The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-21
Five Hundred Children Engaged in Fran
tic Struggle to Escape from Burn
ing Sch .Ol-House.
Fifteen of the Little Ones Killed in
the Fight for Egress.
The Building Denounced Death Trap
Deplorable State of Affairs Caused
by the BraidwoOd Disaster.
A DEADLY CRUSH.

"A DGADLt CESOSh
Trivial Fire in a School House Causes a
Serious Loss of Life
New YORK, Feb. 20.-An outbreak of fire
under the stairs on the second floor of the
school-house attached to the German Roman
Catholic Church of the Most Holy Redeemer,
on Fourth street, between Avenue A and
First avenue, at 3;15 o'clock this afternoon,
was the cause of terrible calamity.
No less than fourteen children lost their
lives. Over 700 scholars, mostly children Of
the poorer classes, varying from six to eleven
in their class rooms when an alarm of fire
was raised, and fearful-panic soon followed
The removal of the children from the fourth
floor began quietly enough, and was pro-
crossing rapidly, when Sister of Notrc Dame
in charge of a class of girls tainted. This
Immediately alarmed the class, and it
became panic-strickcn, when a rush
was made for the hallway. On the stairs
which were already crowded, deadly crush
took place. The railing of the stairs broke
and mass of struggling children was pre-
cipitated to the floor below, falling in a
packed mass, one upon another, from four
to five deep. The police and firemen, who
had already been summoned, arrived, but
their work of rescuing was much hampered
by the frightened children, who continued
to fall or drop from the stairway, Those in
front were crowded over the balistrade by
the children behind still struggling to reach
the exits
Six children were taken out dead and eight
more died Immediately after rescue, making
total of fourteen.
Large numbers of others who were carried
to neighboring houses were reporting dying
The excitement when the news of the ca
tastrophe spread was fearful and great
throngs of people blocked the streets sur
rounding the school. Many children were
lost in the excitement and reported missing
The following is list of the dead, so far as
the police returns now show
Minnie Ulster, 8 years; Mary Habernecht, 7;
Mary Ann Happ, 8; Minnie Fruhe, IL; Jo-
sephine Marx, 7; Mary Brecht g. Lena
Becker, 8; Lizzie Mapetycki, 6; Theresa Katz-
ner, IL; Barbara Pregenzer, 8; Louisa Flor
ence, e,9-she was taken out alive and died in ST.
Francis's Hospital; girl, apparently years
old, unidentified; girl about9, unidentified.
STATEMENTS OF TEACHERS.
Sister Apromia, who had charge OF the
fifth class fgirls, said: 81 was in charge of
my class when the fire first broke out in the
hallway adjoining my room. l heard a COM
motion outside, and there was great confu-
sion and hubbub of voices AT once I turned
toward the room, and then, for the first time
discovered smoke coming through the wains-
coating. 1 Immediately went to the
door, and, as l opened it to learn
the cause of the excitement, the flames
rushed at me. 1 at once closed the door,
and was about to warn the children to keep
calm when some men came bursting into
the room. In moment the children ran
out at the bidding of the men, and l fol-
lowed seeing all we're escaping Many of
them, however, went to the stairs at the
west side of the building, and were injured
by falling over the stairs where the boys had
broken down the balusters before them.
There were about one hundred girls in my
class"
The sister in charge of the first division of
the girls department, on the fourth floor,
said: 81 was not aware of what was going on
until looked ont and saw the boys on my
floor running over to the west side stairs and
going wildly down. l heard the balusters
give way, and then was about to turn to
look to my charges when they all arose, and,
as if seized with one fright, dashed past me
recklessly and ran down the stairs and hall
ways. l saw none of my girls injured, and
that hoped they had all escaped in safety"
The sister appeared calm and composed,
and seemed to have retained her self-posses-
sion during the trying moments OF her ter
rible experience.