New-York tribune., 1904-09-24
GIRLS MEET AWFUL DEATH
SUFFOCATED IN VAULT.
Nine Children Perish at School Near
Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Sept. 23.-Nine little girls were
suFocated in q vault and score OF others
narrowly escaped the same horrible death, at
the school az Pleasant Ridge. seven miles north
Of this city. to-day. The disaster occurred az
The forenoon recess and throughout the re-
rnainder OF the day the village wild with
excitement sorrow and indignation. Tonight
those who openly charge the calamity TO ofilciai
negligence are making serious threats. among
them being many women. A list OF the deso
follows:
BUHR. Martha ssea eight: father dead: mother Ella
cED gss and and e sFsa sm ssTP a41 a3a nln'
81 the schrOth Packing Company. Cincinnati
GLOVER Hasel. aged eight: parents dead
EzEssE. Amelia. aged nine; daughter OF Herman ~
sTEINKAsP. Emma aged thirteen: daughter Of John
THEE. EDNA aged ten; daughter Of John Thee
wITHAM. Lillian. aged thirteen daughter OF W. A
Wlthsn.
FLOOR COLLAPSED UNDER THEM.
The large building is used for a high school as
well as for all lower departments. All Of the VIC
tins were from primary grades On opposite
sides Of the grounds in the rear Of the school
building are two Outhouses. At recess about
thirty Of the smaller girls were in the clubhouse
assigned 20 them. when suddenly the floor gave
way. precipitating them into the vault below
This vault is twelve feet deep and walled up
with stone like well. II contained four feet OF
water. which would have been over the heads OF
the children had they fallen into il singly but
those who fell FIRST partially filled up the vault
so that the others were not entirely submerged
The girls fen eight feet from the floor, and the
struggles og those on top kept at least nine
g1der water until they were dead. The frame
sheds OF these vaults we're about twenty feet
square. without windows and only one narrow
doorway, so that only one girl escaped from the
door. she ran into the school building and told
the teachers what had happened. The principal
and other teachers rushed to the rescue. The
screams 90 the girls in the vault were family
heard, and most Of them were unable 70 speak
when rescued. The teachers were soon rein
forced by the entire population OF the village.
the police and fire departments rendering ef-
fective service The firernen drained the vault,
90 be sure that the rescue was complete.
Those engaged in the rescue work tell Of
ghastly experiences. Even those rescued alive
presented such an appearance as 10 make many
CT the spectators faint. but the sight within the
vault beggared all description.
THE WORK OF RESCUE
Among the first TO come TO the relief Of Prin-
oipal simmerman were the Rev. !. D. Lambert.
of the Presbyterian Church, and Frank s. John
son. Of The Herald and Presbyter." Of Cincin-
natl.
James Smith. fourteen years old. one Of the
pupils climbed to the roof Of the schoolhouse.
united the flags and ran 10 the vault. BY means
OF this impromptu rope several were rescued.
Marshal Wood had great difficulty in keeping
the crowd back and from interfering with the
rescuers. The opportunities Of friends especial
ly OF the weeping mothers, were almost beyond
the control Of the officers. Doctors and their as
sistants used the school building for hospital
ana a morgue until after the dead and the res
cued were taken to their homes. Frank S. John
son said:
I was standing across the street. talking 10
DR.. Lambert. when a little girl came crying for
help. We found Principal SiFnmerman saving
lives. The smaller girls were being forced TO
the bottom by the movements and terrific
struggles OF one another in the vault. Up the
ladder climbed the little ones, drenched, gasp
ing for breath, and faint!ng as soon as taken out
reach Of the door, those who stood al the door
way reached down and lifted them from the
ladder and passed them out TO waiting friends.
IL was not possible 90 go down into the vault
81 hrst for the reason that one would impede
The little ones who were climbing out. Final
ly. the last girl that could get the ladder got
out and then the men went in and rescued
those that remained.
William }. Card, a merchant OF Cincinnati,
had three daughters in the place. Of whom
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 floor collapsed
Reports about the floor having given way last
year are denied by the school trustees.
s