The Beaumont enterprise. [volume] (Beaumont, Tex.) 1904-current, 1904-09-24
FLOOR or VAULT OF SCHOOL
HousT NEAR CINCINNATI
GAVE WAY.
GIRLS WERE ALL UNDER IS YEARS
About Thirty Girls Were Preeipitated
Into the Vault Which was Twelve
Feet Deep and Afforded no
Opportunity for Escape.

''haN u' iiNhNdhN hluS'. StNtH HllltS
north of Cincinnati. with the first
quarter Of the session. when nine,
possibly ten school girls were sut.
located in vault during the fore
noon recess and over score of
Ithcrs narrowly escaped the same
horrible death. During the rest of
the day the suburb was wild with
mingled excitement. sorrow and in
lignation, and tonight those who
openly charge the calamity to Official
negligence are making threats,
among them being many women.
How II Happened.
The large building is used for n
high school as well as for all lower
departments. All OF the victims
were from primary grades. On oppo-
site sides of the spacious grounds in
the rear of the school. are outhouses.
When recess was given about 30 Of
he smaller girls were on the side as.
,'gred them, when suddenly the floor
gave way, precipitating them into 4
vault of filth This vault Is - feet
leep and walled up with stone like
| well. There are four feet Of wa
ter or filth that would have been
)ver the heads of the girls falling in
t singly. but those falling foremost
illed up the. vault partially 20 that
others were not entirely submerged.
The girls fell eight feet from the floor-
rg before striking the filth and
truggles Of those that were on top
';ept at least nine underneath until
hey were dead. In the frame sheds.
,ver these vaults were square win
'Uws and only one doOrwav so that
Nnlv Gne little girl escaped from the
Ioor. She ran into the Schc
ing and told the teachers what hal
happened. The teachers were soon
'ninfOrced bv the ontire porulat'on
# the town, the police and fire de-
,artments rendering most effective
'ervice Those able TO climb out on
he ladders themselves We're res
ued by Principal Zimmerman, who
'uallv tainted. Then others wen;
nto the vault and kent bringing
lead bodies from the filth until the
'ault was cleared. The firomon
drained the vault 50 rs to be sure
he rescue was complete.
Many Spectators Faint.
Those engaged in the rescue work
ecite the most CHASTITY experiences.
Even those rescued alive presenter
uch an appearance as to- make many
n the crowd of spectators faint, bur
the sight within the vault beggarel
sll description. The children VINO
we're on top Of the writhing heap
we're rescued first While the" were
letting out of the vault. their feet
,rowded relentlessly down on others
who were meeting with most agoh-
zing death in the filth. II was no
iced that the older ones were on tho
op and rescued. The opportunities
# friends, especially of the weeping
mothers, were almost beyond the con
rOl of the officer. Doctors ". G.
Ienor and p. J. Shank with their as
'istants. used the school building Tor
I hospital and a mOrgue until after
he dead and the rescued were taken
o their home. In adition to the IA.
'eral. that are announced co. Sun
law. there will be memorial service
N the three churches % the village.
Tinbers Were Rotten.
Reports about the floor having C:v-
n way last year are denied 10y ia"
.rhool trustees. Rev. Fred. Norman,
;eo. w. South. =. T. Acomb, Louis
Brewer. Charles Lillev and Charlie
Vacomb. They state that the floor
we're rcpaircd during the summer va
alton and nothing was wrong Jan
tor Smith states that he had told
members of the board that the pla's
vas not safe Coroner Weavc- ha J
he wrecked girdefs preserved. u b.
laimed that a. soon thev were
Tried that the timbers were found 20
% rotten and 81 Is said that one oi
hem was zpliccd TIE girdcrs viii
20 brought 10 Cincinnati tomorrow
or examination al 'hp inquest. Cor
,Der Weaver examined manv wit
1esgcg in Plea-ant Ridge today and
s-iU continue the inquest uriH b. -
afished a. 20 the cauae ~ the dis
1sfcr.
List of Dead.
Tho dead are
LORETTA FINKE. AGED y. daugh-
s-- - Henry FinFr - the Srh-OfH
uacFiu~ rrrnuanv Cimriumafi
EMMA STEINKAP. o.. daughter r.
Irhu SfrinFaD.
AMELIA HEegE. q dauehfnr ~
herman Wr.Hr fairrnan.
fC0ntinued % pare Three