The Mena weekly star., 1908-03-12
MANY CHILDREN PERISH
Some Awful Scenes at Public School Building Fire in a Cleveland,
 Ohio, Suburb.
MANY PUPILS WERE TaiMPLED TO DEATH
The 400 Children in the Building Be. came Panic Stricken and Soon Choked One Of the Only Two Exits Asaiiable-Death List May Reach 15o.

Cleveland. O.. Mar. 5.--In the most terrible holocaust in the history of this section Of the country over 100 school children lost their lives Wednesday in a fire which destroyed the three-story brick school building in Collamer avenue. in Collinwood, a suburb. just outside the city limits
 The fire started in the basement of the building about 10 o'clock just after school convened. It was caused from an overloaded furnace. The smoke from the fire quickly filled the build. ing and alarmed the children and teachers. A panic ensned No fire drill was used in rescuing the children. They rushed pell-mell for the doors and windows.
 Walter C. Kelly, newspaper man, two of whose children were in the building. was one Of the first upon the scene. He stated that the rear door one of the two exits, was locked. The children rushed for the front and rear doors. The front exit soon was damned full of fighting and panic stricken humanity. Many who reached the exit first escaped. but those, the greater number. who followed. choked the doorway. Those who fell were trampled upon and many are supposed to have been killed in this manner. Those behind turned and made for the windows. Some upon the second and third floors jumped from the win dows and escaped. In this way three or four were killed while others were more fortunate and escaped with slight injuries.
 The greater number of those who met death were cut of from escape by the smoke. which blinded them, Caught like rats in this manner. they fell with the lower floor. amid the blaz- ing timbers to the basement below There the little bodies could be seen writhing in their last struggle Bodies were taken to the morgue at the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway companys shops. It is now believed that the loss of life will reach, if not exceed. i50.
 Factories in the immediate neighbor hood dismissed their men, who went to work in an effort to rescue the lit tie ones. A few minutes after the building was known to be on fire the school was surrounded by parents fathers and mothers who ware frantic in their dazed efforts to rescue their children Very few were saved from among the children who were behind the jam at the front door. The others escaped with slight injuries.
 The school was of the common grade and contained 3Go children rang ing in age from six to IA years. Two or three of the teachers also arc thought to have perished.
 The fire from the basement in ad dition to filling the school rooms witt smoke which caused the first alarm ieaped up the stairway to the first second and third floors When thu children ran from their rooms to tho railways they rushed into a fiery fur mace. It was in the railways and al the main exit where the greatest nun ber met death. The railways were narrow and could not accommodate the large number that attempted te rush through them to reach the mair door
 Al 2eo ?. m. l46 bodies had been taken out oi the ruins and il was be lievea there were stu more Co be fnken ont