A LUNATIC ASYLUM ON FIRE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 17, 20 January 1873, Page 4

A LUNATIC ASYLUM ON FIRE.

„ Some terrible scenes, witnessed at the destruction by fire of ~the"Northem Ohio Insane Asylum at Newbury, are described in ;the Cleveland Herald of September 26. ■Thefb^iia^g^!l^lingld^6li®) 930 feet in length, the exterior walls being entirely of stone. Two large wings bave just been completed at a cost of 300,000

dols. These " increased ;■ the capacity ofthe institution t toj6oojpatients; fully;; that number being on the books at the time of the disaster. The crowded of the Asylum J was owing to the fact that there were il 50 patients from the^Central Ohio District; ; ithe' new asylum at Colum-', bus, upon" the site of the one burned two or three years ago,' not being yet completed. Six persons fell* victims in the disaster, but it is; believed that none of the inmates perished. Wheh the fire obtained the mastery, orders were giyen sfor; the immediate removal of the patients, :,/ "" ; y The scenes that ensued during the, next;, hour almost defy description; The officers and attendants throughout the institution made haste to unlock the doors of tbe various wards and cells, and 'directed the inmates to leave the building at once. A portion of them complied ; promptly, and even rendered assistance in the rescue of others. Some of the unfortunates were appalled with terror, and became absolutely frantic, uttering piercing shrieks and cries. The extreme difficulty of condoling 600 lunatics under such circumstances can but faintly be imagined. Many resolutely reiused to leave their cells, concealing themselves in . closets or under their beds, and neither' persuasion nor threats were of any avail. In many instances it was found necessary to pull them out of their hiding places by main force/ In a; few of the worst cases they struggled fearfully; some of them insisted on taking. with them all tbeir clothing, bedding, and articles of every kind. One man -tied up an immense bundle that would have staggered a packrhorse. He had to be actually torn away from it by two men and dragged to the place of exit. The female. patients were even more difficult to manage than the males; many of them ran hither and thither in frantip terror, some making all haste to i escape, and others, as in the cases of the men refusing to leave their cells. Scores of them were taken by force, resisting in every possible way with all their strength. Several patients, after being set at liberty ia the grounds, rushed back into the burning building to be again borne struggling out. In that part of the building nearest where the fire originated some of the wards were filled with stifling heat and smoke before the last of the patients could be conducted to a place of safety. . Further from the centre the wards were generally cleared before tho fire reached them. I Hundreds of men and women from the village and the village adjacent to the. asylum were engaged in the work of rescuing the patients in all parts of the building, and the excitement was intense. Three-quarters of an hour after the fire was discovered, a terrible casualty occurred. Near the centre dome was an immense tank containing 8000 gallons of water, constantly full for the supply of the buildiog. The supports of the tank having burned away, it fell, the great Weight carrying it down to the basement, crushing through all the intermediate floors. Joseph Turney and Johu Dipley were in the reception room on the second floor. Immediately after the crash they discovered Miss Walker caught by her foot by the breaking of the floor. The stairs had been carried away and it was impossible to get at her. They took hold of the other foot, which hung down over the edge of the chasm, and tried to pull her down, but without avail. The fire which had been carried down by the falling tank blazed up through the opening, and at leDgth, scorched and well nigh suffocated with the heat and smoke, they were obliged to abandon her. When tbey left her her clothing had token fire, and she was quickly enveloped in flame. About the grounds the scene was one of the wildest confusion. The majority of the patients were gradually collected and removed in waggons to the churches in tbe village, all of which were immediately : thrown- open to -them. Considerable difficulty was experienced in removing them from the grounds. Some had to be forced into the vehicles by main strength, ' and it was necessary for attendants to accompany every load. < Pale, haggard, anii wild, beating the air and raving incoherently, moaning and weeping in, their distress, uttering maniacal laughs, or sitting in sullen silence, these unfortunates presented a spectacle that moved the stoutest hearts. . s ] Similar scenes were witnessed at the churches, where the greater, por tion; were collected. Few had suflScient reason? to comprehend the'eyenfstpf^th'tf; day., f / crouched down in terrbr, others raved wildly, or indulged, in singing, laughing, crying, shouting, or swearing — the whole uniting to form a terrible' chorus that seelmed.like^pandepaoniuai itself. The,loss, to ther State may ; .estim'atedrat' 500,000 dollars, on "which there..wa s no ; insurance; '■-' 'Of course" prompt measures ; „sijl- be* .taketf-to, rebuild the . asylum^ as ' it /! |i| jan absolute necessity' to the ' Stated What .will ibedohe'ih^the mearitime^with« the 600 patients is a question not' easily' answered.'^., .<yj ,y Yi-iY'.i -V bi "i\