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The
smoke from the destroyed buildings at Quarantine was
plainly visible from the ferry landing at the foot of
South street this morning. It hung like a pall over the
place, and stretched along the north shore of the
Island, almost, as fast as the eye could reach.
On approaching the landing in was discovered that the
wash house Dock was on fire. Whether it caught from the
buildings, or whether it was set on fire, in order to
make a complete finish of the whole concern, we could
not ascertain to a certainty. No person appeared willing
to take the responsibility of giving definite
information, fearing probably that they might criminate
themselves.
The snip Ratter lies off the dock, being in course of
fumigation and cleansing. A guard of 60 marines are
stationed at the Government Dock, and keeping watch of
the property. There is no danger, however. The people
are rejoiced that the pest houses are destroyed and
would do nothing to injure other property.
On approaching the grounds we observed breaches made in
the brick walls, by a species of battering ram, through
which the mob had entered the night previous. The
grounds, we should judge, embraces several acres. The
buildings present nothing but blackened walls, and the
grass is strewed with the sick and the dead. We gave
yesterday, the result of the first burning.
Last evening about 9 o'clock a mob of about 500 banded
together at Fresh Pond, about two miles distant. In the
meantime, a meeting of citizens took place in the
village. While they were passing high sounding
resolutions and making buncombe speeches in opposition
to the Quarantine, the mob marched down, and commenced
the work of destruction. They first fired 6 cottages
along the boundary line, which is on the top of the
hill. These buildings were occupied by the laborers and
other employees. Next they went to Dr. Waller's house
and set fire to that. The Doctor did his best to protect
his property. He had a musket and proceeded
to use it, but it was wrested from him and his house was
burned down. The furniture was, however, mostly saved.
The mob next proceeded to Dr. Bissell's house, and set
it on fire. thence they proceeded to the large Female
Hospital, in which all the patients had been placed
since the destruction of the buildings on the night
previous. Nothing but the blackened walls of this
building remain. One man, the second engineer of the
Steamer Philadelphia, who was taken in on account of
yellow fever, died just before the flames broke out. His
body is still lying in the vicinity.
The Lower (Small Pox) Hospital was then attacked and
burned down. The next building destroyed was Dr.
Thompson's office at the landing, and the Wash House
Dock. The Wash House is Government property, but has
been used for government purposes for the past seven
years. The fences about the grounds were still burning
this morning, and no one seemed interested enough to put
it out. The cottages of the employees having been fired,
the mob rushed in under pretence of extinguishing the
flames, but instead of so doing piled on armfuls of
straw, which was saturated with turpentine and pitch,
and gave such an impetus to the flames that it would
have been impossible to extinguish them if the fire
apparatus had been permitted to work.
The engines and hose of the village were brought out
under pretence of aiding in extinguishing the flames. As
it was not the intention to save the property, the hose
were cut, and even if there had been a desire to do duty
it would have been impossible. The fire burned without
let or hindrance, and the buildings were all consumed.
The entire number of buildings consumed is 11. The
Hospital called the St. Nicholas was built in 1828, at a
cost of $80,000. The Female Hospital was built in 1808,
during the time that Mr. De Witt was Health Officer. It
was considered one of the best hospitals in the world.
It contained all the stores, drugs and culinary
apparatus, all of which was destroyed. One house,
occupied by Dr. Bissell was built when Dr. Rockwell was
Health Officer at a cost of $7,000. We could get no
information of the value of the remaining buildings.
Some sixty sick persons were in the hospitals at the
time of the fire. Of these 20 were yellow fever
patients, and of those 4 are dangerous. Sheriff Lockman,
who lives seven miles distant, was notified last night
at 10 o'clock of the state of affairs. He arrived this
morning, and with his deputy, Reagan, proceeded to
engage building in which to place the sick. One of the
physicians informed us that a barge would be sent from
the city this afternoon upon which all the sick could be
placed, and then anchored out in the stream.
It was reported that one woman and two children died
last night, and that two men died this morning. This the
doctors deny most positively. They state that but one
man died, and that was the 2d engineer of the steamer
Philadelphia. Mr. Thos. Burns, the proprietor of a hotel
in the vicinity, took two sick women and a child, which
he found living in the open air, and conveyed them to a
building near by, where they were cared for.
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