia nal fl flames and smoke: City t y
s' lighting their way pas. ,ne
ltnel h aI brought out several
Asns 20. screaming maniacs. and
s s', Who had been overcome ., one, ny
ss s while dressing Tor ,br ' he,a 't ,yarc
cs Gu mo rooms and corridor be-
y. l' The h fallen tank: several ,, were
s..,sd to have been c"f ,, LOW npmn !
ts, hnrn !" to death in the debris
u. me floor gave way.
'u ..,sn bodies of inmates and
s SsI'sTed TO he that Of an attend
rs osn,' Neon recovered tonight. In
,s. nav a few charred bones had
sa'' sa,,rd which were believed to
sl l ,sa, was left fsome Of those
(,,ccountsd for
an' i.sssrtifed tonight were those OF
MI l, I.nrld war veterans who had
~ m .r S from shell shock; They
40 IT, Del Benz, Frank From
ny W.. ND, lanes +. Hines. all of New
y 'D Tse others identified were
W. also OF New York. Attempt
'1 IDENTIFY the others was ahahdoned
.. aa.' Most OF the remaining
w. '., we're badly charrcd and it was
.ssred many Of them never would
1nitively identified.
-,s hnilding il which the fire oc-
-. so-called maine build
~. =. I an ancient brick and wood
s,,,nra shaped like the letter T..
!. ,brpe stories, high. and had &C
.~modations for a maximum of =
N nohsnts There were about 1900
his morning, when the fire was
.orered, and of these, about 500
y seriously endangered by the
' MI They were the patients IN
d Hugh West wing.
ss q patients imprisoned in Ward
m the third floor. where the fire
4 is toll. were described by Dr..
Esman as violent. homcidally-
Etfned men," any one OF whom
rht suddenly have turned, with
k,ling fury in his eyes, upon his
BIT 50 coolly did the attendants
|rk that only in half dozen cases
! HE most were there instances OF
fnrgles against. or attacks on. the
Isniants and firemen.
The rescuers did manliilccnt
Ink" said DR.. Norris. after he had
wn conducted through the burning
rg and been told of how the in
hts we're handled. 1T was little
TO-, Of miracle that tie death toll
es kept from running into the hum
eds'
While the rescue work was being
sriel forward, the flames burnt
I1ugh the .oof Of the building and
lhted I'D the entire island. Screams
he terrified patients nearest the
lines reused the entire population
/ The madman's isle. and in a
1nkling every window framed a
fniac's face.
Tie battle against the flames was
,npered by the near-zcro weather
witch the fircmcn worked. and the
Ereme difficulty in getting appar-
s to the scene.
Wards Island, that pathetic litNe
Of land in the East River. Just
F0site East 10th street. and just
ehw its famous sister. Blacllwcils
Eand has a tiny fire department of
own. But the ferry boats which
to and from it are too small 10
far heavy equipment from the ci-
[Hnt Manhattan force.
The city force, forsakin- its en-
PICS, fire towers, hook and ladder
fCSs and hose wagons. went to the
|iy with no equipment bnt n few
s Of hose which could be trans
rted on the tiny ferry. Fire boats
ach responded to the alarm. had
Iay hose lines nearly a half mile
'g before they could pump water
] The fire.
But despite their handicaDs, the
" lorce and the island force sue
eded in confirming the fire to the
Elfr Hoes Of the west wing. when
splal officials were fearing the
,0le main building would so up in
lnes.
" heyman declared he had re-
a'edly sought from the state au-
a'ines additional fire protection for
hospital. and that he had called
VAN asain and again on the city
l0Fltles to station additional
lpment there.
me Stands fire department con-
'Ia OF ten men and a chief. he said.
me equipment. aside from hose
IN the various buildings. was
s.ea 10 one ancient horse drawn
.na and hose cart, loaned by
sNRael Campbell, tho attendant who
.ered the blaze, told Supcrintcn-
heyman the first warming came
~ N. o'clock when an electric light
lily went out. lie Immediately
gu an Investigation. and while he
M, searching for the cause of tho
'''1 another brace of lights nickercd
uancing upward he discovered
my III, one spot the metal ceiling was
lra ,napned men might have been
vm. Out for the dense smoke. DR..
. M. said. There is a fire escape
| ~ extreme end of the corridor.
N, ~. ~, v,,letims-attcndants aud pa
,.,. sllke-apparently were unable
H. Sspe their way to it through the
uIenant McDonoueh of the city