Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-02-17
A HOSPITAL FIRE.
Narrow Escape of Over $50
Sick and Helpless Women
In a Burning Building at
Rochester, N. Y.

Those Unable to Help Themselves Car
ried to a Place of Safety by "A sqrad of
Twenty Police ohlcers--A Fireman Al
most Completely Scalped and Otherwise
Seriously Injured.
ROCHESTER,, N. Y, Feb 17.-Fire
broke out about 11:15 Sunday night
in the second story of the east wing of
st. Marys hospital, large three-story
building covering an entire block on
West Main street. running from Genes
see to Chilli avenue, A bright light was
seen burning by man passing by short
ly before the flames broke through the
roof The fire spread rapidly and gen.
eral alarm was sent in, Owing to the
great distance from the center of the
city the fire department was slow in get
ting to the scene of the fire.
There were over 2j0 inmates in the
building, but owing to the partitions be-
tween the different wards the fire was
unable to reach them. Loss about $60,-
O0O All the inmates were rescued.
Good Work of the Police.
The police detailed about twenty Of
ficers to assist in rescuing the patients at
the st. Mary hospital fire Sunday night.
Passing through the various private
rooms ON the first and second floors and
through the large public wards the pa
tients, many of whom had risen from
their beds and with frightened faces
were walking about theroomsi in dazed
condition, the rescuers strove to calm
the fears of the inmates assuring them
that all would he saved In one of the
rooms on the ground floor was an aged
woman, and before her room had been
reached she had climbed through win
dow and attempted to escape. Feeble
with sickness and age she lost her grasp
upon the window and fell to the ground.
Fortunately the distance was only few
feet, and the woman escaped with only
a slight cut upon the head
Such of the patients as were able
walked unassisted from the burning
building and sought shelter in the
houses and blocks in the vicinity. But
the rescuers had much to do. Fully
fifty of the inmates were in too weak
ened condition to rise from their beds,
and these had to be carried out
Wrapped closely in blankets and quilts
snatched hulriedly from the beds, in
shawls or whatever article Of clothing
was nearest at hand, the inmates, most
of whom We're without clothing, We're
carried out and taken to the engine
house of the hospital, little building
located about hundred feet the main
building, and to rooms in the buildings
opposite the hospital.
In the little house the sick people, all
women and most of them of advanced
age, were huddled closely together. In
one corner, upon a cot, lay woman
about 40 years old Motionless, scarcely
breathing and with glazed, staring eyes,
she was unconscious of all going on
about her. Upon bundle of bedding
on the floor lay another of the patients
in similar condition.
Everywhere among the patients could
be seen the white head dresses of the
sisters of the institution as they moved
about from one to another of their
charges with cheering and reassuring
words. Several priests were quickly on
the scene, and they too united with the
sisters i'll comforting the sick ones.
Fireman Seriously Injured.
Frank Jayne, fireman, was badly in
jured. At the city hospital upon exam
nation it was found that the man had
been almost completely scalped The
scalp was cut in half dozen places and
loosed from the entire top of the skull.
In addition to this gaping wound on the
head his right ankle was broken, the
left dislOcated, and many cuts and
bruises ON various parts of the body.
On account of his powerful build it is
now thought he has slight chance for
racOVprV