The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-03-11
|76 CHILDREN KILLED
In Burning SChoOIhOuse In a
Cleveland Suburb.
Japan Sends an Ultimatum-Death Of
Senator Proctor - Assassin Buried
at Midnight-Charge Against Chan
cellor Day---Governor johnson Can
didate-GirI Saved by Truancy.

forms claimed 10 school children Of
the North Collnwood school in the
village of Collinwood, an eastern SUI
burb of Cleveland, when the school
building, catching fire from a defec-
tive furnace in the basement, was
wrecked in the space of half an hour.
The building being inadequately
provided with fire escapes, the chill
dren were unable to make their way
to the lower floors in time to escape
the flames as they shot up from the
basement and cut off egress.
The fire drill was inaugurated at
once and those in the rooms on the
lower floors quickly moved out Of the
building. But when the panic-strick-
en- little ones in the upper rooms at
tempted to make their way to the
stairway, the jam of uncontrolled and
fear-stricken children grew until but
few were able to extricate them
selves and they perished almost with
In reach of safety.
Various and unconfirmed state
ments are made as to the cause Of the
fire and also that the doors Of the
building had been locked at the front
entrance, while but one door of the
rear entry was unfastened The jan
itor, Fritz Herter, himself bereaved of
three children, says the doors were
open, according to custom. At any
rate, the congestion of fleeing children
in the hallway below effectually
barred the way, and the little ones
went to their death totally unable to
evade the flames.
The school was a two-story and at
tic brick building constructed about
six years ago. 1t was overcrowded
with pupils and it was found neces-
sary to utilize the attic for those of
the ages between and s. Nearly all
the children were killed in the mass
at the first floor door, which finally
was opened by men from the Lake
Shore shops, who hurried to the
scene A wall of flame had formed
across 1t, however, and most of the
children already were dead by the
time the doors swung.
Approximately 800 children attend
ed the school. which had nine rooms.
Miss Catherine Weller, one of the
nine teachers in the school, lost her
life in a vain effort to marshal the
pupils of her class and lead them to
safety. She died in the crush at the
rear door Her room was on the sec
ond floor and when the fire alarm
sounded she marched her pupils out
into the hall. thinking it was only a
fire drill, There the truth dawned
upon both teacher and pupils and
control was lost. The children in
their frenzy plunged into the strug-
Cling mass ahead of them.
Miss Weller attempted to stem the
rush but went down under it and her
body was found an hour later piled
high with those of her pupils. Miss
Weller formerly lived in Detroit and
was educated in Toledo. Miss Fisk,
another teacher, was taken out alive
but she died later.
There was but one fire escape and
that was in the rear of the building
There were two stairways, one lead
ing to a door in front, and the other
to a door in the rear. Both Of these
doors opened inward, and it is claim
ed the rear was locked as we'll
When the flames were discovered
the teachers, who throughout seem to
have acted with courage and self.pos-
session and to have struggled hero
ically for the safety of their pupils
marshaled the little ones into column
for the fire drill" which they had
often prscticed.
When the children reached the foot
of the stairs they found the flames
close upon them and so swift rush
was made for the door that in an in
stant a tightly packed mass was
piled up against it. From that Sec
ond none of those who were upon any
portion of the first fight Of stairs had
a chance for their lives The chill
dren at the foot of the stars attempt
ed to fight their way back to the floor
above, while those who were coming
down showed them mercilessly back
into the flames below. In an instant
there was a frightful panic with 200
of the pupils fighting for their lives.
Most of those who were killed died
here. The greater part of those who
escaped managed to turn back and
reached the fire escape and the win
dows in the rear.