Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-18
TRULL HOSPITAL BURNED.

Biddeford, Me, Jan. 17-For the
second time within three years, the
Trull hospital, a private institution
owned by DR.. ]. Frank Trull, was de-
stroyed by fire today, the - patients
being removed to places of safety bare
ly in time to save their lives. The loss
is estimated at $4,000 and is partly
covered by insurance. On account of
a severe northeast blizzard. the tiremaa
had great difficulty in getting the
flames under control and many french
suffered from frost bites and from in
juries caused by slipping on the icy
timbers. .l
On March IA, 1906, the hospital was
partly burned and the work of re-
building after that fire was completed
less than two years ago.
The fire today was discovered about
9 o'clock this morning in the basement.
DR.. Ray NJ Randall, the house ply
sician, who was eating his breakfast,
smelled smoke and going into the Gel
lar found fire burning in the fioori;ts
just over the boilers. He attempted to
put it out with a hand fire eNtingulsh-
err, but was overcome by the snl pkc and
the fumes from the cXtirgu.Shcr. so
that it was not until several minutes
later after he had managed to work
his way ont of the cellar that the as
sistancc cf toe fire department was
called by telephone. \ chemical en-
gine responded md upon its arrival
the frencn Immediately ordered out
the rest Of the city apparatus and feac-
ing that even this would be insufficient.
asked or help from Saco. which sent
over 4 steamer.
Meanwhile. DR. Randall, assisted by
w. II. Tibbetts, who lives near tee
hospital. Mrs Lucy ]. Potter, the he u
nurse and the other nurses. had bust" !
themselves in bringing the Is patients
from the wards and private rooms
down to the first floor. The smoke
had grown so dense throughout the
building by that time that they We're
obliged to grOpe their way down the
stairs. Ambulances We're summoned
and all the patients, carefully wrapped
M to protect them from the snow and
the icy wind We're carried TO the
nurses home only short distance
away. Tonight all of them We're re-
ported to be resting comfortably. show
ing no ill-effects from the excitement
and exposure.
The fremen found the blaze a par
ticulary difficult one, partly because
of the extreme cold and partly because
the building was 50 nearly flre proof
in it's construction that the flames
could not be reached easily between
the walls. 1t was not until o'clock
this afternoon that the fire was de-
clared under control, having burned
out the whole interior, leaving only
the walls and part of the roof as a
she'll The loss on the building is es-
timated at $4,000 and there was an
insurance of $4,000, with $1,000 addl-
tional on the furnishings.
The hospital was first opened in
June, 1900, and was burned March IA.
1906 1t was re-opened and dedicated
again in February, 1907. The previous
fire was a sensational one because the
surgeons who We're in the midst of an
operation on the top floor of the build
ing remained and finished their delicate
work while the fire engines hummed
outside and the attendants held UNI
brellas over the physicians and the
patient to keep off the water coming
through the roof from the firemen's
streams.
DR.. Trul had not decided tonight
whether he would rebuild. He has
leased a house near the hospital and
the patients will be removed there for
IL, the n1tlpntS IN
the hospital today were the following:
Mrs. Terax, Liberty; Mrs Sophronia
Wilson, Miss Mary Forth, Fred Mars
ton. Mrs. Linnwood Berry. Miss Eliza
beth Lord and Mrs f. J. Mullen, all OF
Biddeford; Mrs. Sarah Lowell, and
Master Kenneth Goodwin. Saco; Mrs
A. Vayer. Haverhill. Mass; Mrs. Al
nina Gimm, Damariscotta: Miss Mary
Bowdoin, Old Orchard; Mrs. George
Cushman. Portland; and Mrs. c. II
Coffin, Colebrook, N. Fl.