Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-03-11
Girls Suspected As
Cause Of DISASTER
ONE THEORY REGARDING ORIGIN
OF TERRIBLE coLLlNWooD
SCHOOL FIRE.

ONE THEORY REGARDING ORIGIN
OF TERRIBLE coLLlNWooD
SCHOOL FIRE.
JANITOR SAYS FURNACE
WAS NOT 0vERHEATED
Notified Of Blaze by Three Pupils
Whom He Met Running from Base
ment-Death List May Reach 1so-
Coroner Begins investigation.
Cleveland, O., Mar. 6-Did three
girls start the fire in the basement of
the public school in North Collinwood
that cost the lives of probably more
than $50 children Wednesday? It was
at first supposed that the fire came
from an overheated furnace or an
exploded boiler in the basement Of
the schoolhouse.
Il has been established that there
was no explosion, and the janitor Of
the school. Fred Herter, three Of whose
children died within arms length Of
their father, declares that it could not
have come from the furnace. Wednes-
day in Collinwood was comparatively
warm, and Herter declares that he
maintained the fires at lower heat
than usual during the morning.
Fearing he had not sufficiently
warmed the building, he was, accord
ing to his story, on his way to open
the furnace drafts and increase the
heat when he was met by three little
girls running from the basement, who
told him there was fire below. These
three girls are now being sought by
the police and by the fire commission
ers. It is considered possible by
certain members of the Collinwood
school board that through carelessness
they may have started the blaze that
cost the lives of SO many children.
Says Fire Was lncendiary.
L. r. Gardner, a member of the
school board, is positive in his asser-
ton that the fire was of incendiary
origin. In that portion of the build
ing where it was discovered there
were no electric wires, there was no
waste or rags, there was no direct
means of creating heat. 1t is, there
fore, believed by Mr.. Gardner and by
others that the three little girls may,
If they are ever found, throw some
light on the cause of the awful trag-
edy.
So far ISL bodies have been recov-
cred. Of these 129 are known and 81
have not been identified. OF these
80 it is believed there is little chance
of Identification.
| Think Dead Will Exceed 1870.
AS the day wore on the belief be-
came general that the dead might total
upward of $780, While ISL bodies had
been recovered, it was stated by Viii
lage Engineer Gould that he was of
the opinion that possibly 20 more
bodies still were in the ruins, burned
to ashes.
Mr.. Gould based this opinion upon
the difference between the number of
bodies recovered and the number that
have been reported missing. AS the
missing have not yet been accounted
for, it is apparent that the list of dead
may total $50.
The arrangements for great public
funeral are being rapidly perfected.
This likely will take place Friday or
not later than Saturday.
| Coroner Starts Investigation.
County Coroner DR.. T. A. Burke
Thursday began an investigation of
the causes leading to the terrible loss
of life iii the burning of the school
building. This work on the part of
the coroner is not only official and in
line with all his regular duties, but he
will go into the matter thoroughly, his
work being supplementary to the in
vestigation being conducted by the va
rious Collinwood officials, such as the
| board of education and the village
council. The work of the Collinwood
officials also was resumed early Thurs
| day. So far they have arrived at no
definite conclusion as to the cause of
the fire, or where to place the blame.
1t is generally admitted that the school
building was of approved fireproof
| construction, and that the calamity
could not have been averted, looked
at from this standpoint.
The officials desire to learn the ex.
act desire for the holocaust, not only
because it may be means of prevent
ing repetition of the calamity in
the future, and stand as a warning to
other schools throughout the country.
but will, to degree, appease the anx-
| iety of the afflicted parents and the
public in general.
Attempt on Janitor's Life.
In this connection the janitor has
been made to bear the major portion
OF the blame. While the janitor prac.
tically has cleared himself, upon his
own testimony, yet the feeling against
him is high in Collinwood. Wednesday
one father, crazed by his grief, made
an attempt upon the life of Herter. but
was restrained with difficulty. Herter
is being guarded by the police. In ad-
dition to the blame, whether justified
or not, being heaped upon him, Herter
is broken down with grief over the
loss of three of his own children in
the fire.
There were in the building at the
time the fire was discovered between
80 and 325 pupils. They were under
the control of nine teachers. Two of
the teachers arc ammo tho dooa 49,