Show Earning ol au hues Asylnm Columbus 18AboutlU oclock thb morning a telephone announcement was sent to the city that the idiot asylum was m flames By 11 oclock the main building build-ing was destroyed and the fire department depart-ment was devoting its energy to saving other buildings The fire occurred in the basement frpm the disarranged team heating apparatus but just how will probably aver remain a mystery The building was the best constructed not fire proof building belonging to the state but the ventilators and air flues were merely avenues for the flames The children at the time of the fire were in the schoolrooms of the main building which were partially destroyed The teachers when notified of the fire marched the pupils down stairs in good order to the hospital which stands detached Here the children were supplied with food from the kitchen The discipline was perfect The building destroyed contained the reception parlors schoolrooms school-rooms offices amusement hall teachers dining reoms kitchen sleeping rooms for officers etc A lady attendant was so affected that for a time she was bereft of reason but was goon restored The 619 pupil and all the contents were safely removed from the building There was only one accident a fireman sprained his leg Dr Doren the superintendent could not possibly see how the fire originated origin-ated Where it first broke out there were no furnaces stoves or lights or combustibles combus-tibles of any kind Steam heating pipes I pass through the basement but they were thorough and safely protected Dr Doren is firmly convinced that it was the work of an incendiary While he ws assisting in getting the children out he saw several strange men about He requested re-quested them to help in the work and before his very eyes they pilfered from the rooms taking all the small articles they could lay hands on He was EO occupied with the children that he had no time to attend these gheul but had he bad a weapon he should not have hesi tited to use it The books of the institution institu-tion were in the safe About 12 oclock the flooring in the office in which the safe stood gave way and the safe fell into the basement Later water was turned on It is thought the books are but slightly damaged Superintendent Rutter in the same asylum provided temperory succor and food for about 200 Officials teachers and employees lost their entire effects Mr Doren states that the 1o swill s-will amount to 200000 or 250000 No insurance as the state does not insure its buildings |