New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-11-21

ton House, where they fingered TO the latest mo-
ment, discussing the dreadful affair, and sympa.hz-
ing with the distressed relatives.
We heard many stories Of narrow aud singular
escapes, but we have rot space to recount them
Some leaped from the lower windows, others were
taken out or The ladders others escaped by the back
stairs
An inportant meeting of the officers and teachers
Of the School was held last night, Of which one OF
our reporters furnishes the following account
Last night meeting Of the Ward officers OF the
Common Schools. and the male and female teachers
was held IN the schOOl-r0om OF the Female Depart
mcnt, for the purpose Of taking into consideration
the circumstances relating TO the fatal accident
which had that afternoon hurried foTty-twO poor
children into another world Mr. John McLane,
Commissioner WIS called TO the Chair and Mr..
George 7. Nelson, Trustee, was appointed Sec
rotary.
Mr. John w. Latson, one of the Trustees, sad on
the opening Of the proceedings II was his opinion
that il would be better take the statements OF the
teachers separately and hear their statements Of the
occurrence, especially those belonging TO the Pm
mary Department, as II was from there that the
greatest number were killed. lie thought every OPP
pOrtunty should be given 20 the teachers TO yndlcae
Their conduct IN the affair." well as 10 give proper
statement to the public on the SUBJECT.
Mr.. Backson thought that no reason existed to
blame the teachers, lar as he knew, and he hoped
that no blame would be imputed to them unless de-
served.
MI Latson said his object was to benefit me teach
ers by giving them opportunity to show how molly
they has acted IN the a ~ful emergency.
The Chairman said he had inv estgated the cause
of the accident, and found that little past O'clock
Miss Harrison, who was principal teacher IN the
Female Department, was suddenly unable to speak,
and IN her attempts to 90 so she mOaued In some
way, and her face became distorted from the effects
of paralysis. This frightened several OF the chldfen
who began to scream and rushed from the school
rooms, and immediately after cry OF FIRE was raised
which started the whole school.
Miss Whitney, Principal of the Primary School,
made the first statement, and sad She heard noise
on the stairs about quarter past two. She opened
the door OF the schOolIoomto see what Was the mat
ter and the rush Of scholars forced her from her feet
and took her with the current down to the bottom OF
the steps she tired to return but could not and her
side was injured by the crushing. After she had
been down minute, the railing began to give way
and she saw the children falling one on top OF the
other, and the railing going flight after flight TIL 1t
was removed for half way up the circular staircase
Miss Clinton SAID she was teacher IN the Prma-
ny School, and when the confusion occurred she
kept all the small children back that she could, by
forcing them INTO back room and closing the door.
Soon after the cry Of fire heard, and toe children
began 10 cry, and forced their way into the large
room She then helped all of them through the
window that she could, and afterward jumped
through herself
Miss Hagan, Of the Primary School, said she heard
noise over her head, and she opened the door, but
saw no teachers Some boys said the school was on
fire, and the children from their seats and run
to the door. She could not make them keep their
seals and some men III te street CdlIeu upon nef W
come down, for the school was on FIRE. She then
stopped some time to keep her children quiet so as
to get them out but they would not stop for her, out
made for the front door. The hremen put ladder
against the window, and she went into the yard
after they told her the SCHOOL, house was on fire. She
heard that some children were dead and went to the
atlon.hOusc, here she recognized some OF them.
Miss Maria b. Cooler SAID she heard the noise and
went to the door, and saw the children rushing
down. She then fastened her schoOl-chlldren In,
and they remained Till a man came up and SAID the
place was on fire. and she must let the children go
She did as the man sad the walls would TAI, III
and then the children ran out OF the door. She
went to ste the sick children safe, and attended
them until dark.
forced the children into the rear room, and kept tne
little ones still. She confined number OF them
there and they were all released unhurt
The Secretary and Mr.. Latson both SAID they were
of opinion that no blame could be attached 10 the
teachers, and III answer TO questions II was stated
that the men who broke the windows and alarmed
them with fire were not dressed IN nrenen's
clothes. The conduct OF these men was condemned,
and the teachers were eXhOnerated. as far as the
investigation went, from all blame
II was stated that the parents OF many OF the
children poor and the following gentleman were
appointed Committee to get subscriptions towards
a fund for their relief: John McLane School Com
missioner Charles c. Buxton and Israel Bower
School Inspectors John w. LatSon, James W.
Booth, James ii. Townsend, Gregor Mcdonald. and
George p. Nelson, School Trustees. The meeting
then Adjourned.
Lest people should thoughtlessly be led to
consider this sad catastrophe as one which might
probably happen in other instances, we beg leave
to call their attention to the fact that this Is the
first accident OF any extent, that has ever &C.
CURED in the Public Schools Of this City that
a hundred thousand children are daily gathered
in our various school edi6oes, where they are far
more safe from mental and bodily harm than In the
streets that II isextremely improbable that any
school house could be burned while any person
was in it, and that under any circumstances 1t is
next to impossible that such an event could be at
tended with loss of life We may further re-
mark that in this instance the panic was so sud
den and unexpected, so entirely impossible TO
have been forescen, or guarded against after the
alarm, that 1t stands alone IN Its painful slngu-
laIity and cannot Justly be compared with ca
Ia trophies of fire, steam explosions or falling
buildings. Our school edlfceS are carefully
protected from FIRE, there are no steam boilers
In their vicinity and their strength has been
so well tested that il cannot be doubted.
In view of this state of things, and OF the very
peculiar nature of the awful catastrophe which
we have recorded, of the singular cause OF the
panic-it being al first an involuntary contor-
ton of the face, then a frightened pupil suppos-
ing her teacher about to faint and raising cry
for water" then the very natural cry OF fire,
and the rush for the Street-it viii be seen that
there is no reason IN conlurlng up imaginary ac-
cldents and entertaining distrus. of this School,
and much less Of the others.
Let there be no unnecessary alarm. The
worst is known 1t was an event beyond human
control. The Schools and School-houses are
still perfectly safe, or at least nearly perfect
in safety as any places Of the kind ordinarily can
be, and the people who have so long looked
upon them with pride, will not be distrustiul OF
,horn ,,n,r keenlv as hundreds of them have