Fire Hazards Spark Call to Expand County Hospital
Following a nearby blaze, officials realize the hospital is too crowded and lacks sufficient fire escapes.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
As a result of the fire which destroyed the old county hospital last night, the county commissioners today took up the discussion of enlarging the present institution and providing adequate fire-escapes. Last night's fire was only a half block from the county hospital and the fire department arrived on the scene after the destruction was practically complete. The commissioners consider that a fire in the new hospital would be very disastrous, especially so because the stairways are narrow and there are very few escapes. The county hospital, it is claimed, will have to be enlarged within a few months as it is taxed to its capacity each day at present. The institution is insured for $7,500 and the fixtures and surgical tools at $1,000.
“The commissioners consider that a fire in the new hospital would be very disastrous.”
The precariousness of public infrastructure during the rapid growth of the early 20th century mirrors ongoing debates about hospital capacity and safety in Tacoma today. It is a stark reminder of a time when 'taxed to capacity' meant something entirely different in a rapidly urbanizing landscape.
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