The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-02
CoFFINs FOR A FOUNDATION.
Peculiar Settling of Is school House Is Now
Explained.

Philadelphia, Pa, August latter
resting for twenty-one years upon a
foundation laid upon human skeletons
the Wilmot public school, in Frank
tumbling down. A score or more Of
paupers' bodies had been buried there
many years ago, but everybody had
forgotten the fact until yesterdays
CHASTITY find recalled it to memory.
Ten of the ancient pauperS' Skele-
tons were unearthed under the north
west corner of the building by workmen
who were tearing away the foundation.
II is not at all unlikely that, as a con-
sequence Of their discovery the whole
structure will have to be rebuilt in or
der to make II safe. The first of the
workmen TO be shocked yesterday was
Samuel Fl. Schaffer, who found a skull
and the bones of three persons under
the corner. He quit work in jiffy
and notified Contractor Cunningham.
These bones and the skull were gath
cred together and placed in box.
About this time Building Inspector
Allen came to view the progress Of the
work, and seeing that the walls were
cracked still further that had previ-
ously been reported he directed that
more of them be torn away.
When Inspector Allen took a crow
bar from one of the workmen and
struck into the cracked wall the por-
ton which fell disclosed the bones of
two other persons, and later on five
crumbling collins were exposed, each
containing a skeleton.
Inspector Allen directed that further
work on the building should cease I'M
til he could report the case to the board
of health and to his chief, Mr.. Had
dock.
Wilmot school is four division
school two stories high, built Of blue
stone and. is separately used for coll
ored children. 1t has male principal
and female assistant teacher, both of
whom are also cOlored.
The school was built in 1874 by the
late Patrick Wheelin. a contractor of
Frankford. on that portion of the old
Potter's field located on the south side
of Meadow street. between Cherry and
Mulberry streets. This field, covering
in all about two acres of ground, had
been a buryinG ground since the early
days Of the present century. and was
we'll filled up with the poor and I'M
known dead.
Some three years ago the school
building began to settle and crack at
the northwest corner. until IL had sunk
about a foot. This year the sectional
board got an appropria ton 10 have
the whole corner torn down and re-
built and il was during the progress
found The whole foundation Of the
school appears 10 rest on this under
pinning Of skeletons. and the ground
around is honeycombed with graves.
When Meadow street was cut
through the hurying ground. many
years ago. il passed over graves fat
tened by time; but when some seven
years ago , sewer Was put in the
street. there were a number OF bodies
taken M and reburiei
The discovery OF the skeletons yes
terdsy created a sensation among the
SuperStitious colOre1 people whose
homes are all around there. The son OF
the janitreSs. Mrs Andrews. who as
SiStS her in taking care Of the fires in
winter time. turned almost white with
fear when he looked down into the
deep excavation into the cellar az the
corner and saw the ends Of five collins
protruding from the earth. He found
his voice. however. and exclaimed:
Here Use been gWine down that eel
tar AT night in de dark 10 put coal on
de FIRE; but You bet n not gwine down
dar any mo.