Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1860-06-02

! utnN vi VIC tupOoI Wv
the l4lh disuic! sch0Ol-hOuse, and The
frenzled children, is given by the same
paper:
The teachers saw the storm gathering
and closed The windows. The tornado
iswep, madly up from the valley and
struck the west gable of the devoted
house, which quivered like leaf. Al this
instant no appreherslons were entertained.
But the tempest. as If maddened by oppo-
$ ton, came back with fearful rebound,
and the bricks began to rattle, the SHIN
lies flew like Lalistones land III an instant
the whole roof was lifted and swept from
the walls, and dashed to the opposite side
OF the street Miss Rachel Medkirk. who
taught the infant class in the west room of
the upper-story, meantime cOmprehended
the danger, and with same presence OF
imnd and heroic courage, fled TO the
school-room door, closed it, and placed
her back against it to keep the frightened
children from plunging in headlong con(u-
sion down stairs. But while the brave
girl sprang TO her duty she was struck up
on the head and face by falling bricks, but
she stood at her post while the blood
streamed from her wounds, until the roof
had taken It's flight and her room was a
terrible scene Of confusion and devasla,
uon.
1t being impossible to calm the frenzied
children, Miss MedkirEi now fled down
stairs. presenting herself pi,eous specta-
Gle to Nj. Sands, the principal, who ill
now was ignorant Of the detrucIion above,
and demanding his assistance, sped back
to her charge Mr.. Sands was keeping
the children in order down stairs, but has
tened up; and upon presenting himself in
the room, the little ones clasped him by
the legs and body, and clung to him with
the energy Of despal.iug terror, strieking
to save them. Such a scene could not be
portrayed bv human language. cloud
of thick dust was whirllng in the room;
the tornado hOwled dismally overhead,
bricks and the debris Of the devastated
building were flying about like tents balls,
and the poor children kept up an agonl-
iZing chorus Of Shrlcks, 50 that 1t was I'M
possible to discover the extent OF their
misery. BY persuasion and earnest exer-
lion of authority. Mr.. Sands and Miss
Medkirk restored their charge to some de-
gree Of cOmposUIe, when he repaired 10
The adjoining rooms to render like asSs-
lance. Here were also scenes of wild
disorder and dismay, but the teachers
Miss Josephine Medkrk, Miss Jackson
and Mr. Goss discharged their trust faith
fully, and were soon enabled 10 restore a
degree oi confidence TO the terror-strichen
pupils.
Before the storm had settled, the facts,
magniied thousand fold, reached the
ears Of hundreds OF parents, who sped
frantcally to the schooI-house, expecting
to find their offspring buried in a heap of
ruins. The wild frenzy of mothers was
described to US by Mr. Sands as something
fearful, Some would snatch up anybody's S
children, scan their features as if they
would devour The llile ones, drop them
If they did not recognize their own, and
rush through the mass Of yearning hearts,
crying, "My child, my child" or calling
it (ondly by name. Throngs of them
thrust themselves up the schOol-hOuse
slaiIs, and would not hear remOnstrances
or assurances. One poor woman, MIS-.
Brown, dashed through the crowd shout
ing crszily for her "Mlkey." Mr.. Sands
assured her he was safe. lllle urchin
hard by nterpose1. mo he amt, he's
killed; saw him dead" The poor wo-
man gasped and seemed turned TO stone.
When she found her boy alive, but woun-
ded, she almos, swooned away. Other
and similar incidents were narrated by eve
Witnesses, but the reader can easily imag-
me the terrible agony Of a parents heart
heart in such trial.
Mary Seliert, aged nine years, was
found lying under the wreck OF Miss Med
kinks table. Her body had been protect
ed by the table under which she had crawl
ed for safety, but the cdp-s,one of the
building fell upon her legs and broke
them both Off below her knees and mang-
| led her limbs sadly. She was carried
home suffering much agony. Five others
were more or less injured. The reader
will agree with US that il is wonderful that
scores of children were not killed. There
were 700 children in The building and 5
teachers.
On Fifth street. opposite Wood, new
building fell with a terrible crash, by
which Frederick Brinckeneyer and Hen
ry Hiskler, the former a young unmarried
man, aged about 20 years, The latter about
80 years old, were Instantly killed.
Another victim was Thomas Cole, who
was killed in his brick-yaTd by the falling
OF shed.