New-York tribune., 1907-12-25
FIRE ATTACKED TREES.
Tried Unsuccessfull5 to Spoil Christ
mas for Little Cnpples.

Not even fire could spoil Christmas for the 25o
little ones in the Hospital for Ruptured and
Crippled Children yesterday. 1t came before the
celebration, but was promptly put out Santa
Claus put three big trees in the Lexington avenue
wing of the institution on Monday afternoon Al
most everybody whose names are at the top OF
the subscription list for all charitable WORK. gent
something to put on the trees There were ooiio
for the little girls doomed to lie strapped 10
board for tiresome months; there were jaoks-in-
the-boxes for the little boys who must lie in paste
and plastered Jackets for so long, and many
other gifts for the little ones crippled or deformeo
The hospital has playroom on the fifth floor OF
the old building the Lexington avenue sloe
There the three Christmas trees were set up
adorned with tinsel and the usual fnfiannaoie
material lot of other decorations were piled
around the trees. for the nurses to put up early
yesterday morning There were also lot OF wax
candles Superintendent Oliver H Bartine, know
ing the possibilities fire. had the hose stretched
from the fourth floor and hand grenades ready.
Mrs. Gillespie, the head nurse, was in the "ther
wing in the building, when she saw fire across
the courtyard The twenty nurses and the four
surgeons attached to the hospital were Informed
and AZ took their positions in the wards Inc
children heard the noise of the men attached TO
Truck No. g of the 50th street and Lexington ave
nue. station. when they arrived. The night wateh
of the truck had the fire. and the men. with
Battalion Chief Kane rushed down to the hospltal
without any alarm being turned in. The younger
children told that the fremen were only th0
assistants of Santa Claus. The older ones know
ing the cause of the alarm, behaved with great
bravery, making outcry and remaining in their
cots.
Too much credit cannot be given to the nurses.
who went to their stations in the most matter-ol-
fact way. displaying nervousness, and were all
ready o sacrifice their lives for their charges
Superintendent Bartne ordered all the doors OF
the various wards closed that the fire might not
spread. He also stationed man at the foot or
each elevator shaft to watch anG if possible, pre-
vent the spread of the flames that way, which
met with the approval of the f1remen. The engi-
neer William Miller, turned in an alarm in the
mean time, but the apparatus was there almost
the moment the lever pulled down When the
fremen reached the hospital the superintendent
and the night watchman, aided by the other at
tendants, had the fire under control by use OF the
hose and the hand grenades
Just what caused the fire Is somewhat or
mystery No candles lighted on the Christ
mas trees and there apparent reason why
fire should come into with the tinsel around
the trees but it started in the tinsei and in a
few minutes the gaudy stuff went UP in flames. 1t
was only Superintendent Bartines caution that
saved the hospital.
The trees and the trimmings suffered somewhat
but the chdren's Christmas was not spolled- Ihis
is fhe one bright spot of the year for them Every
tree was filled with the things in which the little
folk delight But before they could revel in tneir
gifts there a vaudeville performance, In Wnich
several of the persons well known in that par
ticular branch OF the profession appeared.