The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-28
r 4 ONES IN PERIL.
A fire I'm q Founding Asylum En-
. dargcring One Hundred and Eighty
LAvcs-Cooincss and Discipline OF
the sisters.

my DlIlitUIiI~ vi tUt Hit di "
asylum in that city Thursday morning,
which affords a splendid illustration oil
what women can accomplish by GOODNESS
and discipline:
The northeast wing In which the fire bad
broken out contains three nursery waros,
in which are about one hundred and eighty
children. ranging in age from n few months
10 four years old. These children were I'M
der the charge OF Sisters, novices. ana
few moor mothers. who nurse their OWL
habes as well as %foundlings. At the north
ern extremity Of each floor Is a large lava
tory. and around g radiator in the l~ayatory
ON tbe second floor the fire had originated,
The radiator had become overheated, and
mad SET fire 10 the woodwork. AS soon rs
Sister Irene had been notified OF the fire by
DIR. Swift she fastened TO the second and
thjrd-loor wards. at the same time sum
moning forty-tive Sisters and noyices tC
her assistance. The Sisters and noNiccs
when notified OF the danger behaved, with
out execution, with the utmost GOODNESS
The doors OF the lavatories were closed, anc
thus no smoke or fame escaped into "a;
nurseries. Sister Irene first directed tina
the mothers who were in the wards shoulC
make their escape into the hospital by way
of the covered passagc-ways on each floor
She and the Sisters and novices then set to
work 10 remove about one hundred ana
seventy children who were in the three
wards, and most OF whom were still last
asleep. The Sisters calmly but quietly ga
thercd up the little ones in their blankets
and, without any noise or confusion, bore
them across the bridges into the hospital
building. As soon as a Sister had carried
a child to 4 place Of safety she returned TO
the main building for another one. In the
mean time the fire wa gaining Roadway,
and occasionally the cracking OF flames
could he heard by the Sisters as they bore
their little charges across the bridge 10
safety. Still they worked on calmly, cool
". and rapidly, without the slightest indl-
cation of confusion. a few seconds after
the removal of the children had been be-
gun. however, the changing Of bells and the
rush oi wheels was heard rs Engine Com
pany No. 80 came dashlng up to the asylum
at full speed. There was the loud noise
of a window on the lower-tloOr being
crushed in. a sound Of heavy feet on the
stairs. and the next instant the firemei
were fighting %furiously with the flames,
which had by this time broken through to
the tkird-loOr lAyatory and were eating
their way through the ROOT. Fifteen min
uteS later. after all the children had been
removed to the hospital building, the fire
men had extinguished the fire. which They
had succeeded in combining TO the second
and thirG-loOr layatOrieS.
now TIE CHILDREN VIEWED IT.
By this time the noise and hustle conse-
quent upon their removal from the main to
the hospital building had awakeneda num-
Der Of The children. During the transit
most 81 them had slept As peacefully in the
Sisters arms rs il they were still rcposing
in their cots, and those who did partially
awake had no realization, Owingto thectm
demeanor of the Sisters, Of any danger be-
ing near. Now, however. in the hospital
building, the awakening became general.
Some of the Younger ones, after staring
sleepilv about them for q few minutes, ar
rived nj the conclusion that they were hum
eTv, ana, owing to the circumstances OF the
ease. food not being forthcoming with due
promptitude, proceeded to enter yoclferous
objections. Others Of the younger one
were indignant at being disturbed in their
rest, and, after sundry angry screams
and crimaces, composed themselves 70
sleep again. Among the older OF the chill
dren, however, but n opinion seemed to
prevail. That was the huge fun OF the
whole thing. To them this work OF the
rood Sisters in bundling them out OF bed,
blankets and all, IN the middle OF the night
and carving them of to the other build
ing, where they woke, lost IN wonder IL TO
they were, appeared a proceeding OF
a SURPRISINGLY funny nature. Informed
that there was a 4" big fire" in the building
which they had just left, they were fairly
overwhelmed with interest. Could not
they 90 and see it? Would not the Sisters
crown all their other goodness to the lit
tie ones by letting them see a iire-a
thing Of which they had heard in
stories told by Sister Louise, Hortense,
or Therese, but which they had never
vet seen. Then, the flames having been
put out, when Gremen and policemen
came troOping into the hospital building TO
make sure that all the little cues were quite
safe, the excitement and interest among
the older children grew to fever heat. Re-
sisting for q moment NIL control, they arose,
some with and some without their blankets,
and gathered in little groups around police
men and firemen. Appeals to be taken to
see the fire, TO be let play with "that club"
to be given "that shining button,' went
uD on all sides in shrill. piping voices,
while a corpulent baby at the far end OF
the apartment. who seemed TO think HIM
self neglected amid all this confusion, gave
expression TO his annoyance at the hubbub
in soul-stirring shouts. Finally order was
restored after policemen and firemen had
retired. and the children having been car
ried back to the wards from which they had
been taken, were soon fast asleep again.
81 stcr Irene was experimenting the ope-
~rations, and all the Sisters were just a.
cool as they could possibly be. Sharp was
the word, but no confusion. The children
actually did not know that anything was
wrong until long after they had all been
taken to the hospital building. After that
there was lots OF fun among the young ones.
Captain Gunner, OF the east ~Fiity-pinth-
Street police station, who, followed by 3
score OF officers, reached the asylum soon
after the trmen. spoke in the strongest
terms of the bravery and GOODNESS dis
played 10y the Sisters in the removal OF The
children. lie had never in any instance
seen women act with such calmness ant
presence OF mind. The Captain was huge
IN delighted with the ndicetf OF certain O
the questions and remarks addressed t
him by some Of the elder children in Ia
hospital after the fire. The Captain, hi
club, and his buttons had been in great DC
mand.
Sister-Supcrior Irene said that the Sister
had explicit instructions as to what to d
In an emergency OF this kind. They ha,
carefully followed out these instructions
and all had been well. None OF the chill
dren knew what had really happened unit
the danger was all over. The number 0
children removed to the hospital buildin,
was over $50. The bridges connecting al
the buildings with each other were iounC
TO be a great source OF safety in case Of fire
The damage done by the flames would sal
under $1,000.