The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-24
TEN GIRLS
 SUFFOCATED School Children Meet
 HOrrid Death. SUFF0CATED IN FILTH Floor of Their Play Room
 Gave Way at Recess. Were Plunged Into Vault of Water and Refuse Where Desperate Fight for Life Ensued-Investiga- ton Ordered.

Cincinnati, Sept. 2s.-Schools closed today at Pleasant Ridge. seven miles north of Cincinnati with the first quarter of the session, when nine, pos sibiy ten school girls were suffocated in a vault during the forenoon recess and over a score of others narrowly escaped the same horrible death.
 During the rest of the day this suburb was wild with mingled excite nent, sorrow and indignation. and to- night those openly charging the calamity to oficial negligence are mak- ing serious threats, among them being many women.
 The large building Is used for high school as we'll as for all lower depart ments. All of the victims were from primary grades On opposite sides Of the grounds in the rear of the school building are two outhouses. When recess was given about thirty of the smaller girls were in the outhouse as- signed to them. when suddenly the floor gave way, precipftating them into a vault of filth. This vault Is twelve feet deep and walled up with stone like a well. There was four feet of water or filth that would have been over the heads of the girls falling in it singly, but those falling foremost filled up the vault partially. so that others were not entirely submerged.
 The girls fell eight feet from the floor before striking the filth and the struggles of those who were on top kept at least nine underneath until they were dead. The frame sheds over these vaults were about twenty feet square, without windows. and only one | narrow doorway. so that only one little | girl escaped from the door.
 n. fx.&A Al q 1 told the teachers what had happened. The teachers were soon reinforced by the entire population of the town. the police and fire department rendering most effective service. Those able to climb out on the ladders themselves i were rescued by Principal Zimmerman, | who finally tainted.
 Then others went into the vault and kept bringing dead bodies from the filth until the vault was cleared. The fremen drained the vault so as to be sure that the rescue was complete. | Those engaged in the rescue work re- cite the most ghastIy experience, | sight Was Revoltink. | Even those rescued alive presented such an appearance as to make many l in the crowd of spectators faint but 1 the sight within the vault beggaTed all description. The children who were on top of the writhing mass were rescued first. While they were getting out of the vault they crowded relentlessly down on others. who were meeting with a most agonizing death in the filth. II was noticed that the older ones were on top and rescued. The importunities ot friends. especially of the weeping mothers, were almost beyond the con. 1 trol of the officers.
 Doctors, with their assistants, used the school building for a hospital and morgue until after the dead and res cued were taken to their homes.
 Reports about the floor having given away last year are denied by the school trustees, Rev. Fred Holman. George w. South. F. E. Acomb. Louis Brewer James Lilley and Charles W. Acomb. They state that the floors were re- paired during the summer vacation and nothing was wrong. Janitor Smith states that he had told members of the board that the place was not safe Coronel Weaver had the wreck ed girders preserved. It is claimed that as soon as they were 'dried out they were found to be rotten. and 1t is reported that one of them was splced The girders will be brought to Cincin- natl tomorrow for examination at the Inquest Coroner Weaver examined many witnesses fin Pleasant Ridge to- day and will continue the inquest until he is satisfied as to the cause of the disaster.
 The dead--Loretta Fjnke, aged 12 daughter of Henry Finke of the Schroth Packing Company. Cincinnati; Emma Steinkamp. aged 13, daughter of John Steinkamp; Amelia Hesse. aged 8 daughter of H. D. Hesse. dairyman Martha Buhr. aged 3. daughter of Mrs Ella Buhr: Edna Thee. aged 10; Lillian wilhelm, aged IS. daughter of w. A. Wilhelm, farmer; Hazel Glover. aged parents dead. lived with grandmother Mrs. Wolf; Fausta Card, aged II, and Charmian. aged 9. both daughters of William Card of the firm of Mccullough
 & Sons. Cincinnati; Stella sorliss. aged 10. who was among those rescued, is re ported tonight to be in a dying condi- 1 fiOn.