South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-28
Nineteen Dead, Five Injured
and Nine Missing is Toll of
Blaze That Destroyed Pea
body, Mass. Building.
LITTLE VICTIMS MAY
NEVER BE IDENTIFIED
Sisters Stick to Their Posts,
But Rapidly of Flames
Holds Many Students
Prisoners.


hundreds of little boys and girls were
at their morning prayers in st. johns
parochial school here today a IRE
started in the basement and spread
the first floor with such
cruel rapidity that within 10 minutes
all escape by the doors and windows
Of the first floor was completely cut
off. So far as the result of the hre
can thus be stated, they are:
Nineteen known dead.
Five known injured 1.-TWO near
death.)
Nine know missing.
The school destroyed.
The loss (police estimate) $4,000.
The known dead are all little chill
dren, their bodies ranged in a pitiful
row at the Conway undertaking estao-
lishment.
The cause of the fire cannot be
stated. 1t is a mystery; and there was
in the strange rapidity with which 1t
spread something unexplained.
The state police began an immediate
That the fire was started by boil
er explosion was the first version; the
second was that the fire started near
the boiler and caused an explosion
which spread the fire throughout the
building.
Both Theories Blasted.
Later investigation blasted both
theories. Both the state boiler in
spector and the head of the school
said there was no explosion of the
boiler, while the janitOr stated that the
fires were banked and there was little
or no steam in the heating apparatus.
Many neighbors said they heard no
explosion. Others said they heard one.
Concerning those children which
lost their lives many will never be
positively identified. The fire. passing
over, left each a mere indistinguish-
able little form.
That there are others dead is con-
sidered certain. Father Murphy said
earlv i'm the fire that he expected
that bodies would be found on the
third floor The second and third
floors collapsed before the fire was
over, but il is held certain that from
six to Is bodies will be discovered lnI
the ruins.
Boys and girls were jumping from
the second story windows or climb
ing down the ladders that We're hur-
riedly secured. But so many were
trapped in the building that Father
]. Murphy. rector of the
church and head OF the school saidl
at 1890 o'clock:
II believe many bodies viii be found
on the third floor unless the floors fall
before the fire is eXtinguished.'
BY 1920 the whole building was
sure of destruction. Be
fore that hour the golden cross on
the roof had fallen through and the
entire east side of the building was
visibly lettering.
The dramatic and heart-rending in
that attended the fire were
beyond number. But the most stirring
scene was enacted at the front door.
Trapped at Entrance.
In the rush for the door when the
fire gong sounded. a number Of pupils
got out. But the sweep of the flames
cut off that exit SO suddenly that per
haps a dozen boys and girls were
trapped inside the yerv entrance. one
body lying within three feet of the
threshold.
Firemen with two lines OF hose
made a rush at the doorway and tried
to fight their way in. A sudden sweep
Of draft sent the flames so fairly in
their faces that they were beaten back.
They made a second try, this time
throwing over the tangle Of little
bodies a number Of heavy rubber
blankets. Then from outside the door
and as near as they could get. they
directed a stream of water upon the
blankets in a desperate hope Of keep
ing off the flames till rescue could be
made.
But in a short time 50 desperately
swift was the progress of the fire
efforts Of the firemen were needed
elsewhere. They turned over one Of
the nozzles TO Patrolman Timothy
O'COnnor. The officer forced his way
10 the doorway and there stood. spray
ing the water over the blankets COW
cred heap. The walls above him
trembled and threatened 10 fall but
ne stood his ground. his face blistered
by the heat
Life Saving Possible.
The steady work OF the line hose
in O'COnnors hands kept back the
flames that crept along the floor to-
ward the bodies and made possible
the saving Of life.
There were many injured. Some
were burned, some bruised or shaken
when they jumped from the windows
Of the building. The injured We're
hurried FIRST 10 the Thomas hospital