Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-07-12
FRIDAY NIGHTS FIRE.
The SmalI-PsN Hospital Partially
Destroyed-The Department battles
With the Flames,

DesfrOyed-The Department Battle s
with tho Flames.
Between and 10 O'Clock Friday night
fire was discovered in one of the front
rooms Of the county pest house, used as q
hospital for the treatment Of small pox
patients, at Fourth and Broome streets.
The alarm was promptly sounded and
the fire department summoned.
Upon the arrival Of the different
companies at the scene the fire had made
considerable progress and WAS fast
spreading through the building. The
companies were ordered In service, and
after an hour the flames were entirely
quenohed. The building WAS pretty
completely Quilted, though con
siderable part of the inside escaped the
fury of the llam,s
Fortunately there were no patients In
the building, the last one having been
discharged ON Tuesday, and Superin.
tendent Fisher, with his family, had 70.
moved from the hospital early last
evening To Camden.
The building was undoubtedly set aAre,
but the incendiary is unknown, although
it ID generally supposed to be- some one
employed for the purpose by the trustees.
The Wilmington trustees, however, deny
knowing anything about the matter, and
state they were surprised to learn the
building had been fired, and were sorry
the flames had not entirely consumed 1t.
At the last meeting of the board
1t was decided to admit no more patients
to the hospital and to purchase the
household effects OF Superintendent Fisher
30 that he could move from the place and
leave all his pest infected goods behind.
This action gives color to the general
opinion that the directors ordered the
building destroyed.
There is general feeling of relist
among the people of the nsighborhoOd
that the building Is 30 far destroyed that
no further patients can be treated there.
Many persons are disposed to oensure the
trustees for not notifying the fire COM
psnies to let the building burn, that is II
they were actually aware that it was to
bs fired.
Chief Engineer Murphey is severely
oensured for ordering his men to force
open the building and play stream in
aide. One of his commands to mount
lad Ter and pour stream through a
second story window, from which a dense
volume of smoke WAS issuing was not
obeyed, the men upon consultation with
the head officer OF their company refusing
to occupy the dangerous position, as they
did not think the saving Of the
building warranted 1t. They also
felt there was more danger OF their taking
the smallpox with the smoke from the
infected beds pouring over them. Sooner
than obey the commands they preferred
to go out of service, but the whistle blew
to cut of the streams before they had
withdrawn their engine. Persons who
saw Chief Murphey at the fire state that
he was not in condition to fill the re-
sponsible duties Of his ofios.
Soon after the building was fired It is
stated that a number Of colored people |
broke into the building and carried off |
some of the furniture and bedding. It is
feared that this may serve to further |
spread the disease. In case the disease
reappears before the new pest house on
the county farm at Hare's Corner il built |
tents will be put up and in these the /
patients will be cared for.
Superintendent Fisher moved about |
two wagon loads of goods from Che build |
ing last evening before the fire. All the /
goods removed were thoroughly fumi- /
gated, and DR.. Ogle, the hospital physi- /
clan, thinks there is no danger from the |
disease being taken from them. The 4
burned structure has been used AZ pest /
house for several years.