Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1851-12-02
From the N. Y. Tribune, of November 21st.
AWFUL CALAMITY.


and Teachers Various accounts d deI
Catastrophe
Shortly after Two O'Clock yesterday after
noon the chy was agilacd by The report Of
a most dreadful catastrophe al Ward School
No. 25, n Greenwich avenue, near Jcifor-
son Market. At first, by singular rcver-
sion Of lhe usual form Of rumor, not half
the ruth was told; il was reported down
town that the stairs of the schoolhouse had
given way und that dozen children was
killed. This was enough 10 starIe the resi-.
dengsoC hat section OF the eiry viioA~3.c
away from home, and all sorIs Of vehicles
were al once summoned to convey them 10
The scene Of the disaster.
Before we 90 further. let us briefly STAT
the nature and extent Of the disaster
One Of our reporters writes it as follows:
The causes Of this fearful catastrophe we
give as thfuIIy as could be ascerained on
The spot, amid the great excitement and
dense crowd that for hours pervaded the
! IXlh Ward Police Station, where most oil
The mungled and dead were taken to be re.
coenscd by their heart-Lroken parents
The building where the catastrophe hap
pcned is four stories high. the basement,
which is on level with The street, is paved
with nag-storcs. and is the play-room Of the
scholars. The Primary Department occu-
Il pied tho second floor; the third floor was
used by the more advanced scholars, and
the front served US lecture room and was
used al tie examinations of the school.
1t appears that about 2 o'clock, one Of
The teachers, Miss Harrison, was taken
with a ianiing fit, and cry for water was
instantly made by some Of the children who
were standing near her. This cry was mis-
taken for that Of fire, and the whole room
was Instantly alive with the cry 0! fire!
fire ~ The children rose en- masse and
rushed for the door. The alarm was given
10 the other rooms ON the same floor, and
communicated 10 those Of the Principal Of
the school and his assistants who occupied
the third floor, and ii was generally believed
by all that the building was on fire and &C.
cordngy all rushed for the doors of their
respective rooms. MIR. McNuly immedi
a,ciy placed himself in front Of the door Of
his rom, and forbade any Of his scholars
10 leave, and we hear that one of the other
teachers did Ihe same. The children Of the
other departments rushed out Of the doors
Iui ,hcir respective rooms and down the
stalks, which were built in spiral fora,
and commencing on the ground floor was
carried up 10 the fourth story. The bannis.
ter Of this stairs gave way about thirty fee,
above tie ground floor and precipIalod hun.
lrcds of the children 10 the tagging of the
first floor. killing and managing large num-
bcr. The news Of the dreadful occurrence
spread like the wind through the neighbor-
hood, and hundreds of parents and friends
rushed to The schoolhousc 10 hear the Iidings
, of the safety or loss of their liule ones
The crowd was so dense in q very short
time, that it was with great difficulty thai
the Police, headed by Capt. Lovett and his
assistants, Capt.. Taft and Seabring, could
remove the wounded and dying and dead
from the building. Many Of these were
recognized by their parents and friends and
taken to their homes; the names Of such
4 we could not ascertain, buI'w append The
names of those who were removed TO The
Ninth Ward Public Station, and thence Ic
the residences oi their afflicted parents.
We will here state more fully The case o
the first alarm. Miss Abby Harrison, Prin
cipal of the Female Department, has beeI
} slightly indisposed for few days, but con
sidorcd herself quite able to attend to he
s arJuous dulics. At q o'clock, while sh,
= was hearing the reciia'ions of large class
ac was attacked with momenary paraly
+ sis oil ,he tongue; she lred TO speak, but onl,
S made an uninoIigible noise; in her effort t
It speak her face was drawn into disagrceab
9 conior,ons, and her pupils became fright
y ened, thinking tha! she was fanting. lIenc
the cry for water" and Immediately after
wad Of fire." and the consequent rush 70
d the doors. Miss Harrison remained all tn
" while comparatively helpless, and cculd d
nothing 10 check The alarm.
r The alarm spread. The fire bells lollcC
i -T4lhtss--Poice Of the Ninth Ward (only
hundred yards di5ianI) rushed 10 the spo
the fremen were there in a moment, but
was very different thing from fire Ihj
called for their services. When they fir
arrived, the children were still THROWN
themselves down the stairway; hundro
were piled in lrightful destruction at the bo
tom; The very doorway was barricaded viii
pile Of dead and wounded.
2 Help was sent for; the police and lircme
rushed up Tie stairs and forced the Grigh
ened children back, stationed a guard, ar
then returned to save the wounded al
dying,
AT this time the news began to sprea
and parents and friends came in broaIhIe
hasle 10 the place and the heart-rendil
scene which followed battles descriptions
As each lileless or wounded body was borl
to the Station. house, il would be followed
a dense crowd Of persons, all striving TO
sure themselves that il was moi their relaIV
and some distracted mother recognizing 4
bleeding form of her beloved child, h
shrieks of agony were enough 10 move t
s,oulest heart 10 fearful pity.
But we need not dwell upon these painI
- scenes. They continued up to a late ho
of the night; until the fate Of all had be
ce ace ascerlained.
the The result Of this awful catastrophe,
nd nearly us we can ascertain, is as follows:
The number Of children killed is for
' four or (ory-fve.
= The number positively known TO
'ale wounded is more than sixty, of whom
oc tho 0pontpr nnYtiOn.