Imperial Valley press., 1923-03-17

and il is q wonder how the young
| woman ever escaped with her life
! The records of the school, kept in
the principal's s office, were scatter
I ed about, many of them hopelessly
ruined.
Resembles War Ruins
From the outside, the building
made one think OF pictures seen of
/ buildings ruined in the war. Gaping
! holes marked the places where win
/ downs had formerly been on the
west and north sides. Strangely
enough, several large windows on
the top floor were INDIANA ged, while
Others. further removed from the eS-
plosion, were clown to pieces. Two
of the large pillars IT the main
entrance were blown from their
places, large sections of one being
hurled into the air and landed sew
eral feet west of the building,
where they we're buried feet deep
in the ground.
Rod Pierces Girl
According to statements made by
various members of the fire and po-
lice department, Miss Smith was
struck by rod, which pierced her
body, causing practically instantan-
eous death. She was so terribly
mangled and burned that the under
taken advised officials not to view
the remains. Powell was said to
have been near Miss Smith, and
when she fell at the first explosion,
he was seen STOPPING over her body,
as though to carry her out of the
building, when the second explosion
came. hurting him through the door
way into the entrance TO the build
ing.
Fire Quickly Subdued
Due TO the quick response of the
Brawley fire department, the added
terrors Of a conflagratiOn through
the wreekage was avoided, the
flames which set fire to the wood
work near the gas tank being quick
~ subdued.
The chemical laboratory nearby
afforded excellent material to feed
the flames and possibly cause fur
ther explosions, and the firemen
risked their lives working in the
wreckage, to prevent spread of the
fire to this part of the building.
Three Story Building
The Brawley high school was a
three story building built in 1914,
and was sufficient to accommodate
several hundred pupils. 1t was
completely equipped for the usual
high school courses and contained q
large auditorium for school exer-
cises. Beneath the auditorium was
. large hall, used for civic gather
ings. Recently, bonds had been is
sued for a new building, the city
having outgrown the wrecked build
ing, and it was stated in Brawley
yesterday that the explosion had
Undoubtedly solved the question Of
what should be done with the old
building.
Considerable comment was heard
upon the danger of having the gas
making apparatus in the main
building of the school where it is a
daily menace to the lives of hun
dreds of school children. Various
states have laws providing that all
heating apparatus in schools and
public buildings shall be in separ.
ate structures from the main build
ing and California is considered lax
in this Particular respect, according
TO Comment. s-+.15 -. g..
.s. Safe Here
j Ill. House, PRINCIPAL Of Central
Enion High School, accompanied
N Charles ysones and R.yP. Moore,
6embers Of the high school com.
'lkittee,;s went to Brawley Z. this
tofiing to- view The ruins of the
..Righ school and .infestigate the
Ranse Of the explosion. alr. House
atsted upon his retarn that the ap.
spafasrs ut General Tnion is plae,
I'd over 200 feet away from the
.mni nbuilding Of the, school, and
the, system here il entirely differ
ent from that in use Ut Brawley
Neing operated by water power in.
stead Of electricity. thereby re
dueing any possibility of an eS-
Piosion to minimum. Frequent
Inspection Of the apparatus i,
made, he said, to make assurance
that everything is in good work.
ing order and following the visit
to Brawley, the committee inspect
ell the plant here and satisfied
themselves that conditions here ar,
as safe as it is possible TO make
them.
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BradYYille 10. man has praftel