Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-22
ASSISTANCE ASKED
FOR FIRE SUFFERERS
IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Georgia, and the thousands of ma.
tive Georgians who have been deep
~ stirred by the tragedy Of the
Cleveland school fire, which caused
the deaths of 70 persons, have been
afforded an opportunity to render
material aid to the sufferers by the
designation of the Columbia State
as the custodian of a relief fund.
Governor Thomas G. Mcleod, of
South Carolina, issued g. proclama-
ton Saturday calling upon the peo-
pie of South Carolina to rally to the
aid of the scores of stricken fam
lilies in Cleveland and Camden. AL
though this call was limited to the
-Ssidents of the sister state, hun
dreds of Georgians felt tugging
at their heart-strings and wished to
render assistance, too.
The Atlanta Journal wired a con-
tribution of 800 to the Columbia
State, and suggested that many
other Georgia companies and tndi-
viduals would be glad to aid the
stricken families, if such help were
needed.
Georgians who desire to aid the
relief fund should telegraph their
money or mail their checks to the
Columbia State, Columbia, S. c.
That newspaper was selected by
Governor Mcleod as the custodian
OF the fund, and will see that it is
properly distributed.
Governor McLeods proclamation
follows:
Whereas, the terrible disaster
caused by the burning of the CIeve-
land schoolhouse in Kershaw county
last night is one of the greatest treg-
edies our state has ever known and
whereas the cry of sorrow and dis
tress of the relatives and friends of
the men, women and children who
lost their lives has reached the fur
thermost corners of the state, and,
Whereas, in many cases these
people are suffering not only from
the unparalleled anguish of such be-
reavement, but they have been de-
prived of financial support by the
loss Of the head Of their families,
and are in need of assistance to give
them the necessities of life;
Now, therefore, I, Thomas G. Nc
Leod, as governor of the state, do
call upon the people of South Caro-
lima to do everything within their
power to abate as much as possible
the anguish of our fellow citizens. In
the name of humanity, let those of
us who are able send generous con-
tributions of funds to supply physI-
cal sustenance to those who need it.
Let us also unite in praying to the
Divine Healer to soothe their broken
spirits with His love and in assuring
them of the boundless sympathy and
. hrotherly love of the people through.
out the state who sorrow with them"
RUINS ARE COMBED FOR
KEEPSAKES OF DEAD
CAMDEN S. c., May t9.-(By the
Associated Press.) - Still dazed
by the tragedy of Thursday night
in which seventy-five persons lost
their lives in the fire at Cleveland
graded school, eight miles from here,
the Cleveland school and Camden
communities and Kershaw county are
preparing. with a cute realization of
the extent of the tragedy, to care
for in every way those left dependent
by the fire. Only this afternoon the
funerals of the last of the dead were
held at the Buelah church and at
inc hn of
fund being collected by the chamber
of commerce of Camden and Ker-
shaw county had mounted to over
$4,000, with committees appointed
to supervise further collections and
disbursements. A plan for fund to
insure the education of the chill
dren left motherless and fatherless
is being worked out and the work on
farms where the head Of the family
persisted will be supervised and aided
by men designated or employed
out Of the fund by the chamber of
commerce.
Ruins Searched
The ruins of the the little frame
school house were thoroughly comb
ed today in search of possible addi'
tional bodies but none was found and
the total Of seventy-five dead is au-
thentic, according to undertakers,
clergymen and relatives who assisted
in the work of Identifying the bod
les as far as possible and in check
ing up on all who were reported to
have attended the commencement
exercises.
The ruins were searched not only
for bodies today. however. Grief
stricken mothers and fathers search
ed for keepsakes, keys, knives or
anything which might not have been
destroyed and which they might
treasure in memory Of their daugh
ters and sons. Many visited the
heap of charred wood and ashes
spread between eight little mounds
of brick which once faGmed the
foundation pillars of the school and
in several instances the bereaved
ones left with some sort of remem-
brance. One white-haired woman
assisted by a lady yet in his teens,
walked slowly away from the ruins
sobbing, fondling the frame Of an
r umbrella, warped and blackened. Her
daughter had carried an umbrella to
the commencement exercises and the
mother was confident it was the one,
for on Thursday night there was not
cloud IN the skies and some COM
ment had been passed when the
daughter announced she would take
it anyway Just, in case"
Pathetic Scenes
A story frequently heard in Cam
den today was how one mother had
forced her fourteen-year- old son to
fhront
a whipping, the lad having demurred
on the grounds he didn't want to
see Miss Topsy Turvy' anyway; it's
not a real play. Why L know all
the people going to play in it. N any
way its sissified." The boy was
burned to death and the mother to-
L..