San Francisco Call, Volume 87, Number 150, 29 April 1902 — FIRE IN KINGS DAUGHTERS HOHE IMPERILS UNFORTUNATES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FIRE IN KINGS DAUGHTERS HOHE IMPERILS UNFORTUNATES

Epileptic Overturns Oil 'Stove in North Wing and Is Fa-

tally Burned Before Rescued by Heroic Matron

r/> r^v AKLAND, April 28.— The upsetting •7 \\ of a coal oil stove by William (I II Bray, an epileptic patient at the Alameda County King's Daugh-

ters' Home for Incurables, Eleventh and Oak streets, caused a fire at 11:30 o'clock this morning that destroyed the north wing of the structure, fatally Injured Bray, severely burned John H. Murray, another patient; scorched William Williams, a nurse, and nearly suf T focated Miss M. A. Jones, the matron, who dragged Bray out of the smoke and flames at peril of her life.

The disaster threatened the , lives of twcv-score helpless Inmates of the institution, who were Baved only by the heroic, cool-headed efforts of Miss Jones and the women nurses and helpers of the home. To them, as well as to the efficient services of the Fire Department, under Chief Engineer N. A. Ball, is due the salvation of many lives and the main building.

In the wing which was burned : there were twenty-five patients, men and women, and nearly all of them, were either In the wards or in the hallways when the fire broke out. Only a few minutes before Mrs. Winden, a nurse, saw the smoke and flames Dr. T. A. Williams, the attending physician of the home, had been. in Patient Bray's room, which was on the lower floor of the two-story frame and brick north wing. At that time the old man was quiet. The doctor thinks the patient was seized with a fit of epilepsy and fell upon the lighted oil stove. When Miss Jones broke through the wall of smoke the fire was under such headway that the second-story floor was ablaze. Bray's body could hardly be seen through the black, suffocating smoke. But the heroic woman rushed through, got the helpless, unconscious form in her arms and dragged her burden to a place of safety. Meanwhile the whole force of attendants had been alarmed. Miss Lena Smith, an assistant in the dining-room, seized the fire alarm box key and rushed to the box at Twelfth and Madison streets.- i

PATIENTS ARE RESCUED.' > , The -work of, rescuing the patients was quickly and ¦ efficiently conducted. I . One by one those unable to move were taken out of the. blazing structure. As they were brought into the yards scores of the neighbors, members of the Lakeside fash, lonable district, vied with the. attendants and the firemen in getting the feeble and superannuated men and women to places of- shelter. " Among the helpers at the scene were Mrs. Frank Brigham, Miss Mollie Connors, Mrs. A.-.D. Thompson, Mrs. Remi Chabot/Mrs. Henry Dieckman, • Mrs. E. B. Beck and Mrs. T. P..Hogan, all of whom opened their homes to receive the sufferers. Mrs. Brigham took charge of Freddy Kirchoff er, 3 . years ; of • age, *, tho baby inmate of the home.:- ¦

¦ ; Before': the fire -was well under 'way messages were sent for doctors. 'A dozen responded, among them 'being, Dr., J.' P. Dunn, Dr. D. D. Crowley, Dr. A. Fine, Dr. O. D. Hamlin, Dr. Boyes, Dr. Herrick and Dr. John Fearn. _ . :

Then came the ambulances from the East Bay Sanitarium and Fabiola Hospital, v the? doors', of which were thrown open,: Many, of the burned-out patients were taken to these institutions. , ¦. ,

•Patient Bray was removed ¦ to the • Receiving: 3 Hospital with; Murray, ;. who had

also been burned. The injuries . of the first named were examined and found to be fatal, the lower limbs being -very seriously burned." Bray is 70 years of age, and the hospital surgeons declare the shock will kill him. Murray was burned leas seriously and has a chance of recovery. • Nurse Williams, who was among the rescue party, was burned on the hand by a tongue of flame that shot frbm a doorway while he was dragging out a patient. Matron Jones was partly overcome by the smoke, but even after getting Bray into the open . kept . on . and took Dr: Mlckle, Judge . Humphreys and Mrs. Stubbe to places beyond the fire's reach, j

NURSES LOSE EFFECTS.

In the north wing were the rooms . of several nurses. Miss H. Barter lost all of her possessions, and Miss Lena Smith, who turned in the fire alarm, suffered an equal loss. . "

"It's a. shame," declared Matron Jones, "but thieves actually took advantage «of our plight and stole from the rooms. A3 for the fire, we thank God it was.no worse. My share? Oh, I only did what I could. As soon as the cry was given the nurses and other attendants went rapidly to work to save the patients. . I ran to Mr. Bray's room and fought my way In, getting him out as best I could. The smoke was very thick. After he had been cared for I- followed with the others in saving the old people who were in the burning wing. I am only too grateful that the disaster was no worse." The firemen worked to keep the fire under control and to prevent it from spreading into the main building, which is connected by a double inclosed hallway with the wing. It was a hard fight to save the main building because a high wind was- blowing and the structure was exposed on all sides to the sweep of the breeze. Regarding the fire Mrs. Matilda Brown; president of, the home, said: - •

The loss to the building is about $5000. Our own loss I cannot state. ;.. The institution is practically without funds and is in sore need of assistance at this time. 1 . feel devoutly thankful that no greater losa of life or injury to patients and nurses were sustained. .•'¦ That, I feel, is due to the heroic work of our attendOur grateful thanks. are due to the. Fire Department - and. to the many .individuals who assisted during the height of the fire and afterward. ' .. . ' ¦ ¦ ' • " '¦ *•'"•¦ Now we need financial assistance, and anything like bedding, clothing and the like will be very acceptable, word sent to my residence or to the home will receive prompt attention. Whether we ehall rebuild the burned wing is a. question In the hands of the General Keyea estate representatives, the property j being rented from ¦ them. ,...; HOPE TO BUILD NEW HOME; ¦. We '• have just ' paid the first Installment on a new Bite 'for a home at Thirty-ninth street and New Broarlway, where we hope to be able to build a new institution. ¦ • • - .The officers and . directors of the home are as follows: • .

President, - Mrs. Matilda Brown; first < vlc« president.' Mrs. E. K. Wood;. second vice,president, Mrs. '¦¦ G. L. Curtls8; . corresponding, secretary. Mrs. J. "W. Scott ; financial secretary Mrs. L. Albrecht ; financial treasurer, Mrs R C. Craft; custodian Lord's fund,. Mrs. William Kell y ; ¦'¦ directors — Mrs. , C. C. Cay, . Mrs. -- S Chapman. Mrs. A. H. Hills, Mrs. S. H. Wadeadvisory' board — Dr. J. • K.'. McLean, James II! Johnson. John H.- Stevens, Dr. John Fcam and Dr. ;T. A. Williams. ; : >. .. -: ¦ ..•.¦¦-¦. .. - ; „ Patient William > Bray was . once prominent I in I New York i journalism and politics, but. for many years has been a sufferer from incurable epilepsy. : H*. is, the father-in-law of j J. * J. Morrl3, a ; musician and business man of, San Francisco. : The home building , is one « of the landmarks > of » Oakland.' i Built in the * early 60' s it was the residence of Governor HH. \ Height, plater to General Keyes, * and after his ; death* was > rei?r»»*r;.i.- ¦. ' ' : ¦:¦¦ y^&MMtt^'^/tfMrii^mttxM

spectively the Boston Ladies' Seminary, a private school conducted by the present County Superintendent of Schools, T. O. Crawford, then V "Keely cure" sanitarium, and lastly the King's Daughters took possession of the place. The following appeal has been made:

The King" s ' Daughters' Home for Incurables one of the worthiest Institutions of our ' clty| has .met with a most serious loss by fire Bedding and bedclothes are needed at once! The undersigned appeals with confidence to the parishioners of the Church of the Advent, East Oakland, for a quick and generous contribution of these articles. Send them at once to the home. Eleventh. and Oak streets. WILLIAM CARSON SHAW. Rector.

Mrs. F. *M. Smith has offered one of her cottages on Fourth avenue for the use pf the patients. By. request of the board of directors of the King's Daughters' Home for Incurables, The Call will receive subscriptions at its Oakland office, 1118 Broadway, to the emergencyifund to provide accommodations for the patients rendered homeless by the fire.

MATRON OF THE DESTROYED INSTITUTION WHO PROVED HERSELF A I HEROINE, TWO INMATES WHO WERE FEARFULLY BURNED, AND VIEWS TAKEN AFTER FIREMEN EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES.