The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-11-26
Shocking and Thrilling Occurrence-For-
yor Fifty School Children Killed, and
Many Wounded.

Ss~ @"f ss'
ty or Fifty School Children Killed, and
Many Wounded.
New YORK, Nov. 20. 1851.
A terrible accident occurred this after.
noon at 9 o'clock, at the new Public
School on Greenwich avenue. An alarm
fire was raised, and the children becom.
ing frightened, attempted TO escape from
the building. Alarge number were crowd.
ing against the illustrates in the second
and third stories, when they gave way and
precipitated the children TO the first floor,
a distance of some forty feet. Already 90
dead bodies have been taken out OF the
building, and it is reported that at least
forty boys and girls are killed. The scene
was most heart neutrality-suspicious. frantic
were seeking their children, and their cries
mingled with those Of the dying victims,
attracted thousands to the spot.
SECOND DISPATCH.
New YORK. Nov. 600 P. M.
Our city is in deep gloom in conse-
quence Of the melancholy and heart-rend.
ing accidents which occurred this after
noon. Many homes that but a few brief
hours ago were the scenes Of happiness
and joyous anticipations-where danger
was not dreamed of-and every counte-
nance was bright with smiles, now present
deep melancholy, and sad lamentations.
Eyes that were bright are flooded with
tears, and voices that were merry are turn.
ed to wailing. The details Of this sad ca
lamity, as near as | have been able to
gather them, are as follows:
About two o'clock this afternoon. Miss
Harrison, teacher in Primary School No.
26, was observed, probably from the close
ness Of the room, TO faint. On seeing this,
a number Of children ran 10 her side
Others became alarmed, and in their fright
raised the cry of fire. This soon caused
the greatest alarm and CONSERVATION
among the little, unsuspecting innocenis.
Almost in a moment they, as with one i'm.
pulse. made a general rush for the doors
and windows, and the stairway. which, it
SEEMS, was Of "a spiral form, and running
from the frs, to the fourth story Of the
building,
Soon the press against the blustrade be.
came so great that it gave way. precipita.
ting TO the floor below. which was of flag
stones, used as a playground. nearly or
quite one hundred of the little ones. The
scene at this moment was awful and heart
rending beyond description. Child after
child rushed down the horrible pit, crush.
ing beneath their weight those who had
gone before, while others leaped v%olunta.
rily out of the windows. and others threw
themselves down the chasm. mingling their
ife-blood with those already dead and dy.
ing. More than seventy children thus
rushed into the jaws ofdeath, and although
few escaped being seriously injured, some
fifty were instantly killed.
The calamity would have been still
greater but for the presence Of mind OF Mr..
McNally, the principal, who was in the
fourth story, and who, on hearing the cry
of fire Immediately placed himself against
the door, declaring that none of the chill.
dren should 60 out in this manner His
class, by this means, escaped inevitable
destruction.
A large number were Immediately car.
ried to their homes by their bewildered
parents, so that the full extent of the ca
lamity cannot yet be fully ascertained.
The spectacle Of parents clasping their
dead and dying children, beggars all at
tempt at description. The scene was most
lamentable to behold.
P. SOY, P. M.-Since the above was
sent il has been ascertained that besides
those killed. some seventy or eighty are
maimed-some of them for life. Many
Of the little les are so dreadlully man.
gled as to be scarcely recognized by their
parents. A number Of the wounded, il is
supposed, cannot survive.
No language can half depict the distress
which exists in consequence of this most
u,nlaooho1x, d;,aetor |