Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-03-07
rear door. Her room was ON the sec.

into the nail, thinking III was only
fire drill. Then the truth dawned
upon both teacher and EIpils and con
troll was lost The children in their
frenzy plunged into the struggling
mass ahead OF them Miss Weller at
tempted to stem the rush. but went
down under IL. and her body was
found an hour later piled high with
those of her pupils Miss Weller for
merry lived In Detroit. and was edu'
Gated in Toledo. Miss Fisk another
teacher. was taken out alive but she
carnot live.
Burning through the cross supports
OF the first floor. the flames passed up.
ward until all three floors crashed
into smoldering pile into the base
ment After the fire had practically
burned itself out. the work of res.
cuing the bodies was begun by fire
men and railroad employees from the
Lake Shore shops. The railroad com
pany turned over one of its buildings
nearby To be used as temporary
morguc and thither the charred and
fast as they could be dug from the
ruins. Within five hours practically
all had been recovered. They were
placed in rows In the Lake Shore
shop. ldentitications were made only
by means of clothing or trinkets. The
fire had swept away nearly all resem
blance To human features In the ma
jority Of instances. Distracted pa
rents soon began to gather. and the
work of Identifying the blackened and
mangled corpscs begun.
Taking Out Bodies Grewsome Task
The grewsome task Of taking out
the blackcned torsos and bits ef hui
man remains was one OF horror. a
line OF rescuers was formed. backed
BY half dozen ambulances As the
bodies were untangled from the de
bris they were passed along to the
stretchers. and thence loaded in the
ambulances Mercifully covered with
blankets. the pitiful sights were veil
ed from the crowd OF curious that
stretched about the entrance to the
structure As fast as a load was OBJ
tanned IL was driven away 10 the i'm.
provised morgue. TO be succeeded by
another within a short time,
The sights of the human charnel
house caused the men delving into
the mass of burned flesh 10 hesitate.
but the work had to be done and done
quickly. so their feelings had 10 be
hA hnipn a fbaN
tenderly handled all that was mortal
OF the little tots.
Al the temporary morgue in the
Lake Shore shop the scenes became
fourfold in the intensity OF human
suffering as father. mothers brothers
lines formed for 100 corpses. TC IA
cllitate Identification the bodies were
numbered as they were received at the
morgue The first Identification was
made by the mother of Nels and Tom.
my Thompson aged six and nine
years respectively The heads and
arms had been burned from both bod
les but the mother recognized the
shoes on her childrens feet And SC
the disheartenng work went on. &C
centuated now and then by piercing
shrek or plantiye moan as loved
one was recognized by clothing OF
token. such as ring or necklace.
Almost Saved BY Mother.
About the burned schoolhouse there
arc but few residences In one Of
these Mrs Clark Sprung lived, Her
little boy Avon. aged seven. was a
pupil in the second grade When the
fire started the mother ran over 10
the school. and arrived when the first
floor was mass Of flames. AZ a
window on that floor she saw the face
of her boy He recognized her. and
pleaded for help. Rushing across the
ladder and placed II against the win.
dow Climbing up she reached for
her boy She caught him by the hair.
II burned of in her hands. and the
lad fell back into the flames.
Desolation unspeakable hangs over
the vicinity of the school and the whole
village OF Collinwood The school
board met III special session at the
temporary morgue 20 discuss the cal.
amity, while the coroner prepared to
hold an inquest To determine the
cause and place the responsibility for
the fire
Rear Door Was Locked.
The statement that the back door
OF the building was locked is made
by Walter C. Kelley the editor OF
the sporting department Of the Cleve.
land Leader. two OF whose children
were killed
AS soon as the alarm was given.
Mrs Kelley ran from her home. which
Is not far from the schoolhouse. to
the burning building The front por-
tIon OF the structure was a mass OF
flames. and frenzied by the screams
OF the fighting and dying children
which reached them from the death
trap at the foot OF the first fight OF
stairs aud behind that closed door,
Mrs Kelley ran to .he rear. hoping
to effect an entrance there and save
her children She was Joined by a