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

onorNy ccfore rlrc Starteo-but
One Fire Escape.
Cleveland. o.. March As a result
Of the disaster which swept into eter-
nifty approximately one-third OF the
school children OF North Collinwood
the death roll numbered 164. OF these
I 1871 have been Identified at the Lake
Shore morgue. while twenty-seven bod
les remain there in a condition OF mu-
tilstion probably forever beyond the
chances Of being recognized. Mothers
and fathers waited about the fire
ruined building after having spent the
night in an effort to find their chill
dren's remains az the extemporized
morgue. But little was brought forth
that would satisfy their longings. and
II is believed that all the bodies that
can be removed from the ruins have
been taken out.
Like returning from death. Helen
Marks surprised her parents by slip
ping up behind her father and throw
ing her arms about his neck. while he
was prodding among the ruins OF the
Lake View school for her body. The
| girl was sent TO school as usual. In
stead. she played truant and visited
an aunt in the country. They knew
oothing OF the fire until Thursday.
Not returning to her home. they sup
posed she had persisted with the
others. Neither could the father fnd
among the dead bodies one he could
IDENTIFY as that OF his daughter. In
despair he was prodding about the
ruins. when the girl threw her arms
about him and cried; Guess who
am. papa"
Mr.. Marks was nearly overcome
with Joy and emotion.
For supreme horror the scenes that
were enacted around the rear door OF
the Inflated schoolhouse have had few
parallels. Little children lay six and
eight deep. while men and women
struggled with desperation to release
them. until they were compelled to
give way before the flames and smoke.
One woman found her own daughter
in this press and stroked her hair i'm
She failed. and the child was burned
to death while her mother looked on
An investigation conducted by the
Collinwood school board at which a
number OF survivors Of the horror told
their stories brought forth these facts:
That one of the inner doors at the
west entrance OF the school was closed
and fastened while children were all
ing up against II in the passage: wing
partitions in the vestibule narrowed
the exit by at least three feet: the
flames came first from a closet below
the stairway at the east entrance; the
closet contained lime and sawdust:
three little girls had been found hiding
in play in the closet earlier in the
morning: there was but one nre es-
cape and that its use never was taught
as a part OF the fire drill. Survivors
among the teachers estimate that only
two or three minutes passed from the
time OF the alarm until all escape was
cut Of. The building was a fair
sample OF the kind OF school construc-
ton in use in small towns. The halls
and stairways were enclosed between
interior brick walls. forming a huge
fue through which the flames shot up
with great rapidity
On the question. much discussed.
whether the doors opened inward or
outward. Fire Marshays Brockman and
Feigenbaum examined the doorways
and stated later that they were con
WINGED that they opened outward
Whether they were locked they have
not been able to determine They
have testimony on both sides Janitor
Hitter still insists that the doors were
open