The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-21
THE BROOKLYN CALAMITY.
Children Dead-The Wounded Recovering
Coroner's Inquest.

After careful inquiry has been ascertained that only
six children died from the accident at the burning of Public
School No. IA on Tuesday afternoon. Those who
verely injured have be out Of danger
The names Of those who have ded are as follows
John w. Greene years old taken Of the entrance
On Concord street. dead His parents reside at the
Of Concord street and Hudson avenue.
George Week, child of Philip Week. residing In Oxford
street. near Myrtle avenue The boy years and 10
months old Coroner Cozne held the inquest on Tuesday
evening, and verdict Of sufiocauon was rendered
Henry Plass, Of William Plsss, of Portland avenue,
years old He taken by officer William Brown, Of
the Second precinct and taken the Second precinct
ton house Coroner Cozne also held inquest this
body.
Henry Le Blanc son Of Ambrose L. lie Blanc 1856 Nassau
street, seven years old, was taken out dead
Henry Smith seven years DID, parents reside at No.
stephen Bloomfield years old, was taken to DR..
owe, No. lSS Nassau street, and there identified by his
The boy Gallagher about ten years old, yingn Dckin
sons alley, near York street, injured but
John Martin, boy about years old jumped out
Of second story window and escaped unnjured.
Abah Pearsal, seven years old, residing at q CARL
street, Is recovering.
These all the killed and wounded, far
tanned from the most reliable sources.
Coroner Isaac r. Smell proceeded 10 empanne jury
and at two O'Clock yesterday afternoon commenced the
investigation the of the death of Henry Smith
Henry lie Blanc and Stephen Bloomfield
The following jury we're empannelIed and testimony
taken:-
Nicholas zimmerman. I-Rchard Rogers.
2-Sephen Johnson s-John Murray.
3-Zacheus Naples. e-William ii. Kennedy
4-Wlliett Baden. l0-Abraham zimmerman
6--James Gien. u-Alfred Horton.
6-John b niton.
Education and Chairman of the Building Committee have
been nine in the Board. The building erected
in the fall of 1858. and occupied the 1st OF September
1864; the school building such, considered most
admirably constructed: the egress three
one main entrance for visiters, the of Navy
street and Concord at the end OF the building Con
and Navy street. the floors divided
into nine rooms each floor divided from the other by
folding doors. Explains by of diagram the
don and plan OF the building The fire occurred the end
Of the build ing nearest Hudson avenue and the wind
blowing towards the park the accident occurred at the
end Of the building towards Nassau street. the sarways
guarded by walls instead of bslustrades the
occupied the whole Of the space, leaving well hole
they were the largest and widest stairs IN any pubic
school in the city the plans of the bundng made
by Mesers. King Kelinm; the furnaces were on the
ground floor; the hot air ues up in the partitions
outside of the projections TO the folding doors samuel
Sale built the tin work be required TO have the
wood work lined with tin and perfectly protected
against fire; the wood was lined with tin
contact with the hot hr pipes last year found
that The old furnaces giving out and the Board d
rected that the place should be painted; sent for Mr.
Mahan and directed him TO cut out the wood surround
ing the registers and put in soap stone filling up the
ntertses with plaster Of paris directed hmto perfect
done said he satisfied all secure Mahan put
the warranted them give the coldest
weather 10 deg fahrenheit he was not to get his pay
until March next The stairways four feet six
inches wide the rule TO apportion the children Of the
primary department TO The first floor, and the older
scholars the upper story the children Of the grammar
department all dismissed by the Concord
and the accident occurred by the larger boys OF the pr
mary department cr8wding upon the smaller boys in the
same department. | am OF opinion that the registers
should not be shut when the tire too great that the
windows should he opened instead the registers being
xtns.x
caused the IRE; n they shut, not prudent
the part OF those closing them the principal of the
school bad the entire charge Of clearing the and
making the ire the new furnaces worked the best in
comparison TO the old furnaces last Thursday the prnc
pal stated that there were two rooms which not su
ncionty heated the others comfortably heated
warmed; ! of the opinion that II all the doors had
been kept closed would have been hurt made
evident by the tact that all the girls got out unhur but
the hoys being under such subecon broke beyond
control and thus injured bave dismissed the school
in three mnutes the number 10 tho school was
about 500 the primary class OF boys number about two
hundred; the primary class Of girls about the
number; Mrs. VOORHEES, the principal in the primary
department assisted by eight young ladies' the visiers
at the Of Concord and Navy has
stairways six feet wide this guard against
accdents as IN case rush was made from both ends OF
the building the rush could be accommodated heater
in the centre of the wing Concord street. another
the centre Navy street and the other
tho fuel room in the corner apartment the hues from
theseheaters passed through the partitions except the
room where the IRE occurred and In that room the nue
came up through the floor and guarded by soap
stone.
Gamalel King sworn-Am architect and planned
the building In question have heard the testimony 0f
Mr. Harris In regard to the arrangement Of the 1uos
and corroborste hs statement personally superintendent
the putting In the hot airppes into the budng Mr. Sale
requested 10 make everything secure in every
spect; far know all that necessary be done
there might have been breach Of the
and not have known j.. should not think was probable
the wood work about inches from the pipes
near ~ could Judge, judged them 10 be safe; h TIE
registers werafa closed 10 heat the TIN 10 melting
the melting Tin would down the wood and thus
FIRE TO H. from my personal experience and knowledge OF
the work, satisfied that the work done in the
best and most proper manner.
Mr. Harris reoalled-About week since the principal
stated 10 that the smoke became hot OF the
the Navy street side that he fearful that II
so hot as 10 set IRE TO the wood work examina
ton II was found that wood work there and
thing but stone wall; found that the of the
pipe getting hot account Of the damper being
closed; Mr.. hahan came aud examined the ue
fully, and pronounced that 10 be the cause.
Jane fanner, ssstant teacher Public school No Ia
Was in the school house but not IN the when the
hre broke out had been the ground floor and
the stairway leading the principally room as was 20
ing up the stairway saw the principal Miss VOORHEES, at
the head OF the stairway first floor above The play ground
she telling some scholars pass down the stairs the
FIRE had then been dscovered could say what she
said; directly after the scholars rushing down they
passing down the main staircase AZ the heard
directions given 20 close the doors OF the class
the crowd and accident occurred Navy street. the
boy s entrance the principal par of the girls passed
Concord street side don't think any Of the girls
down the Navy street eide was the first landing of
the trst stairway there was no Jam where WAS as-
sisted them going down and prevented the rush from
being great when they were al went up and
saw that no children were in the grammar department.