South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-28
MEET DEATH
WHEN SCHOOL BURNS
CcoNTINUEDF FROM PAGE ONE)

z
according to general version. The
boiler explosion occurred about three
minutes later and the explosion sent
a great column Of black smoke high
in the air above the building.
The explosion of the boiler was
hetrd throughout the town For an
instant after the explosion the great
school was held in deadly silence. II
was only an instant; then screams
from the children and panic stricken
cries broke out. There was a rush
for the stairways and the doors and
windows
The first rush carried a good part
of the children TO safety. And in
stantly the explosion giving alarm.
neigh ors Of the school were running
with ladders which were leaned
against the second story windows.
The arrival of the firemen added to
the rescuing force. Down the lad
ders came a steady stream of little
figures, weeping, white-faced the
boys striving TO play the part of men;
the little girls frankly terrorized.
The sisters who had been serving
as teachers, stood at the windows,
marshaling the line that led TO the
ladders and holding in check the ter
ror that would have meant a deadly
I
done: but some windows they could
not guard and through these windows
the boys in the school began to jump.
1t was an 1S-fOot drop to the ground
and many of the little fellows lay
where they fell, unable to rise. or
Chamber TO their feet and limped pain
fully to safety. There were ready
hands to assist them.
AS the fire inside the building grew
l i'll. i, ~
rOr 10 dare the leap from the. win
dows and they. too. were gathered in
! tender arms and carried TO houses
nearby for care.
Then presently the sisters at the
windows were driven forth by flames;
/ they were the last 10 come down the
| ladders. Thereafter only the firemen
| went in or emerged from the building.
! Priests hurried TO the scene and last
rites were said for the dead and the
fatally injured.
/ Almost every house in the neigh
! borhood as well as the priests house.
! the church and the other parOchial
! buildings had its gathering of little
sufferers, some of them only fright
ened, others half strangled by the
smoke they had inhaled, still others
shaken by their jump from the win
/ dOws.
Near the parochial school stood the
center school building with about 500
pupils. These children were marched
4 out and away to safety against the
1 chance of the fire spreading.
Spectators Watchful.
After the first terrific excitement
when the explosion was heard, and
while the flames were reaching
/ through the building, the throng of
! spectators settled into a silent watch
/ fulneSs
There were sobs here and there and
/ tears on the cheeks of both men and
| women; there were low cries at some
new effort of the flames as they reach
| ed up through the building or rs a
shifting air current shot smoke and
hot gas from the windows in a new
| shot.
But for the most part the spectators
were silent. Those who fought the
fire shouting commands and direc-
tons were the only ones who spoke
! Upon the rest. the calamity had fallen
with too crushing weight for words.
The children in the school-all lived
in Peabody. Their parents were quick
| to hear the word and they came from
everywhere. Their frantic searching
| each for his own, mothers crying out
| for the boys or girls they had cher
| ished, made the district around the
school a pandemonium of grief.