The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-03-07

mass ahead OF them. Miss Weller at.
tempted Co stem The rush but went
down under a. snd her body was
found an hour later piled high with
those OF her pupils. Miss Weller for.
meTly lived I'm Detroit. and was edu
Gated in Toledo Miss Fisk. another
teacher. was taken ont alive. but she
cannot live
Burning through the cross supports
Of the FIRST door. the flames passed ND
ward. until all three floors crashed
into smoldering pile into the base
ment After the Ere 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 20 be used as temporary
morgue and thiiher the charred and
broken little bodies were removed as
fast as they could De dug from the
ruins. Within Eve hours practically
all had been recovered They were
placed I'm rows IN the Lake Shore
shop. ldenuGcauons were made only
by means Of coithing or trinkets The
fire had swept away nearly AN rcsem.
biance % human features In the ma
jority OF instances. Distracted IA.
rents soon began to gather and the
work OF Identifying the blackened and
mangled corpses begun
Taking Out Bodies cre,Vson,e Task.
The grewsome task OF taking out
the blackened torsos and bits OF hu.
man remains was one OF horror. 4
line OF rescuers was formed. backed
py hall q dozen Ambulance. As the
bodies were uutsngied IRON the de
uris they we're passed along 10 the
stretchers. and thence loaded in the
amoulances. Merciiully 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 load was OBJ
tanned it was driven away to the i'm
provised morgue. to be succeeded by
another within a short time.
The sights OF tue human charnei
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 TO be
smothered for the time being. as thew
tenderly. handled all that was morta
Of the little tots.
Al TIE temporary morgue in the
Lake Shore shop the scenes became
fourtold in the intensity OF human
suffering as father. mothers. brothers
and sisters passed up and down the
lines formed for 80 corpses. To IA.
eslitate Identification the bodies were
numbSred as they were received at the
morgue. The first Identification was
made by the mother OF Neis 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 chiliren's feet And SO
the disheartening work went on. &C.
centuated now and then by a piercing
shrick CT plaintive moan as a loved
one was recognized by clothing or
token. such as ring or necklace
Almost Saved BY Neither.
About the burned schooihouse there
are but few residences In one ~
these Mrs. Clark Sprung lived. He
little boy. Alvon. aged seven. was
pupil in the second grade. When the
FIRE started the mother ran over 10
The school. ann arrived when the first
floor was mass Of flames. Al n |
window on that floor she saw the face
of her boy He recognized her. and
pleaded for help RushinE across the
street. Mrs Sprung secured r stem
adder and placed It against the win /
low. Climbing M she reached for
her boy. She caught him by the hair |
Z burned on In her hands. and the 4
ad fell back into the flames.
Desolation unspeakable hangs over
he vicinity Of the school and the whole |
-iliage OF Coilinwood The school /
BOARD mot in special session at the |
temporary morgue 20 discuss the cal !
unity. while the coroner prepared to |
iold an inquest 70 determine the |
'ause and place the responsibility for !
he FIRE
Rear Door Was Locked.
The statement that the back door /
u the building was locked is made /
" Walter G. Kelley the editor Of |
he sporting department Of the Cleve-
and Leader. two OF whose Children
we're killed.
As soon as the alarm was given.
drs. Kelley ran from her home which
s not far from the schOolhouse. to
he burning building The front Dor
ION Of the structure was a mass of
lanes, and frenzied by the screams
Z the fighting and dying children
Thich reached them from the death
rap at the foot Of the first flight of
tairs. and behind that closed door
irs. Kelley ran 10 the rear. hoping
D effect an entrance there. and save
er children She VS. Joined by a
nan, whose name is not known. and
he two OF them tugged and pulled
at the door They were
nable TO move IL In the slightest. and
here was nothing at hand by which
hey could hope TO break It down. In
tier despair Of saving any OF the
hildren. they turned their attention
D the windows and by smashing some
Z these they managed to save a few
the pupils
lore said Mr.. Kelley. If the door
ad not been locked Nobody knows
ow many Of the children might have
;ade theii way out before nv wife
ad reached there. II the door had not
cen locked. II half a dozen men had
cen there when my wife and her com.
anton arrived at the schooIhouse
erhaps they might have broken down
he door but the two could do moth
1g and the flames eDread CT, randall