The San Francisco call., 1908-03-06
OF 164
VICTIMS FOUND
Twenty-seven Tots Who Died in
School Horror to Lie Un-
known in Grave
Diggers Still Searching Smoking
C0IIinw00d Ruins for Flame
Scared Remains

CLEVELAND. March s.-Twenty-
four hours after the disaster which
caused the death of approximately
a third of the school children of
North Collinwood the death roll num-
bered 164. Of these 1877 have been
identified at the Lake Shore rnorgue.
while 27 bodies remain there in a
condition of mutilation probably for
ever beyond recognition.
The work of digging in the ruins
of the Lakevicw school in search of
bodies still missing began with the
break of day.
Dawn found mothers and fathers
waiting about the ruined building,
after having spent the night i'm an ef-
fort to find their childrens remains in
the extemporized morsue. Little was
brought forth during the day that
would satisfy their longings and it is
believed tonight that all the bodies that
can be removed from the ruins have
been taken out
BURIAL DIFFICULT TASK
Burial of the dead is now the task
confronting those in authority in the
little village. Arrangements for the
funeral of the victims were discussed
tonight at a meeting attended by the
mayor OF Coilinwood. members of the
board of education, the clergy and un-
dertakers. The idea OF having a public
funeral of all the dead has been aban-
doned, though it is probable that where
II can be done. bodies will be grouped
in one church.
Tonight the work of .temoving the
identified bodies to the childrens homes
was completed. and the undertakers
set 10 work to prepare for the inter-
ments on the morrow
Should any parent desire to under
take the interment OF one of the un-
recognizable bodies. believing it may
be his child. he will be permitted TO do
So The remainder of the bodies will
be laid side by side in the. cemetery. un-
der headstone marked unknown"
The coroper's' inquest was begun this
morning. when. number of witnesses
were examined. without however, de-
velopins any testimony that was be-
yond mere opinion
LOCKED DOORS PEN VICTIMS
An investigation conducted BY the
Collinwood school board which lasted
far into the night and at which a num-
Der 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 pill
ing up against il in the passage: wing
partitions in. the vestibule narrowed the
exit at least three feet: the flames came
first from a closet below the stairway
at, the east entrance: the closet con-
tanned lime and sawdust: three little
girls had been found hiding in play in
the closet eariiertin the morning: there
was but one fire escape and its use was
never taught as part of the fire drill.
SCHOOL FIRE TRAP
mate that only two or three minutes
passed between the time of the alarm
until all escape was cut off. The build
ing was fair sample OF the. kind OF
school construction in use in small
towns The halls and stairways were
closed between interior brick walls
forming huge f1ue through which the
flames shot up with great rapidity.
On the question. much discussed.
whether the doors opened inward or
outward, Fire Marshals Brockett and
fiegenbaum examined the doorways to-
day and said later that they were con-
vinced that they opened outward.
Whether they were locked they have
not been able TO determine They have
testimony on both sides. Janitor Hir-
ter still insists that the doors were
open.
A dispatch from Columbus saws that
bill was introduced in the legislature
today appropriating $4,000 for the re-
lief of people who lost children in the
Collinwood school house horror.
Mayor Bond OF Columbus ordered
that in the future no standing room
shall be sold in nickel theaters in that
city.