Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-11-26
Fearful Catastrophe in New York
SO Children killed.
from the New York Herald of 2lst Nov.l


One of the most lamentable occurrences
that We have ever been called to record,
took place at Ward School No. 26, in
Greenwich Avenue, opposite Charles ST,
yesterday afternoon, when fifty children
lost their lives, and as many more were
injured, some so severely that in all prob
ability they will not recover.
The schoolhouse is a magnificent four
storey cdifce, with a winding staircase
from the first floor to the upper landing.
This stairway is not spiral, but is formed
of short flights of stairs winding around a
square well. The first or ground floor is
used as playground for the scholars, and
is paved with fagstones. The second storey
of the building is occupied by the primary
department Of the institution; in the
third story is the female department of the
upper school, and in the fourth story the
male department. The entrance to each
of the school rooms is from the landings of
the stairs. The outer side of the stairs
was guarded By an ordinary wooden ban
mister, of no great height, and not firmly
secured at the bottom, or where the balus-
tiers we're connected with the stairs. This
description of the stairway will enable the
reader better to understand what follows.
At about two o'clock yesterday after
noon, one of the teachers in the fe-
male department, Miss Harrison, was
taken with fainting fit, and in order to
her recovery she was carried out into the
passage way, where a cry was raised of
"Water. Water by one of her compan-
ions. This cry was not understood, or else
the scholars thought that the water was
wanted to extinguish the fire, and the next
moment the cry of Fire :" was raised,
and spread like wildire through the build
ing. In moment subordination was at
an end. The children from the primary
department rushed to the stairs, as did al
SO the scholars on the floor above them.
The stairway was soon filled and the press
against the balusters so great that they
gave way, precipitating the children over
the stairs down to the ground floor As
the rush increased, SO did the numbers
that were hurled over the stairs into the
space below. Two of the female teachers
made an effort to stop the children; but
SO great wrs the panic that their efforts
were in vain, and were themselves hurried
along with the current, and despite their
efforts we're carried over the stairs into the
space below.
In the upper room, the boys depart
ment, Mr.. Mevally took his stand with
his back against the door, and forbade any
one to 60 out. Although tie panic per-
"aded his room as well as the rest of the
building, yet he stood firm, and thus sue
ceeded in saving the lives Of many, per
haps Of hundreds, for had the larger boys
rushed upon the stairs as did the younger
children, Heaven only knows how much
more sad would have been the disaster
than II I0w is. We learn that some of
the boys Jumped cut OF the windows, and
that one OF them had his neck broken by
the fall. There were altogether in tie
building but few short of 500 scholars
O,165 We understood to be the number
While Mr. McNally remained firm at his
post, the destruction of life was going Oh
below. Hundreds on hundreds went over
the stairs until there was pile of human
belngs-a mass of children eight feet
square and about twelve in height. The
alarm was now given outside, and the po-
lice were soon at hand and took possession
OF the premises as well as they could, and
commenced the work of handing out the
children from :hcir perilous position.
Those that were on top, were, of course,
but slightly injured, but as soon as these
had been removed, the most heart-rending
spectacle presented itself Some among
the policemen were fathers, whose own
children were there. They worked man
fully, and deserve all praise body afte,
body was taken out many of them life
less at first, came to when they once more
breathed the fresh air, but many, alas
were beyond aid, and death was but toe
plainly marked upon their pallid features
Some were injured by the fall, and lay
writing in agony; some moaned, Will.
others shrieked with pain, and other:
again, when released, started off for home
apparently unconscious of the awful scene
through which they had passed. One po
h;eman, Mr.. Seabring, On going to the
school house was, on the instant, greeted
by the sight of his little girls face he,
head was all that was visible, her body be
ing covered with those of her companions
Mr. Seabring, urged by paternal feelings
OF course directed his efforts at once to the