Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-11
FIRE AND PANIC IN A SCHOOL
HOUSE
Narrow Escape From q Terrible Dis.

O'Clock this morning from box 80 at the
police station corner 10th and X streets north
building. on 21st, between X and L streets,
where there are fourteen schools kept, with
at least $50 pupils In daily attendance.
The fire department responded promptly,
and in a few minutes had the names (which
were confined to the wood work surrounding
the register on the second floor,l entirely ex-
tiDguished, with probable loss OF $500 to the
building.
There were about $50 children in the build
ing at the time, and considering the great
excitement 1t almost miracle that no more
cry Of "Fire' was raised
SCENE OF THE GREATEST TERROR AND
CONFUSION
ersued. The children came screaming out of
the rooms into the Railways, and rushing
down the stairways, broke the balusteTs
by the pressure, and 10 is wonder that none
Of them were killed. As IL is, several were
injured, but none seriously, it is thought, ex-
Cept Anna Davis, - years of age, residing
with her parents on 2lst street, between X
end l. streets. She was Knocked down by
the stair railing giving way from the pres
sure of children coming down from the
stories above and was trampled on. She
was removed as soon as the stampede was
over TO her home, and DR.. George ). King
called in, who stated that there are no bOne,
broken, although she is badly bruised aud
suffering from great nervous excitement.
Another little girl, named Anna Queea. VIII
had been subject to spaSms, was frightened
into fit, and was carried home. The great
est CONSERVATION was CccaSiODei among u G
children within, and parents and friends
without, who were
RUSHING IN TO SAVE THEiR CHILDREN.
The teachers and children were screaming
and two small boys, IL is reported, jumped
from the third story window to the ground.
One of them. little fellow, was caught By
some man unknown in the crowd.
The Union, No. I, was the first engine TO
arrive and get into service, and the George
town engine was the next, but after using
the hose few minutes they were thrown
aside. and buckets used to dash water
through hole several yards square in the
floor, which had been cut, disclosing the fire
TO full view. It's entire extinguishment was
but the work OF q few minutes after the axe
man had opened the flOor.
THE CAUSE or THE FIRE.
IL appears that, from faulty construction
OF the building, there was woodwork abut-
ting on the heat fiueS, and this had become
charred, and as liable to take fire as so much
finder. The cold weather making large fires
in the furnaces necessary this morning, the
charTed woodwork near the register on the
second floor, in the northwest corner OF the
building, took fire, as might have been ex-
pected. The result might have been the de-
structiOn of the building and sad loss of life.
AS IL is there was considerable space of the
floor burned, and a warning is given which
may avert great disaster at this building
or perhaps others in this District equally as
faulty in construction.
Miss NJ. L. Bowie, teacher OF 4ih primary
school in this room, states that the first she
saw OF the fire was the flames SHOOTING up
in the corner about as high as the seats, and
that very little smoke was perceptible at
the children ran out screaming fire before
she could exercise any control over them.
This caused the panic through all the schools
and the pressure from the rush on the hand
rail in the hallway on the third story caused
the rails and balusterS to be carried away.
This is where the little Davis girl got thrown
down and trampled on. Many others were
slightly bruised, but none seriously.
The janitor. James z. Matthews, had gone
TO brea kfast at the time, leaving his duties
IN the charge OF his assistant, Isaiah Dixon,
but hearing the alarm he returned with al
speed and rendered such assist lance as he
could in restoring quiet.
Victor MimDs is the name of the little bow
about seven years old who
JUMPED FROM THE FOURTH-STORY WIN
DOW.
and was caught by some man in the crowd.
The building was built in 1903, is four stories
high. having three stairways or entrances,
besides the doors In the basement. The en-
trance or 2ist street has a double stairway
on the outside. The entrances on the south
and north sides lead from the second story 70
the yard, and are double doors and stairways
about ten feet wide.
The superintendent and trustees were earl =
on the ground after learning of the disaster.
The wonder is that there were no lives lost
as the excitement was very great. The girl
who was injured lives on 21st street, nearly
opposite the school, and at O'Clock was
resting quite easily. The schools all resumed
their exercises after the abatement OF the
panic. To the credit of the teachers. IL mus
he said that most OF them acted with COM
mendable GOODNESS and prudence, and did
their best to calm the excited children, but
many of the little ones were too greatly ex-
cited TO yield their usual obedience.
The policemen in the neighbOrhON1 were
soon at the building and immediatly
turned in the alarm TAT Is minutes before 1C
O'clOck), after which they did all they could
TO save the children from injury.
Sad Ease M atfep,ntaa S~s.,1o
A SENSITIVE YOUNG MAN QUARRELs WITH
HIS MOTHER, AND SHOOTS HIMSELF
THROUGH THE BREAST.
William Nolan, youth Il years of age,
son of Kate George, keeper OF house of bad
repute on 18th, between and ID streets
northwest, attempted suicide at 1880 O'Clock
last night, by shooting himself in the breast
The report of the pistol was heard, and the
young man was found lying on the sidewal K
in front of house on 18th street, with sin
e-barrel pistol in his hand, which had been
discharged. The ball had taken effect in the
region OF the heart, but on examination life
was found to be in him, and he was carried
TO the ffth precinct station house. on 10th
street by Officers Shilling and Black. II IS
represented that he is of very sensitive
nature, and recently he had
HIGH WORDS WITH HIS MOTHER,
who threatened TO send him to the reform
school in Baltimore. Last night he came
home and was refused admittance by his
mother several times, and finally he arranged
with a girl who occupies front room IN
bed. The girl states that she saw him on the
pavement shortly before the pistol was fired,
pacing up and down the sidewalk, whistling,
and after the shot heard him exclaim, "Oh,
help" DIR. Hartigan was summoned at the
station house, and the boy admitted shoot
ing himself, and when questioned as to the
reason said he did it for fun. DIR. III. aScer-
tanned that the ball had entered Just below
the left nipple, and had passed through the
lung near the heart, and he was unable 10
extract il by probing. The condition of the
young man is quite critical.
The suffering young man was removed
from the station house, this morning, to the
house of his mother, on 18th street, and his
condition is unchanged this afternoon, save
that he complains Of pain in his back. DR..
Hartigau will make another effort to extract
the ball to- morrow.
Musieai and Dramatic.
NATIONAL THEATER.-The interest which
the popular drama, "The Two Orphans, -
has created seems to continue. So well is
the piece presented and so artisticalIy are
the Characters sustained, that the applause