The New York herald., 1879-12-08
THE BELLEVUE HOSPITAL FIRE.

''rINDER Box"-THE WARDEN PRAISES THE
CONDUCT OF HIS sUBoRDiNATEs
Crowds of people thronged the four corners of
First and Twenty sixth street all day yester-
day. looking over the high stone walls at what was
revealed of the burned pavilion at Bellevue Hospi-
tai. Two stout policemen stood on the north and
south corners of the east side of First avenue and
prevented people from passing down toward the river
In the early morning tie rule of not allowing any
one to pass, no matter what the pretext'
rigidiy enforced but later in the day the srin-
gency of the order relaxed. and many persons
passed down and were admitted through the gate at
Bellevue Hospital.
The destroyed building entirely gutted by the
are. and its wooden sides stood charred and black
ened by the flames. Some parts of the inside were
more badly burned than the Others. At the junction
of the two wards stood old ice chest; down the
centre OF the stood the cylinder stoves.
Ticking and old bedding strewn about in the
corners of the building. The structure which was
destroyed on Saturday night stood an eyesore to
people visiting the neighborhood. Many wondered
why it stood there at all. Old residents when they
the flames licking their way over the stone wall
into the middle of the street were delighted that
m old rookery which they thought contained
nothing more than a lot of old trumpery was peing
destroyed. and were struck with astonishment when
they read yesterday morning that this building con-
tanned twenty persons who were in various stages
Of illness. person who lived in the neighborhood
for sixteen years said to the HERALD reporter:-
..wen. wouldn't have guessed that old barrack
covered sick people. At any rate. it was dangerous
and intensely infiammable. and no person with any
sense would put sick people in there."
WHY IT WAS ERECTED.
The building erected eighteen years ago, and
nt that time almost caused riot. 1t was intended
for reception OF OF typhus fever and other
malignant diseases. The people of the east side were
determined that it should not be occupied for the
purpose intended, and fever cases were smuggled
in there after dark while the excitement
lasted. 1t was afterward used for cry
npelas ward and for other painful diseases.
served the time Of the Westfed disaster for the
reception of the burned and scalded. and was used
Tor that purpose over three months 1t was then
fitted up by the Commissioners of Charities and
Correction and used by the hospital people for the
placing of females and children. The damaged
building would cost probably $1,000 to replace but
since 1t was burned down broker named Hosmer
has come forward and promised to put up COM
modious brick pavilion if it was wanted.
Several prominent members OF the Fire Depart
ment called yesterday afternoon ana inspected the
destroyed building. "Well. what a tlnder box to
put human beings in. don't how any person
got out of there alive" said official. Had it
been later in the night there would be different
story tell. There would not be three lives lost
but the whole twenty-nine in the pavilion,
together with the nurses" The hre officials
collected about O'Clock and sought for
the cause of the fire. The pavilion gone
over, and every nook visited for solutions.
Warden O'Rourke went with them, and after con-
siderable delberation it was suggested that the
Are originated in q nurses room which stood in the
corner between wards Nos. 81 and 49, Lint. Clothes
oakum medical stores and other articles needed
in q medical ward stored in this room. After
considerable talk and not few dark surn,ises it
said that these medical stores caused to ignite
by spontaneous combustion. No other solution
being given those interested satisfied until the
Official investigation takes place.
BURNED CHILDREN.
The bodies OF the three children who were burned
at the fire in the pavilion lay in the Morgue yester-
day. They presented hideous and ghastly sight to
all who came to look at them. Deputy Coroner Mac
Winnie viewed them in the morning. and it is not
expected that any exhaustive investigation will be
held by Coroner Flanagan. This will be LETT to the
Commission Of Charities and Correction. 1t is not
expected that any person will claim the bodies.
The names as taken from the hospital books
Charles bentley one year. Seventy third street and
First avenue Martin Richter. no home. aged six
weeks. He placed in the hospital by Lena
Richter his mother, who is q patient in the hos
ptal. Mary Dunn, thirty-two years old. Of No. As
New Bowery, was the woman who died from fright
in the gate Keepers lodge. after being removed
from the pavilion She was said by Warden
O'Rourke to have been afflicted by COM
plicaton of diseases. She had heart disease, pneu-
Inonia and half dozen other complaints. any one
of which he says would have taken person off in
short tme He ascribed the leaving Of the children
In the ward No. 32 to oversight and the suddenness
with which the flames burst through the building.
The southwest wind, which then blew u hurricane
against the of the building. drove the flames
into both sections OF the pavilion. SO quickly did
it spread that the in charge of the pavilion
had up me To
OF the hospital but allowed them to learn in their
own good time.
Warden james +. O'Rourke was seated in his Office
in the second story Of Bellevue Hospital yesterday
afternoon To this Office a HERALD reporter found
his way to talk with the Warden about the fire.
'How is it. Warden, that such panic seems to
there is no system arranged In anticipation of such
calamities," said the reporter There was even o
rumor that of the attendants were drunk"
my people afforded efficient and capable assist
at the of the fire.. said the Warden. land
am proud to have such capable assistants"
"Do you remember witnessing any individual in
stance of bravery that would call forth the praise
you have given?"
"when the alarm was given first was coming
down from my room and went to the scene OF the
fire. The people were being carried out by
the orderlies and placed in the other
wards of the hospital The mon did
nobly. number collected at the hospital
building when the fire was burning. aud asked
them Il everybody got out. Everybody they
called out. But wasn't satisfied with that. went
to the women's ward and knocked out the window
gass. but could in the beds. We did
the same to the childrens, but we could not in
there, owing to the flame and smoke. No;
was to blame that they did not get out"
care the members of your corps OF nurses reliable
and eficent"'
''My orderes arc taken through serios of drills
for just such emergencies fire excitement Of
any kind
''In what does 1t consist?"
swell, you know what would be done around a
hospital They inform when the excitement
hrst commences by messenger"
"What thonT"
"Igo to the scene Of the excitement and seek to
allay It; at the time expect assistance from
my people"
NO EXCITEMENT EXPECTED
Is there not any systematic arrang ement or drill
through which you rely your in case OF
fire la the main building?"
"But there is no harm from Are here. Why, sir,
we never have any unusual excitement in this build
ing"
"Do you remember. Warden, the case of man
who ran into Twenty-sixth street with a sharpened