The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1904-09-30
FLOOR OF CLUBHOUSE SUDDENLY
coLLAPsEs WITH THIRTY
CHILDREN.
COMMUNIJY's ANGER VERY GREAT
OFFICIAL NEGLIGENCE CHARGED
AND SERIOUS THREATS
ARE MADE.

ClnClnnatl, Sept. Z0.-Nln0, anu pOS-
sibly ten, little school girls at Pleas
ant Ridge, seven miles north of Gin.
cinnati, were sutfocated in vault
during the forenoon recess yesterday
and over score of others narrowly
escaped similar horrible death.
During the rest Of the day this sub
urb was wild with excitement, sorrow
and Indignation, and those openly
charging the calamity 10 official neglt-
gence are making serious threats,
among them many women.
The large building is used for high
school as well as for all lower depart
ments. All of the victims were from
the primary grades. On opposite sides
Of the spacious ground in the rear Of
the school building are two outhouses.
When recess was given out about thir-
ty of the smaller girls were in the out
house assigned to them when suddenly
The Floor Gave Way,
precipitating them into vault of
filth. This vault is twelve feet deep
and walled up with stone like a well.
There was four feet of water that
would have been over the heads of
the girls falling in it singly, but those
falling first filed up the vault partial
ly, so that the others were not entire
ly submerged. The girls fell eight
feet from the flooring before striking
the water, and the struggles OF those
who were on top kept at least nine I'M
derneath until they were dead. The
frame sheds over the vault were about
twenty feet square without windows
and only one narrow doorway, so that
only one little girl escaped from the
door. She ran into the school room
and told the teachers what had hap
pened. Principal 7. L. Simmerman
and the other teachers
Rushed to the Rescue.
The women gave the alarm about the
vicinity while Principal Simmerman
secured a ladder on which the
drenched 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 they were most of them TN
able to speak when rescued. The
rescuing party was soon reinforced
by the entire population of the town,
the police and fire department render
ing most efficient service. Those able
to climb out on the ladder themselves
were rescued by Principal Simmer
man, who finally tainted. Then 9TH
ers went into the vault and kept bring
ing out the dead bodies until the vault
was cleared. Those engaged in the
rescue work recite the most CHASTITY
experiences. Even those rescued alive
presented such an appearance as to
make many spectators faint, but the
sight within the vault
Beggared All Description.
The children who were on top of the
writhing heap were rescued first.
While they were getting out of the
vault their feet crowded relentlessly
down on the others who were meeting
with most agonizing death. 1t was no.
ticed that the older ones were on top
and rescued.
Janitor Smith states that he had
told members of the board that the
place was not safe. While the village
is full of rumors Coroner Weaver had
the wrecked Orders preserved. 1t is
claimed that as soon as they were
dried out that the timbers were found
to. be rotten, and it is reported that
one of them was spliced. The grid
ers will be brought to Cincinnati for
examination at the inOuest COroner
Weaver examined many witnesses in
Pleasant Ridge and will continue the
inquest until he is satisfied as to the
cause of the disaster.