The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-01-22
THE LATE CATASTROPHE In BROOKLYN,
NEW YORK.

/ NEW fORk.
| We announced, yesterday, the occurrence of
heart-rending calamity in Brooklyn, New York
on Tuesday last, arising from the destruc
tion Of public school house, by fire.
There were about seven hundred childrer
in the house at the time, and as the fir,
was not discovered till It had made considerabl,
progress, such confusion and terror spread amoB,
them that the stairway leading from the male dc
partment was completely choked and rcudere,
impossible. The consequence was that several o
the younger children got badly trampled, and a
the windows were now the onlysmeans of escape
several Of the boys who leaped from them wer,
severely and some fatally injured, while other,
were suffocated by the volumes of smoke. The
following details of the calamity, are from the
New York Herald:
THE ORIGIN OF TIE FIRE.
The school house is heated with patent fues, or
heaters running throughout the whole of the
building. The fire was first discovered by one Of
the female teachers of the primary department,
Miss Beebe, who saw the smoke issuing from one
OF the ventilators. She cautiously stepped towards
the principal of that department, Mrs. Voorhies
and quietly told her the difficulty, when Mrs
Noorhies turned to dismiss the school. At the
same moment one of the smaller children discover.
ed the fire and gave the alarm. The teachers iua-
mediately took measures to preserve order and
regularity in the safe escape of the children, and
80 far succeeded that who left the building BY
the entrances on Concord street were in the least
injured, but readily escaped with their books
and outer clothing. The alarm at once spread not
only to the classes on that floor but to the gram
mar department above. The various classes were
speedily dismissed and the teachers and larger
children lent their aid in endeavoring to secure
regularity and order in the egress of the smaller
children Their Efforts 50 far as the two staircases
on Concord street were concerned, were eminent
ly successful. Those who sought egress by these
passages got out in safety, and by these passages
were conveyed the library of the school, as well
as that of the Normal school and most Of the fur
hiture in that wing of the building.
THE SCENE OF TIE CATASTROPHE
The place where the great loss of life occurred
was at the staircase leading to the Navy street en-.
trance. The smaller children were here trampled
upon aud sutfocated by the immense crowd of chill.
dren pressing upon them from above and behind
them. Mr.. Wocott, the principal, at once sta
toned himself 1T the first landing and strove TO
relieve the smaller boys from the pressure above.
He handed them over the balustrade to those be-
low, and thus succeeded in reScuing them Above
him WAS platform formed by the landing of a
| staircase, and here it was that those who were
killed received their injuries. To control the mass
of children above was impossible, as-althoucb
the fire had not reached that part of the wing OF
the building-the smoke, coming In dense and suE
locating clouds, was sufficient to drive them on
ward The entreaties and commands of Mr.. VOL.
colt and his assistants were unheeded; each one
stroye for liberty, and in the rush and crowd sew
en- children, aged from five to ten years, were suE
focated OF trampled to death.
Mr.. Wocott and his assistants, aided by the cit
zens, succeeded in clearing the building of every
human being. The dead or dying were conveyed
To the neighboripg houses or drug stores, and ey-
ery assistance rendered them.
The building was about this time enveloped 10
flames on the side or part fronting on Concord st
aud the flames soou spread to the wing upon Nayy
street. In about two hours from its first discoye
ry the flames had consumed the entire building.
leaving but the first story walls standing.
DISTRESSING sCgNEs.
The neighborhood of the school is somewhat
densely populated, and nearly every family resid-
ing in the vicinity had children attending the
school. AS soon as it became known that the
school house was on fire the parents of the chill.
,iren came from all directions, almost frantic with
fear that among those in the building were some
of their offspring. Parents fondly caressing their
children who had escaped; Others wildly rushing
amid the crowd, calling aloud for their children;
and children escaping TO their homes, in fear OF
the dread event from which they had but Just
been rescued-as well as the grief of the parents
Of those children who had been taken out dead OF
dying, were truly narrowing to the soul. The
dread event casta gloom over the whole assem-
bage, and could hardly be witnessed without emo.
ton. 1t was a sorrowfu sight to witness the sad
procession child after child was taken from the
building and conveyed to some place adjacent
where remedies could be applied for its relief IL
not past all remedy. The drug store Of DIR. IL. j
Stowe, in Nassau street, near Navy, being nearest
the scene of the catastrophe, made a temper
airy hospital, but those who were taken there were
dead, having died in the school building. This
place was densely surrounded with persons anx
thising with those parents who thus suddenly had
been bereft of their children. Among those ia
ken from the building none were burned, the
flames not having reached that wing of the build
;IoIl tala C.S NJ
THE DEAD AND WOUNDED.
The names of the unfortunate children who were
killed or wounded follows, all being be.
tween the ages of six and ten years:
/. Henry Plass, son of Garwood Plass, ten years
old, residing in Portland avenue, between Park
and Myrtle avenues. This child was taken out OF
the building by Officer William Brown, second
precinct police, aud taken to the second district
station house. 1t was living when taken out, bat
died before it reached the station house. The
body was identified soon after by its parents and
taken to their residence.
2. Henry lie Blanc, seven years of age, son OF
Ambrose l.. lie Blanc, 49, Nassau street. was taken
out dead by its father. He had aided in rescuing
some forty or fifty children, when to his horror he
was told that his own child was dead.
3. John William Green, i've years of age, son o
David Green, residing at the corner Of Concord
street and Hudson avenue. He was taken out
dead.
4. II. C. Smith, six years old, his parents reside
i III.
s. Stephen Bloomfield, seven years old. Iii,
parents reside in Gold street. near Hillary. lie
was taken to the office of DIR. b. J. Stowe, 1913 Mas
sau street, where he was identified by his parent,
and taken home.
6. Abijah PiersalI. about seven years old. Pa
rents reside at No. u CARL street. Was taken out
alive, but there is no prospect ohis recovery. lie
was taken to DR.. Stoves.
Z. Son of Phebe Fernald, seven years of age
taken to the house of DR.. Stowe aud identified by
his mother who resides at 234 Gold street.
s. A boy named Weeks, six years old. Parents
reside in oxford street. lie was also taken to the
Office of DR.. Stowe, and afterwards taken home by
his father.
9. A child named Brewer, parents residing In
Nassau street. Reported as dead.
tD. A child named Mckenzie, residing in Can
ton street. near Myrtle avenue, is also reported as
dead.
So far as is known but one child was injured
that yet alive and that had both its legs broken
Name not ascertained.