On  April 2, 1912, the Willimantic Mayor and Alderman secured a building to use as an isolation hospital. It was felt that the building could be used within a few days. All the next day, April 3, they were reported to be,” on the jump, hustling about the city buying and ordering”. Thirty iron beds with all necessary furnishings were ordered and delivered as well as a complete set of kitchen utensils. Plumbers worked in the house installing baths and toilets while outside, Superintendent of Sewers John Collins had, “a large force of men digging up the street to lay about 150 feet of sewer pipe.”  Mayor Dunn took a great deal of pride in the whole undertaking and said that he wanted the hospital to be “real homelike” so that no one would object to being sent there. It was reported that all the latest appliances, fixtures and utensils were going to be purchased for use in the hospital. A large, six burner gas range and cooking range were purchased for the kitchen. Willimantic citizens were very receptive to this new facility. On Good Friday, 1912, large numbers of people were said to have visited the hospital prior to its opening, “perhaps curious to see the place which they may have to live in later”. On the evening of Saturday, April 6, the first eighteen patients were taken from their homes, “into the nicely arranged isolation hospital”. It is interesting, perhaps even ironic, to note that, “a hack was bought by the city for that purpose”. Even though the name of every person had been published in one or more local newapapers, the hack was purchased and,”secured in order to eliminate any morbid curiosity”. The first patients going to the hospital were picked up late at night. By Easter Sunday, 1912, the Isolation Hospital was in full operation. By midweek, at least six more people were brought to the hospital. Newspaper coverage of every case remained thorough. Not only were names of the sufferers mentioned, but also their location. Notices were given of which houses had been quarantined and which had the quarantine lifted and been fumigated. City health officials were utterly vigilant and if there was the least suspicion at all, a person would be watched carefully by a health official to see if the disease developed. Today’s photo shows the hack which was used to being patients to the hospital. Nurse Ryan is on the right.(to be continued) For questions or comments about this  week’s photo or article, please e-mail us at “threadcity@outlook.com”.