Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-09-21
LIVES PROBABLY LOST.

LIVES PROBA BLY, LOST.
1t is feared that two of the patients
were lost in the flames. One of the
missing is an old lady, whose ward was
directly over the room in which the
fire started, and the other is an insane
patient. There were seventy-nve or
eighty patients in the hospital proper,
and thirty or forty in the negro wards
sin.t he frame buildings in the reRreSSlAil
except the two mentioned were removed
and are accounted for. 1t may be that
the old lady and the insane patient were
rescued In the general rush. but they
have not yet been accounted for.
The fire started In the east end in n
room in the second story, and was first
discovered by the street cleaners who
were working OH Church street. a Sis
ter's scream woke several of the pa
throughout the building Immediately.
NURSE DoLAN MAY DIE.
Miss Kate Dolan. one OF the nurses.
was near where the blaze started and in
rushing through the room was caught
on fire. She leaped from the second
story and the injuries thus sustained,
with the severe burn, it is feared. may
prove fatal. She was given every care
by the sisters, by whom she is much
beloved, being one OF the best nurses
at the institutions. She was TO have
graduated but shortly.
SISTERS ACT BRAVELY.
The bearing of the nurses, sisters and
medical corps under the trying clrcum-
stances was something wonderful
With that remarkable equipoise of
mind peculiar to people devoted 10
assuaging the pains OF the sick and
notwithstanding = -hlilsidc- the d4.intr
these faithful attaches set 10 work 10
remove the pm tients. which work was
accomplished in five or six minutes
sine.
There was n panic, as might have
been expected, but not such as would
have been supposed. In the midst OF
the smoke, streams of water and the
din of noises. an aged and infirm priest,
wrapped in the cloth of his religion
walked. calmly cXhorting all with q
word and motion, TO look to the Power
| above.
No time was lost In removing any of
the valuable fixtures of the hospital.
Those in charge remarked that very lit
tie fixtures could be removed and that
portion that could be gotten out would
be practically ruined by the water,
which was failing In the halls In great
streams.
FIREAIEN FAINT.
During the early part of the fire q
fireman named Fisher, who was work
ing calamity at hose close I'D TO the
smothered by the smoke and heat from
the flames, which were almost unbear-
able. He was carried out and minis
tered to by physician and recovered
consciousness. One of two other fire.
men were temporarily overcome by
heat
RAPID SPREAD.
Probably never a fire in Norfolk
spread with more dangerous rapidity
after 1t once got beyond the confines of
the room where 1t originated. a vir-
ginian-Pilot reporter was on the scene
five minutes after the alarm was sound :
ed and directly after the chemical en-
Cine the first TO arrive, got there The
firemen adjusted the hose within a
minutes time and run them through
the long hall to the back room in the
wing where the fire was.
The iiremefi worked heroicaily, but
were under the disadvantage of having
u fire entirely too big for them to sue
cessfully cope with. The handsome fur
niture. carving mantels and ceilings
melted away under the greatest of all
renners and became black charcoal.
HORRIBLE SCENES.
The removal OF the patients from the
hospital presented many narrowing
scenes. and there were miraculuous es-
capes in many instances. number OF
the more afflicted patients suffered
much pain In the quick removal. though
they were handled with all the care
| possible. The City Physician and q
number of other physicians we're on the
ground and had their hands full. The
) patients We're removed TO differen,
q ~ - u