New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1907-01-16
FIRE DAMAGES EWHOSPITAL
New Lutheran Institution at Man
kato Badly Suited by Flames.
Fire Starts Apparently From De-
fective Electric Wiring.
Noaoody Injured, but Loss to Build.
ing Will Foot up Over $1,000.

Wsehs ago, suffered heavy loss from
IRE early Monday morning. While the
building was not totally destroyed the
damage is estimated at from Sc, 600 to
SiU,ooo and comes as very severe
blow to the new institution. Insur-
aRce to the extent of $4,000 was car
ried on the building and $4,000 on the
furniture, all in the Minnesota Mutual
Fire Insurance Company, formerly of
New Ulm.
The Mankato Review gives the fol-
lowing account of the unfortunate oc-
carrence:
The origin of the fire is not fully
established. Rev Winter, president
OF the hospital associ alton, expressed
an opinion that it was caused by de-
feetiyee electric wiring. The contractor
who wired the building, however,
claims this to be impossible.
The blaze started just under the
roof and above the ceiling of the east
operating room on the north end Of
the building. 1t gained considerable
= Roadway before discovered and was a
stubbotn fire, hard to fight.
1.-THE fire was first discovered by
William SchWender, who is patient
ii St. Joseph's hospital. About $40
O'Clock he noticed peculiar light in
the vicinity of the kitchen in Emmanuel
hospital which he could plainly see
from the window in his room, and,
calling one of the nurses, asked her to
investigate. The nurse called the
operator at the central telephone sta
ton. When she returned to the floor
where she could command a view of
the other hospital down the hill, she
saw the flames were creeping ont from
nader the shingles on the roof. A
Ralnute later the lights in the hospital
were burning and the nurse was re-
lieyed to see that its occupants knew
of their danger.
miss Wolbrecht, a nurse, was the
FIRST of those in Emmanuel hospital to
learn of the fire. She was awakened
by cracking sound and promptly in
vestigated. Finding the building on
IRE, she spread the alarm. Miss Gross,
head nurse, telephoned the fire station
aad then joined the other attendants
ia carrying the patients down the
stairs tn the arst floor.
stRev. Winter, president OF the hos
pital association, was one OF she first
10 reash the burning building and d.
sscted the work of turning on water
from the various standpipes in she
building. Three lines of hose, with
which the building is equipped, were
goon in use and the fire department
was soon on hand to assist in fighting
btae flames.
ssOf the fourteen patients in the hos.
pital, all but two occupied rooms on
the FIRST and second floors. Those on
the third floor were helped by the nur.
sas down the staarWays TO the first
aoor and arrangements were made al
oRce for the easy removal Of the patti.
enhs from the building in case the fire
threatened entire destruction. Later
when the water thrown on the fire
soaked through the walls and ceiling
the patients were taken away. Erick
Johnson, of North Mankato, who was
suffering with burns, and Grandma
gritchley. who was injured by train
were most seriously i'll and they were
taken in an ambulance to ST. Joseph's
hospital. They suffered no shock ane
today are little worse for theirexperi
ences.
.sThe nurses proved themselves brave
heroes. They guarded against excite.
r,ent and confusion and none of thu
patients realized the danger hanging
over them. Seine patients were sen
To their homes, others were received
/ into homes in the vicinity OF the hos
/ nital and a few were able to remain il
the rooms in the south end of sh
building. 1t is said that none OF tn
patients suffered by reason OF tn
fire.
e.phe roof and other parts OF til
huilding damaged by the fire will b
repaired as soon as possible. The fir
damaged is considerable but the dam
age caused by water is fully as great
The water ran down through the wall
soaking large areas of plaster whlc
hove To he removed.
ssThe fire established the fact tina
sthe building is freproof as far as
WAS possible to build it. Had it nc
seen a building of fireproof constrr
ton it is probable that the damag
would have been far greater. The ade