Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-03-07
MANY CHILDREN
PERISH IN FIRE
Fearful Holocaust at North
COlIinwOOd, O., School.
l65 BODIES TAKEN FROM RUINS


From the Windows--Few of the
Large Number Of Pupils In the
Building Escaped.
Cleveland o.. March 5.-Penned in
narrow Railways. jaInmed up against
doors that only opened inward. be-
tween 100 and 10 children in the
suburb of North CollinwOod were kill.
ed by fire, by smoke. and beneath
the grinding heels of their panic
stricken playmates.
The awful tragedy occurred in the
public school OF North CollinwoOd,
ten miles east OF this city. AT l
O'Clock this morning there were los
bodies in the morgue. of which los
had been identified and 81 were still
unknown. II is possible that other
bodies may be found in the ruins. as
at least thirteen children are still
missing. and have not been heard from
since the fire.
All OF the victims were between the
ages OF six and fifteen years The
school contained between $40 and 325
pupils. and OF this entire number only
about eighty are known to have left
the building unhurt. 1t will be sew
eral days before the exact number OF
killed is known as the ruins may still
contain other bodies. and the list OF
fatalities may be increased by a mum
Der of deaths among the children who
are now lying in the hospitals hover
ing between life and death.
Only One Fire Escape.
The schoolhouse was of brick two
stoIles-an.:- a. attic in height. The
number of pupils was more than nor
mally large. and the smaller children
had been placed In the upper part
OF the building There was but one
fire escape. and that was in the rear
OF the building. There were two stair
ways. one leading to door In front
and the other to a door In the rear.
Both OF these doors opened inward.
and II is claimed the rear door was
locked as well.
When the flames were discovered.
the teachers. who throughout seem TO
have acted with courage and self-pos-
roically for the safety Of their pupils.
marshaled the little ones into column
for the fire drill" which they had
often practiced.
Fire Came From Furnace.
Unfortunately the line OF march IN
this exercise had always led TO the
front door. and the children had not
~ bar
The fire came from furnace situated
directly under this part Of the build.
ing. When the children reached the
foot of the stairs they found the flames
close upon them. and so swift a rush
was made for the door that in an in
slant a tightly packed mass OF chill
dren was piled up against IT, From
that second none of those who were
upon any portion Of the first flight OF
stairs had a chance for their lives.
The children at the foot OF the stairs
attempted to fight their way back
to the floor above while those who
we're coming down showed them mercl-
lessly back into the flames below In
an instant there was frightful panic.
with 200 of the pupils fighting for
their lives. Most OF those who We're
killed died here. The greater part OF
those who escaped managed 10 turn
back and reached the fire escape. and
the windows in the rear
What happened at the foot of that
FIRST flight of stairs will never be
known. for all of those who were
caught In the full fury Of the panic
were killed. After the flames had
died away. however. huge heap Of
little bodies. burned by the fire and
trampled into things of horror told the
tale as well as anybody need 10 know
IL.
Fire Over In Three Hours.
Within three hours after the start
OF the fire II had burned itself out.
and the work OF recovering the bod.
les proceeded The village fire depart.
ment had only two engines. and
neither. upon arrival after the alarm
was given. was at all effective in
stemming the flames.
Jantior Herter could remember lit
s.e Of what happened after the Are
started Il was sweeping In the base
ment" he said. when ! looked up
and saw wisp of smoke curling out
from beneath the trent stairway.
ran to the fire alarm and pulled the
gong that sounded throughout the
building Then ! ran first 10 the front
and then to the rear doors cannot
remember what happened next. except
that ! saw flames shooting all about.
and the little children running down
through them screaming Some fell
at the rear entrance and others STUN.
bled over them. ! saw my little Helen
among them. tried to pull her out
but the flames drove me back ! had
TO leave my little child TO die" Herter
was badly burned about the head
Teacher Loses Her Life.
Miss Catherine Weller one Of the
nine teachers In the school, lost her
life in vain effort TO marshal the