New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-23
BLAKE PREVENTED ANALARM
A BELLEVUE HOSPITAL KEEPER WITH A
COOL HEAD.
BLAZING CURTAIN IN ONE OF THE WARDS At
TRACTED A CROWD OF MEN. WHO INSISTED
ON GETTING FIRE KEY. But BLAKE
KEPT THEM OFF-DANGER OF
CARRYING LIGHTED CAN
DIES IN THE WARDS.

CARRYING LIGHTED CAN
DIES IN THE WARDS.
The Commissioners of Charities and Correction
will probably be called upon to investigate fire
which took place in the female ward of Bellevue
Hospital a week ago last Sunday night. 1t was
only by the presence of mind of a keeper named
Blake who has charge of the entrance to Bellevue
Hospital Twenty-sixth-st., that serious panic
which might have been attended with loss OF life
was prevented. This incident has aroused the
physicians at the hospitals to the danger OF allow
ing nurses to walk around the wards with lighted
candles.
One OF the women nurses on the night In ques-
tion passed in and out among the cots carrying
candle set in an old-fashioned cande-hoder. She
stopped at the bed of elderly woman who was
too weak to make attempt to save her life
If fire had swept through the institution. The
head of her cot an open window, over
which had been drawn a curtain
THE CURTAIN BLOWN INTO THE FLAME.
The woman wanted drink of water The
nurse placed the candle the window sill while
she went after the water. puff OF wind through
the partly opened window pushed the curtain IN
ward Ii came in contact with the candle In an
instant a bright glare lit up the ward. The nurse
didn't scream desert her charges. She pro-
ceeded TO extinguish the blaze. Most Of her
natients were asleep Those who the fire
started in alarm. Many of them were unable to
cave their cots 1t was only through the COOL
headed work of the nurse that a precpitate rush
from the ward by those who were able was
aVerted.
While all this going ON inside an exciting
scene took place outside of the hospital. crowd
of men standing near First-ave and Twenty-sxth-
st saw the blaze in the window and soon Fire in
Rellevue. was the cry. Several men rushed tow
ards the little brick house which forms the main
entrance to the hospital The key TO hrebox hangs
IN the house Fire in Believer. yelled several or
the men as they made grab for the key. Keeper
blake was cool and pushed them aside. He real
tied that the presence of fire engines outside the
hospital might start panic. attended win possible
disastrous results: ., =, ,auoa 80 ,ho ,,or
"Don't touch that key. he yeled 10 the men,
ION pain of your lives
KNOCKED ONE MAN DOWN
4 minute afterward another delegation OF excited
c,tizens rushed into the house. One OF them made
an attempt TO secure the key, and Blake hit him
stunning blow in the face that knocked him on his
hack Then he took his place in front of the box
nb,cb contained the key, and none dared touch IT,
Rlake was fully aware OF the fact that me hospi-
,al ts eonped with bells and signals enabling the
"a. "a. 10 communicate with the Fire Depart
ment direct in case of fire. and that II there nau
tnnn snv serious fire 1t would have been known
bsfore the outsiders rushed In 70 pun the boX IN
bis quarters Hence he kept his head, ana SINCE
,hen has been congratulated on all sues.