The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-12-20
FIRE DESTROYS
INDIAN SCHOOL
AT FORT T0TTEN
Nuns Perform Heroic Work in
Saving Children From
Burning Structure

Devils i.alc. \. H., Dec. 2O---tap
Sister 81. Alfred. 81. superior
of the CRAY Nuns Indian school
IN Fort Toticn reservation near
here. destroyed ~ fire earl,
SUNDAY morning, ~ III the point
u. death al u local hospital from
pneumonia resulting from being
overcome with smoke when she
r--.ni.trd ~. burning building
Ia satisfy her mind that all III
The i03 children were remoted IN
saief,.
When the children were march
I'd nut ot he burning school,
I'd other nuns missed SISTER ~.
Alfred, and several III them went
bach into the building I" lind
her She Was found unconscious
on the main floor and rushed I"
home nearby, apparently over
come BY smoke. Her condition
became 80 serious early today
that she was brought To Mercy
hospital, this city. where phy-i-
clans are Of the opinion that she
cannot survive the day.
smoke which She inhaled while
in the building is thought to
have caused the pneumonia. ac-
cOrding to physicians. Sister II.
Alfred came to the school five
years ago, from Winnipeg.
Devils Lake, n. D., Dec. 20. tA'l
Congress viii be asked for an appro-
priation to reconstruct the Gray
Nuns Indian school at Fort Totter
Incian reservation, near here, which
was destroyed by fire shortly after
midnight Sunday. according 10 w X
Bever. superintendent of the rescr
Walton. The loss TO the school ant
the Catholic church adjoining
amounts to about $4,000.
The heroic work Of the GRAY Auns
in leading the 1903 children, asleep II
the school dormtories at the time Of
the tire. prevented amy casualties
One Of the nuns on the giris sld'
discovered smoke on the second stor!
shortly after midnight and lmmed
lately gave the alarm. The children
were awakened, clothed hastily a
we'll rs possible, and led out Of tn
building. They were marched to tn
home Of Father Ambrose, nearby
where they remained the rest Of tn
night, and early yesterday were re
moved to the Indian school, abou
three quarters Of Il mile from tn
burned buildings. Devoting all thei
attention to the safety of the chill
dren. the s nuns were unable to say
any cf their personal effects, and
is estimated that about $4,000 wort
Of school equipment and persona
rrorer,y was destroyed.
III the men stationed at the Tor
iaciuding many Indians, responded 7
the alarm, but the lack Of water pres
sus e Handicapped the fire fighters an
t was early seen that nothing eoui
he done to save the buildings.
The school. two and hall stor
frame building, was erected N lSs
and the church a short time after
wards. The school building was GOV
eminent property. but the church W
owned nv the Catholic >ongregatlo'
The fire was caused. it !, though
bv a defective flu. in the chimney @
the second floor Of the building. Jul
over the kitchen and about 30 fe'
from the girls dormltory. 1t IS q
opinion Of Superintendent Boyer tn;
the recent heavy winds loosened son
of the bricks in the chimney, causin
the fire thereirom to communlca'
to the walls. Had the flames not bee
discovered when they were, It
thought that ii tragedy would han
followed, since they We're spfeadin
fast in the direction Of the dormito
les and il might have been impes-Ib
to lead the children down the stat
ways and out through the doors q
~. uuiu floor