The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-03-06
BODIES IDENTIFIED.
(Continued from page y

the little ones were lost while would
be reseuers stood helpless, The
scenes that were enacted in the front
hall will never be known. The door
at this side OF the building was never
fully opened, But pile Of little
bodies that lay in the blackened
wreckage beneath this point, the feet,
hands, the limbs and the skulls that
were scattered about formed 4 com
plete index to the horrors that had
taken place, When the teachers were
informed OF the existence Of the tire
they promptly formed the pupils in
columns OF march, according to the
fire drill, which they had so fire..
quently practiced and started them
for the door. They had trained the
children to march always toward the
door in front and instanctivcly the
columns headed that way and the
children unknowingly were by their
teachers literally marched into the
very face OF death. When knowing
nothing OF the fire on the stairs be-
low, kept pressing down and within
a few seconds there was jam,
panic and struggle on the stairway
and behind the half closed front door
that nothing stop and which cost the
lives of all who were caught with
in il.
A far worse tragedy, however, was
enacted at the door in the rear. This,
it is said by many people, opened like
the front door, toward the interior OF
the building. In order to reach this
entrance the pupils were compelled to
march down a stairway, make sharp
turn and then pass through the door
way. 1t was the lack of space in the
hall and the quick bond at the foot OF
the stairs that cost so many lives at
this point. When the first of the chill
dren fleeing from the front appeared
at the door it was closed. Later it
was opened. despite the terrifying jam
that took place behind it. This would
indicate that the door opened out
ward, but the assertions to the con-
trary are many and positive and il
will probably require an official in
vestigation to determine the facts,
Fleeing from fire in front. the
tumbling down the stairs in
a frenzy OF terror, blocked the pas
sage. The stairs themselves were
broad, affording passage to more chill.
dren in second than could pass
the hallway and through the
narrow vestibule of the door in ten
second. At the bottom OF the stairs,
right on the turn, somebody tripped
and fell.
In another instant others were
down and in less time than it can be
told the doorway, the hall and the
loot OF the stairs were packed with
little bodies They were wedged so
lightly that OF those anywhere below
The top of the mass none could be
moved by the utmost strength Of two
men combined. This was proven again
and again, for the rescuers struggled
and fought until their own hands were
scorched almost to cinders and still
they could move no children from
out OF the pile and could save no lives
beyond few that they removed from
the top before the flames came roar
ing down. One man, Wallace Upton,
fought for the life of his daughter at
this point until he was so fearfully
burned that he may die.
The coroner's inquest was begun
this morning when number of wit
nesses were examined without devel-
oping any testimony that was beyond
mere opinion. The investigation held
by the Collingswood school board
which lasted far into the night
brought these facts: One Of the doors
at the west entrance was locked. The
partitions narrowed the exits by at
least three feet. The flames came
from closet containing lime and
sawdust. Three little girls had been
found hiding in the closet earlier in
the morning. There was but one fire
escape and its use had never been
taught to the pupils.
The survivors among the teachers
estimate that only two or three min
utes passed between the time the
alarm was given until all escape was
shut off. The building was fair