Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-09-27
NINE MEET DEATH
IN A FOUL VAULT
TERRIBLE DISASTER AT SCHOOL
In OHIO VILLAGE.
FLOOR OF CLUBHOUSE FALLS

About Thirty Children Dashed Into
Deep and Filthy Vault-Heroic
Rescurers Save ALI But Nine,
Who We're sufocated.
Cincinnati, Sept. 24.-Sohod closed
Friday at Pleasant Ridge, seven miles
north Of Cincinnati, with the first
quarter Of the session, when nine, pos
sibly ten, schoolgirls were suffocated
In vault during the forenoon recess
and . score Of others narrowly escaped
the same horrible death. During the
rest Of the day this suburb was wild
mingled excitement, sorrow and fudig-
nation, and those opening charging
the calamity to official negligence are
making serious threats, among them
being many women. The large build-
ing is used for high school as we'll
as for all lower departments. All Of
the victims were from the primary
grades.
Floor Collapses.
On opposites sides Of the spacious
ground in the rear of the school build
ing are two outhouses. When recess
was given about 80 Of the smaller girls
were in the clubhouse assigned to them,
when suddenly the floor gave way,
precipitating them into vault of filth.
This vault Is IL feet deep and walled
up with stone like well. There was
four feet Of water or filth. that would
have been over the heads Of the firls
falling in 1t singly, but those falling
foremost filed up the vault partially
80 that others were not entirely SUBJ
merged.
Gave the Alarm.
The girls fell eight feet from the
flooring before striking the filth and
the struggles Of those who were on
top kept at least nine underneath un-
til they were dead. The frame shed
over these vaults were about 20 fest
square, without windows and with only
ono narrow doorway, SO that only one
little girl escaped from the door. ShA
ran into the school building and told
the teachers what had happened. Prin-
cipal T. L. Simmerman and the seven
other teachers rushed to the rescue
The ladies gave the alarm about the
vicinity, while Principal Simmerman
secured . ladder, on which the drench-
ing girls climbed out. most of them
fainting as soon as they reached the
surface. The screams Of the girls were
dimly heard while within the vault and
most of them were unable to speak
,, when rescued. The teachers were soon
reinforced by the entire population Of
the town. the police and fire depart.
ments rendering most effective service.
Those able to climb out on the ladders
themselves were rescued by Principal
Simmerman, who finally tainted. Then
others went into the vault and kept
bringing out dead bodies until the
vault was cleared. The fremen drained
the vault, 30 as to be sure that The
rescue was complete.
4 Terrible Sight.
Those engaged in the rascue wort
recite the most ghastly experienced
Even those rescued alive presented
such an appearance as to make mani
in the crowd Of spectators faint, bu,
the sight within the vault beggared at
description. The children who were
on top Of the writhing heap were res
cued first. While they were getting. GU,
Of the vault their feet crowded relent.
lessly down on others who were meet.
ing with a most agonizing death. Il
was noticed that the older ones wesl
i on top and rescued.
James Smith, aged II. one Of thu
pupils, climbed to the roof Of thu
school house, united the flag and rar
to the vault. BY means Of this I'M.
promptu rope several were rescued
Marshal Wood had great difficulty In
keeping the crowd back and from In.
terfering with the rescuers. The Ina.
portunities Of friends, especially Of the
weeping mothers, were almost beyond
the control OF the officers. Drs. u, g.
Senour and P. ]. Shank, with their as.
sistants, used the school building for
4 a hospital and morgue, until after the
dead and the rescued were taken Ia
| their homes
! Sisters Perish,
Mamie McGoogin was found hanging
/, to one Of the Orders and was rescued.
William ]. Card. Of McC ullough & Sons.
in Cincinnati, had three daughters IN
the place, CHAIRMAN and Fausta lost
their lives. Rotha, the twin sister Of
! Fausta. narrowly escaped death. When
/, the crowd Of girls rushed into the place
Rotha was knocked out Of the door into
the yard, just before the collapse oc-
J CURED.
The Victims.
The dead are:
Loretta Finks, aged IL, daughter Of
Henry Finke, Of the schroth Packing
company, Cincinnati.
Emma steinkamp, aged 13, daughter
| Of John Steinkamp.
Amelia Hesse, aged nine, daughter of
Herman D. Hesse, dairyman.
Martha Buhr, aged eight, father dead,
mother, Ella Buhr.
Edna Thee. aged 10, daughter of John
| Thee, blacksmith.
| Lillian Witham, aged IS, daughter Of
". A. Witham, farmer.
Hazel Glover, aged eight, parents
dead; lives with grandmother, Mrs.
Wolf.
Fausta Gard, aged II, and Chairman
Card, aged nine, both daughters of Will
| liam Card, Of the firm Of Mccullough G.