Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-30
Flames of Mysterious
Origin Reduce Main
Buildings to Ashes.
DAMAGE is $4,000
Patients Aroused at
Midnight--A1l Escape
in Safety.

Fire of mysterious origin about
midnight last night destroyed the
main building. together with three
smaller structures adjoining it, at the
county infirmary, two and one-half
miles southwest of Coal Valley, caus-
ing a loss to the county of between
$3.50 and $4,000. The cooking es-
tablishment of the institution with
all its apparatus and the quarters of
over forty of the inmates were con-
sumed. No lives were lost and no
one was injured.
OF those who were sleeping in the
main building over half were paupers.
The remainder were some of the in
sane whom it was not necessary to
keep in the insane ward. Several
were Cripples and had to be carried
out of the building. The hospital,
which was in the building, had but
one patient and he was made COM
Portable in the residence of Steward
Swank, which is located a couple of
hundred Ieet to the north of the
buildings that burned.
Cause Unknown.
The cause of the fire is wholly spec
uldJlN6 anu VIII ever re-
main so. There was not a fire in the
northwest end of the building and
had not been, according to Steward
Swank. for two days. The entire es-
adjustment was heated by steam
from the boiler house which is loca-
ted only short distance northeast of
the rear of the main quarters and
which was saved only through a de-
termined effort on the part of the
able bodied men about the place and
the neighbors who came to the res
cue.
The main establishment was n three
stCry affair of wood with two story
brick addition at the rear. Back of
this was another two story brick and
adj Joining on the south was still an
other BRICK building used as iaun-
dry. The new frame drug store built
last year was near the forward part
at the north. The main part was
about 100 feet in length and % feet
wide with an - at the front. The
other buildings were ali small.
From all that can be learned every
body last evening was in bed as
usual at o'clock. On the third floor
Z
ton of whom were old and crippled.
On the second floor were about fifteen
others, while there were several on
the ground floor.
The first intimation of danger came
to those on the third floor. smoke be-
ing noticed in the apartments about
1880. Accustomed to being cared for
they were slow to realize that the
building was afire, especially as the
flames could not be seen. After some
moments, however. an alarm was
given to those on the floor below and
the big bell that was used to sound
the call to meals was rung. Mr..
Swank and others sleeping at the res
idence responded. but could not for
some time see any fire.
Flames Appear In Roof.
When the flames made their appear
ance it was through the ventiIator at
the middle of the roof. and then it
was too late to do any effective fight
ing with the apparatus at hand:
There is a pump attached to the en-
CINE and this was started as soon as
possible and in n few minutes three
one-inch streams of water were
brought to bear on the fire. 1t was
quickly seen that the main structure
conuld not be saved with the wind
that was sweeping through it length
wise, and while some assisted the in
mates out others turned their atten-
ton to saving the new drug store.
This soon caught, and after it became
unsafe to enter the main building the