The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-05
That Number of Bodies Taken
Out of the Ruins
OF the School House Burned at
North COllinwOOd.
SEVERAL ARE MISSING
Whose Remains May Yet Be
Found in the Ashes.
The Fire Is Declared to Be of
Incendiary Origin.


o'clock today 112 little bodies had been
identified from among the pupils Of
the Lake View school in Collinwood,
who lost their lives in the fire that
destroyed the school building yesterday
morning.
Twenty-four hours had passed, but
the exact number of fatalities was un-
known. The number may reach ITO.
How many bodies still are in the ruins,
If any, has not been positively deter
mined.
Village firemen and volunteer assist
ants still are probing among the smold-
ering ruins. So far 1913 bodies have been
recovered. OF these there remains 90
still to be identified. OF the o6 1t is
generally admitted that practically
none will be distinguished one from
the other. Their names must be as
certained from the list of missing.
A great public funeral will take place
tomorrow or Saturday.
County Coroner DR.. 7. A. Burke TO.
day began a thorough investigation or
the causes leading to the terrible loss
of life. His work will be supplementary
to the investigation being conducted py
the various Collinwood officials, such as
the board of education and the village
council.
The work of the Collinwood officials
also was resumed early today. So lar
they have arrived at no definite con-
clusion as to the cause OF the nre or
where to place the blame, IL Dlane Is
to be placed.
1t is generally admitted that the school
building was of approved f1reprooI
construction and that the calamity
could not have been aVerted, looked at
from this standpoint
Also it now is believed that the nre
did not have it's origin in the furnace
or that it resulted from the explosion
of the heating boiler. From the testl-
mony so far adduced the fire must nave
started under the stairway leading
from the basement to the first floor of
the building.
Janitor Is Blamed.
The janitor, Ferd Herter, stoutly
maintains that there was no waste or
rubbish there.
The officials are doubling their efforts
to ascertain the names of the three
girls who are reported to have been
in the basement at the time the nre
started and who are said by the JAM
tor to have first notified him of the
fire Much depends, it is thought upon
the stories these girls may be able to
tell.
These are the problems that are con-
fronting the officials. The latter de-
sire to learn the exact reason Tor the
fire not only because it may be the
means of preventing repetition OF the
calamity in the future and stand as
warning to other schools throughout
the country, but will, to degree, ap-
pease the anxiety of the afflicted par
ents and the public in general. In this
connection the janitor has been MADE
to bear the major portion OF the blame
While the janitor practically has clear
ed himself upon his own testimony,
yet the feeling against him Is high in
Collinwood. Yesterday one father,
crazed by his grief made an attempt
upon the life of Herter, but was re-
g a.
ing guarded by the police. In addi-
tfon. to the blame, whether justified or
not, being heaped upon him, Herter is
broken down with grief over the loss
of three of his own children in the fire.
AS the day wore on the belief became
general that the number OF dead might
total upwards of 1S0. While 168 bodies
had been recovered it was stated by
Village Engineer Gould that he was
of the opinion that possibly 20 more
bodies still were in the ruins burned
to ashes. He based this opinion upon
the difference between the number OF
bodies recovered and the number re-
ported missing
l.. r. Gardner a member of the
school board, is positive in his asser-
ton that the fire was of incendiary
origin.
The school was overcrowded and
quarters had been provided for the
younger children in the attic.
Strange as it may seem, more of the
pupils escaped from this part of the
school house than from any other.
The children were under good disci-
pline. they had practiced frequently
in the fire drill. their teachers without
exception retained their self possess
sion, showing great courage in the
face of imminent danger, and yet
more than half of these little ones
died horribly because of faulty build
ing arrangements.
Mother Saw Her Child Burn.
The school house was two stories
and a half high, the walls being of
brick and concrete. Inside it was a
shell which burned with almost in
conceivable rapidity. The entire in
terror was a mass of smoking ruins
living in the cellar within 80 minutes
after the alarm of fire was sounded.
For supreme horror the scenes that
were enacted around the rear door
of this ill-fated school house have
had few parallels in this or any other
country. Little children were piled
upon each other, six and eight deep,
while strong men and frantic mothers
struggled with desperation to release
them yet failed and were compelled
to stand back and see the little ones
die before their eyes. One woman
found her own daughter in this press
and stroked her hair in the effort to
keep the flames away. She failed and
the child was burned to death while
her mother looked on.
From the upper floors of the build
ing two stairways offered exit. One of
these led to the door in front the
other to the door in the rear. 1t was
in this last place that the lives of the
little ones were lost while would-be
rescuers stood helpless. The scenes
that were enacted in the front hall
viii never be known. The door at
this side of the building was never