Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-09-09
The Mob Attack on the Hospital
Buildings at staten Island.

Further rParticulars-NcarIy all the Quar-
anime E, Buiidi9gs Destroy ed-SeverRi Per-
pOsure of the sick, &c.
The New York papers contain an account Of the
burning Of the Quarantine Buildings ct Staten Is
land by mob on Wednesday night, the 1st inst.
Il appears the mob look advantage Of the telegraph
celebration and excitement in New York city 10 car.
ry out their designs On Wednesday morning
large meeting, said to have been composed Of many
Of the most respectable citizens and property OWL
ers Of the island, held at CastletOn and adopt
ed the following resolutions.
ResOlUed, That the whole Quarantine establish
menl, located as It is in he midst Of dense pOpu~
lation has become pest and nuisance Of the
most OdiOus character, bringing death and desOla-
tiOn 10 the Very doors Of the people Of the towns Of
CaslletOn and Souhfsd
Rss0tUsd, That it is a nuisance too intolerable to
be borne by the citizens Of these towns any Ion
ger
ResolDed, That this board recommend the citizens
Of this county to protect themselve by sbating this
abOminable nuisance without delay
An informal motion that the meeting constitute
itself committee Of the whole to carry out the
spirit Of the resolutions forthwith was passed with
great unanimity, and as natural result the meet
ing contributed their quota to the cable llumina-
sAOno "a t-N NacHaAb " A-AAADS . JUL AA0 VI bAS
quarantine buildings. From the New York pspers
of the 3D. we make up the following detailed az
count Of the work Of the mob on Wednesday night:
The first that was known Of the intention to destroy
the building was the appearance Of about FIVE hun
dred persons at the upper gate on the line Of the
west wall Dr. Thompson was Instantly made aware
Of the fact, when he ordered the stevedores to be
aroused He had no sooner given the above order
than the old smallpox hospital (unOccuPied) the
upper end Of the grounds was discovered to be on
IRE Every one within the grounds was soon awake
but it was found that the mob was TOO strong Tor
them to attempt to drive them away.
DR.. Bisseh. as sOen as be saw the FIRE, took his
gun and ran up to The small pOx hospital, where he
found a large number of straw beds piled under the
piazzas, and burning at a tremendous rate. He re-
mon5trated With the mob, but 20 purpose, they
Instantly drove him from the place They then
proceeded to the shanues extending along the west
wall-ten in number-and fired each Of them, first
hoEever removing the sick among them some Of the
small pox patients, about fifteen in number The
mob appeared, while destroying the shaDties, in q
great state Of excitement. They would into the
three shanties not Fred and secure astraW bed and
then take it to where the FIRE was setting the beds
on Ere; after which they would return with the burn
ing beds and throw them into the sbsnties. In his
manner they destroyed every one. When DR.. Bisstu
first went out 10 Temonslrate against their conduct
he was knocked dOEn and eompslled TO hy for his
life.
10 he burnhouse several small ont houses the dead
house. ice house and carriage house, all OF which
they fred, and which we're totally destroyed They
even took the dead cart aud another wagon that
the ground and ran them into the FIRE The coal
yard, containing about 600 TONS was next visited by
he mob, and all the coal destroyed In several Of
the shanties about twenty to fifty tons Of coal
which was also consumed The baggage-hOuse
containing large amount Of baggage, was totally
destroyed together with the engine and 250 feet Of
TO arrest the progress Of the flames. The mob, OF
II O'Clock, then proceeded to the residence Of DR.
Thompson. Here they ordered every person out Of
the house. Mrs. Thompson, who was confined TO
her bed, had 10 be conveyed from the house in a
chair, and was taken to the residence of q Mr.
Fountain the outside of the wall. DR. Thompson
succeeded in getting portion Of his library before
the flames drove him from the dwelling. Some Of
his furniture was also saved The building was
however, totally destroyed
During the attempt made By the steVedores TO
extinguish the flames, one Of them, named Frank
Mathews, was shot in the neck with buck-shot. His
recovery is considered doubtful. Five others we're
wounded, and it is reported that o corpse was
sumed in the flames. The mob remained in and
about he quarantine grounds until near daylight,
when they all left Among them we're many well
known citizens Of the island, none Of whom we're
disguised.
The sick that we're removed from The shanties,
about sixty in number, were placed by the mob
about two hundred yards from the nfe- In the
morning however, many we're yet lying about on
the grass. woman lay up BY the side Of the stone
wall with the small poZ in its worst stages; piece
of canvas was erected over her 10 keep the sun OF
She appeared TO be suffering very intensely, but no
attempt was made 10 remove her. On the grass plat
near the St Melodies we're two men with yellow
faver one Of whom was said TO be dying.
The dwelling of DR. Thompson, the health officer,
vas burned net timber Of il remaining; IN short,
All the hospitals excepting the one at the entrance
cato which was used principally for ship fever and
aroral disorders are destroyed, and into this one
sr now crowded lhe patients from all the hospitals
c,nbjned. Some sixty passengers from the steamer
E..;-, Citv we're landed IN the afternoon previous,
- -sor,o;n 6ve days who made their escape in the
o,,S.-;on a,,endiTp the burning. There have been
Sostso.i in All two brick hospitals i've shanties,
~ J.od house. ard DR.. ThOmPsOn's dwelling,
s,obIos orJ oubouses, and also ali the doctors
private papers.
cbolv SIGHT OF this once beautiful house nothing
- rorSsi,s Int the shattered walls. About the
Gardens are streEn books, pamphlets, medical works
Classical authors and private memoranda tossed BY
! bs giddv winds about Dr.. 7. was insured for
se O0O The loss oD The other properly is estimated
! =, 800 600. and no insurance
The only building saved was the large stone hos
ritaI usei for the female portion Of the inmates,
rsIIed The 81. Nicholas This building was used for
ever cases, and il is here all the patients are now
bnddIed together An attempt was made TO burn 1t,
| but failed.