The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-06
Parents Of Many Victims Of
Collinwood Holocaust Un-
able to Identify Them.
THIRTY OF THE BODIES
NOT YET RECOGNIZED
Grief-Stricken Mothers and Faith
ers Stand About Burned
Building and Temporary
Morgue in Fruitless
search-Fire Be-
gan in Closet.

- LEVELAND, o.. March 5.-Twen-
~ ty-four hours after the disas-
q ter which swept into eternity
~ approximately one third of the
school children OF North Col
inwood. the death roll numbered
l6l. or these. 131 had been Identified
at the Lake Shore morgue. while thirty
bodies remain there in condition Of
mutilation probably forever beyond the
chances of being recognized. The work
of digging in the runs OF the Lake
View school house in further search
for the remains of children still miss
ing began with the breaking of day.
Dawn found mothers and fathers
waiting about the fire-ruined building.
after having spent the night in an
effort to find their chlldrens remains
at the extemporized morgue. But little
was brought forth during the day that
would satisfy their longings, and 1t Is
believed tonight that all the bodies
that can be removed from the ruins
have been taken out.
Burial of Their Dead.
Burial of the dead is the burden now
confronting those in authority in the
little village. Arrangements for the
funerals of the victims were discussed
at meeting held tonight. The idea
of having a public funeral OF all the
dead has been abandoned, though 1t is
probable that where 1t can be done
bodies Will be grouped in one church.
Tonight the work of removing the
identified bodies to their former homes
was completed. and the undertakers
set to work to prepare for the inter-
ments on the morrow.
In the homes of the afflicted citizens
of the village the weeping parents
were sustained by the presence of Wis
iting nurses and women who volun-
teered to lend such comfort as was
within their power
The appointment of a relief COM
mlttee by the Collinwood Board of
Trade and Town Council to-day also
is designed to care for the bodies of
the unidentified dead, as well as as
sisting the bereaved parents. Should
any parent desire to undertake the in
terment of one Of the unrecognizable
bundles Of human flesh and bones, be-
lieving II may be his or her child, they
will be permitted so to do.
The remainder OF the bodies will be
laid side by side in the cemetery.
Making Rigid Investigations.
In an effort to fix the cause and re-
sponsibility for the holocaust, various
investigations were set under way to-
day. Janitor Herter insists that the
doors were open.
Coroner Burke issued subpoenas for
the seven surviving teachers Of the
Lakeview School. The inquest was
begun this morning when a number of
witnesses were examined. without.
however. developing any testimony that
was beyond mere opinion.
An investigation conducted by the
Collinwood School Board, which lasted
far into the night. at which number
of survivors, Of the horror told their
stories. brought forth these facts:
That one Of the inner doors at the
west entrance Of the school was clos
ed and fastened while children were
piling up against 1t In the passage;
wing partitions in the vestibule mar
rowod the exit by at least three feet
the flames came first from closet be-
low the stairway at the east entrance;
the closet contained lime and sawdust
three little girls had been found hiding
In play in the closet earlier in the
morning; there was but one fire escape
and that its use had never been taught
as part of the fire drill.
Escape Soon Cut Off,
Survivors among the teachers esti-
mate that only two or three minutes
passed from the time of the alarm
unlll escape WIS cut OIL. Inc build |
ing was fair sample Of the kind of
school construction in use in small
towns. The halls and stairways We're
nclosed between interior brick walls, !
forming huge flue. through which
the flames shot UP with great rapidity. |
On the question. much discussed,
whether the doors opened inward or
outward, Fire Marshals Brockman and
Feigenbnum examined the doorways
to-day, and stated later than they were
convinced that they opened outward
Whether they were locked they have
not been able to determine. They !
have testimony on both sides.
The board of education of the city |
of Cleveland tonight ordered all city
schools closed Tomorrow and that