Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-05-01
a NDERSON'S HOSPITAL BURNS
Lives Of Many Patients in Danger.
No Loss OF Life.

Anderson, April 25.-Thc Andcr-
son County Hospital, threc-story
brick building constructed four
years ago at II cost Of $4,000, was
completely destroyed by fire late. this
afternoon. The fire, it lis stated.
'> St}fi igil!a ted FROM 1t lighted match
carelesSly thrown by white man,
an oil wagon driver, near a can Of
Kerosene, which he had just depos-
tied on the side porch. The kero-
sene was ignited and tank Of gaso-
limo nearby exploded, throwing
flames in every direction.
The negro orderly was the first to
discover tho fire aud he hurriedly in
formed the superintendent. Miss
Utes, who. In a calm and composed
manner, instructed the nurses to
help her get the patients out Of the
building.
Patients Hurlicdly Removed.
All the patients who were well
enough to walk were led from their
beds to the elevator and were taken
to the ground in safety. Six other
patients who had undergone opera
tions in the last day or so, were too
weak to help themselves, and these
were taken up bodily and removed
. to safety. All Of these were carried
to the ground by ladders put up to
the second story windows. The
flames so rapidly spread over the
building that no time was given the
rescuers to even throw bed clothes
around the patients rs they passed
them through tho windows. Four
patients were brought to the ground
in nude condition.
Miss jamie Langley, Of Mount Car
mel, a nurse who was operated on
this morning and who occupied q
room on the second floor in the rear
Of the building, narrowly escaped be-
ing burned to death. She scrca med
for help and Dr.. Lee Sanders and
Charley Sanders attempted to reach
her room through The hail, which
was in blaze.
AS the men opened the door lead
inG TO the room OF the patient the
flames burst through and drove them
back. They hurried to the ground,
and by means Of a ladder reached a
win6Cw of the room, and through
the window the very i'll lady was
taken TO safety. A few minutes de
lay would have been fatal
Judge w. T.. Cox. who was operat-
ed on yesterday, was taken from a
second story window, as were Mr5>
J. II. Ferguson. Mrs. Bush Adyfs'
Mrs e. X. Todd, Miss Corrjr M'-
Caulcy and Miss l,anglg| MISS
Clinkscales, a nurse whn/remaii'ed
at her post on the sccopd MOOR ah'''
all the patients wcrp/o"'' "'S'e'"'"
on the ladder justH' '''''" 10 prevent
being cut off fp/TN escape
Mrs. Aaa"s, one OF the ladies
nrou,h y>hown a ladder, was in dy-
inc condition and it is feared that
e,,I will succumb tonight. The fire
= did not add to the seriousness OF her
case. however, as she was in con-
dtion past apprcciating the excite
mcnt.
\ negro woman had Just been
taken OF the operating table and had
not recovered from the anaesthcsia.
In an unconscious condition she was
removed to safety. Other patients
in the hospital at the time were Mrs.
jamie Hancock, Mrs. a. G. Sloan, d.
j. Watson and four negro women
For a time it was feared that Mrs.
Hancock had lost her life in the
flames, as she could not be located.
II developed later that she saw the.
flames and, although in a sick and
weak condition. she MANAGED TO cs-
cape on foot and proceeded to a
house next door, whcro sho was
found after a search
lIcroiSm Of Miss Utcs.
An incident Of the fire was when
Miss Utcs, the superintendent, held
ladder in her arms to lengthcn It
to enable n man to get in a window
on the second floor TO rescue some Of
the patients. This lady, with cxccp-
tional strength, held the ladder by
herself rs tho rcscuer and patients
were brought down the ladder to the
ground.
Two patients, Mrs. J. p. Massey
and Mrs. Fannie Couch, had been
dismissed from the hospital and had