The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-01-01
F0rty-two Children Killed, Nearly
Sixty Wounded!

Sixty Wounded!
The most appalling calamity that ever
\ occurred ia this city, took place at Ward
School No. 26, OIL Thursday afternoon last.
| Nothing since The Hague street explosion,
has occurred to he compared to this shock
ing aud unprecedented accident. The build
ing in which il took place is n new one, and
was erected under the especial direction oi
gentlemen who were not only deeply inter
ested IN the cause of educational progress,
but were professional architects and build
ers IL Is II large and roomy edifice, aud
has been pronounced by all who have in
spected it, To be as well adapted TO the pur-
poses for which il was erected as any sin-
! lar structure in New York The casually
we are now recording. however, proves 10
the contrary. The method by hich in-
gress and egress were gained was wofully
defective, and to its defects, as near as facts
at present enable us to Judge. the city i, in
'iebied for The mournlui catalogue of the
dead and dying given below.
| We will state the CAUSES and results Of
this painful occurrence lis briefly as posi-
bie uuder this head, comment thereon hav-
| ing been made in our editorial columns
| /, appears that on Thursday afternoon,
al 2 O'Clock, Miss Harrison, engaged in
teaching in Que of The schools in the second
floor, while addressing her scholars, was
suddenly stricken with paralysis Of the
tongue aud face. She endeavored 10 speak,
but could not, aud in her endeav or to do 20,
made such horrible gestures that several of
the scholars became frightened, aud uttered
loud screams. The boys in the apar,men,
above Mi-s Harrisou's, hearing The screams,
supposed that ihe school house was on fire,
and attempted to make their escape. The
girls also rushed for the doors, and all suc-
ceeded, despite the efforts Of the teachers to
| Keep them back, in gaining the principal!
/ staircase. This, though rot exactly a spiral
staircase, is built upon the plan of one. 1t
surrounds an area or well, about twelve feet
vide. This well extends la the top Of the
building, and is Jagged at The bottom with
stone. There was nothing 10 protect those
/ who travelled the staircase, up or down,
! frou falling, except a wooden balustrade or
| haOd-!a,liDg. Ii Is aScertaiGei that this
was. even under ordinary circumstances,
! light and insufficient, and that fraii as it
was, il was Imperfectly and feebiy secured
IN IL r"siiion. Ii must be remembered that
- '"u' e'g.'ee'- hundred children are daiiy
-, ."' - Gus departments of t'de
institution. lhe panic ..L;rb rho scrao,,,Iua
IT Miss Harrisou's scholars .-a.,eG 4, was
heightened and confirmed by persons in the
street, who, hearing the confusion within,
ana reckiessly drawing the Inference from
existing circumstances that the building w as
on fire, gave the alarm, aud rushed IN 70 en-
courage the inmates tn make their escape.
\ large fire hell, which is close OF hand,
shortly after the panic commenced tolle,l
forth The tidings that a confiagra,ion was
gong on. From this moment, all order in
The school was at an eud. The children
| h'ed the stairs IN one dense mass. Some,
/ particularly In The boy's department, on the
third story, jumped from the windows-alI
mat did so, with one exception, strange 30
say, escaping death, and but one or two of
them, sustaining any serious HARM We
are informed by a credible eyewitness that
at least twenty male this fearful leap, and
that nearly all were caught in comparative
safely by persons standing IN The street. H.
the meantime, the rush for The chief chan
mel 0i exit arrived AT It's extent. Several of
the children, m their terror, jumped over
the baus,ers 10 the ground floor. Their
bodies were speedily covered iy others, pre-
| ciIAsated with frigbttul fatality by the break
ing of Ihe balusters aforesaid. Forty-two
were k.'cd--ohly thirteen OF them males;
greater portion are also girls
Connected with the accident were many
thrilling, painful ami noteworthy incidents.
The teachers exertei themselves to the Ut
| most TO preserve orer and TO save live, and
IN doing so, five Of the female were them
selves somewh injured, Mr.. McNaly, the
principal of the boys school, bnd hard work
to prevent the children under his charge
from leaving the room. It is to his exer-
tons, we are told, tha, comparatively so few
OF the males were destroyed
As soon as The news Of the catastrophe
spread-end such news always travels with
Itelegraphic speed---the school house WAS
surrounded Ivy parents IN search Of their off
spring. Some were fortunate enough to
find their children alive and we'll Many
bore away wounded forms, while others,
less fortunate. carried home cOrpses. a
gentleman of our acquaintance, met three
mothers, all strangers, each with ilfeless
bo'ly in her arms.
One Of the boys, when about throwing
himself from third story window, rccog
nized his father in the crowd below, who
commanded him hy gesture not 10 jump
He obeyed, retired to the second story, and
from thence jumped unframed into his pa
rents arms.
A daughter Of Amos Leeds, the well
known coal dealer, escaped from one of the
windows with scarcely any INJURY. She did
not comprehend her danger until she was
under the shelter Of her fathers roof.
| A bereaved woman, wba recognized the
dead body Of her daughter in the station
house, took it 10 her bosom and embraced
lit. While thus employed, she heard the
groans Of dying boy, and saw two police
men bending over him. True to the in
stincts Of her sex, she dropped the corpse Of
| her own child to administer comfort to the
one that lived.
One little girl, eged about twelve years,
when the reign OF terror was .he:g :eet.st,
was about to join the crowd on d be: gsIs.
.Sudlenly checking her steps, she decided
that if she was to he Killed there, she would
not be crushed TO death, and went back to
the school room. A few moments after
war.ls she was taken OUT bv fireman who
climbed TO The room from the outside, on q
ladder.
Last evenings Tribune says that one girl
who was on the stairs after the balusiers