The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-07
no SP|TAL SAVED
BY HEROIC WORK
University College OF Medicine
Building, Next Door, Total
y Destroyed by Fire.
LOSS WILL REACH $780, 600.
Patients From the Virginia, Hur-'
riedly Removed, Return
Without Suffering.
LOSS WILL REACH 100000.

AT $50 o'clock yesterday afternoon,
twelve hours almost to the minute from
the time the first alarm of fire was
turned in, Fire Chief Joynes declared
the last spark to be out, and weary
firemen abandoned a scene of complete
destruction at the site of the Uniyer-
sity College of Medicine. The build
ing, which antedates the Civil war.
with its contents. represents an es-
tmated loss of 100000; but. accord
ing to a statement made DR.. Stuart Nc
Guire, president OF the college. a
grander structure will rise in place
OF the old. and the Institution viii
continue its work upon a more COM
prehensive scale.
Adjoining the Virginia Hospital, the
flames, originating when the city was
encased in coating OF ice which made
travel dangerous for man and beast.
spread terror in a neighborhood. usual
ly quiet, and endangered the lives of
thirty-three patients. all of whom were
saved by citizens. nurses and physi-
clans, who joined as a unit in the
work Of rescue. At s o'clock yester-
day morning, The mes-Dispatch. In
an extra containing nine columns
gave every detail of this most spec
tacular blaze.
First Seen by Patient.y
Spontaneous combustion In the
laboratory on the third floor is the
only solution given of the origin: but
even this cannot be explained salts
factorily.
Mrs. Maggie Cato, patient on the
second floor of the hospital, called
the attention Of Miss Bessie G. Arnold.
night nurse. to the smell of smoke.
- 4 >,t C{y1Spy
| the superintendent, and DR.. L. j..
Tuder, an interne. that the building
next door was ablaze. DR.. Tuder turn
ed In the alarm.
Before the fire engines arrived the
nei ghborhood was aroused, and pa
tients were being removed to places Of
safety In nearby dwellings and In the
Sheltering Arms Hospital. Later yes
terdAy, after the flames We're under
control, all the patients were returned
to the hospital, and 1t was said last
night that none of them will suffer
seriously from tho shock. An alley
about twenty feet wide separates the
college from the hospital but the
buildings are joined by a bridge, and
1t was at this that streams We're aimed
when the flames began.
Great Work. by Firclnen.
stubbornly laporing against odds
that more than onco threatened to
overcome their sturdiest efforts, the
firemen gradually drove the flames in
an opposite direction from the hospi-
tai. and within two hours, 1t was con
ceded that the fire would not destroy
the two structures. Soon after reach
ing the scene, Chief Joynes rang In
the three SKIES" bringing almost tho
entire department to the scene. Until
darkness turned to day. and the arti-.
ficial glare was overcome by tho
stronger light OF nature, the skies for
miles made a brilliant glow.
Even with the danger.of spreading,
eliminated, the blaze burned tiercely In
the Interior, and the firemen eNpe-
rienced great dltftculty IN reaching
the centre OF the fire, Water was
poured In from every side through
Windows, and finally, as II overcome
by resistance. the fire yielded.
and 1t heeame a question Of how long
1t would take to conquer the last
spark, AT al2 o'clock the first engines
left. and al e o'clock, only two re-
manned,
a MASS OF WrcrknEe.
The inteyior Of the building, above
70 Continual on Page Eour-Column q ET