New-York tribune., 1908-03-06
PREPARING FOR BURIAL
NUMBER OF DEAD f64.
Some Bodies Still Remain IN Runs
of CoIIin1coOd SchOOthonse.

,-IeveIaud March S--TWenty-four houIS e''''
the disaster which swept into eternity approx
rnately one-thrd of the school children OF NoiIi
CoIlinwood the death roll numbered 1s4 OF
these 137 had been identified at the Lake ShoIe
n7orgue. while thirty bodies remain there PROB
ab1,, forever bevond the chances of being recos-
nized The work of digging in the ruins of the
Iakeviev schooIhouse In search for bodies OF
children still missing began with the break OF
day Dawn found mothers and fathers waiting
about the building, after having spent the night
in an effort to find traces of their chlidren a'
the extemporized morgue- Little was broughI
forth during the day that would satisfy thelr
longings and it IS believed tonight that all the
bodies that can be removed from the ruins nave
been taken out
Burial of the dead is the burden now con-
fronting those in authority In the little village
ARRANGEMENTS for the funerals of the victims
we're discussed tonight at a meeting attended
by the Mayor of ColIingood. members of the
Board of Education, the clergy and the under
takers The idea Of having public funeral OF
all the dead has been abandoned, though 1t IS
probable that where it can be done bodies viii
be grouped In one church. Tonight the work
of removing the identified bodies 10 their former
homes was completed. and the undertakers set
to worl, to prepare for the burials tomorrow.
In an effort to fix the cause and RESPONSE
biltty Tor the hOiOcauSt various lnNeSilSdIlOnS
we're set under way to-day. Coroner Burke
issued subponas for the seven surviving teach
ers of the Lakeview school The inquest
begun this morning. when a number of wit
nesses were examined. without however. de
veloping any testimony beyond 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 on
trance of the school was closed and fastened
while children were piling up against il in the
passage: wing partitions in the vestibule mar
rowed the exit by at least three feet the flames
came first from closet below the stairway at
the east entrance; the closet contained Hne and
savdust; three little girls had been found hiding
in play In the closet earlier in the morning:
there was only one fire escape. and it's use never
was taught part of the fire drill. Survivors
among the teachers estimate that only two OF
three minutes passed from the time of the
alarm until all escape was cut off. The build
ing was fair sample of the kind Of school CON
struction IN use in small towns The halls and
stairways were inclosed between interior brick
walls. forming huge fiue. through which the
flames shot up With great rapdty
On the question, much discussed whether tho
doors opened inward or outward Fire MarshsIs
ways to-day and stated later that they were
convinced that they opened outward Whether
they We're locked they have not been able to
determine. They have testimony ON both sides
Janitor Hirter still insists that the doors were
open The officials are doubling their efforts 10
ascertain the names of the three girls who are
said to have been in the basement at the time
the fire started and who. the janitor saws. first
notified him of the fire. Much depends. it Is
thought, upon the stories these girls NAV be
able tell
In response to the call for financial assistance
for the afflicted and needy people of Collinwood
as a result of yesterdays calamity cash con-
tributions pouring in at a rapid rate The
Cleveland newspapers have started subscrip-
ton funds, and a large sum will doubtless be-
come available with but little delay In many
families there are three or four caskets to he
provided for the dead. To-day the village coun-
Gil of Collinwood appropriated S. 900 for those
needing financial aid, while the Colinwood
Board of Trade pledged similar amount