The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-03-19

M0unced.
erected. It's loud speakers hanging
from trees, from the ruins Of the
auditorium, from poles planted in
the earth.
They blared through the night.
Bodies Of His Two Children
They summoned j. r. Reach 70
the emergency hospital. 1t was sad
news. The bodies Of his two chill
dren had been identified.
Cruel ruYnor tortured the. rescue
workers even more than their task
tortured them. One said that O
dynamite bomb had been exploded
under the school and anger, for q
few minutes, ragged uncontrolled.
Then 1t, was found that IS sticks
Of ilrlexpioded dynamite had been
found In the gymnasium.
1t had been part OF a supply used
for blasting out rock in clearing
the Athletic field and contributed
not in the least to the disaster.
Living Beneath Ruins
Others that circulated during the
horror filled night were that living
children and living teachers re-
NAMED beneath the debris: that
their piteous cries filtered UP
through the heaped brick and NOR
tar. These caused fathers whose
children still were missing to hope
against hope, only to be led later
to a rlangled body.
Before midnight q few children
were taken In q dying condition
from the debris. They had been
near the top. After midnight, the
children removed were dead.
Colonel Parker. q kindly greying
man, was obviously under a fright
full strain. The complex though
efficient organization passed through
his hands. HIS voice shook little
and his eyes were q little dim. Among
other Of his experiences, he saw the
bleeding, broken form Of o seven year
old child uncovered brick by brick.
The child was breathing when the
last brick was removed. h
Lifted Up Tendefly
A. grease covered pump man, his
shoulder muscles trembling so In
tensely was he concentrating on
making his red, iron like hands
gentle, lifted her up. Her head
turned just q little and her lips
parted.
The child was dead.
Meanwhile Governor Alfred had
communicated with Colonel Clar-
ence e. Parker Of the Texas Ma
tional Guard. Parker was to IN
augurate the Inildest and most co.
operative form OF martial law, but
1t was to be martial law, rieverthe-
less. The military man was to be
sole arbiter OF the various rescue
forces. y
Soldiers Rush to Scene
Soon, the soldiers OF the ll2th
Cavalry, 72nd Field Artillery, and
the 144th Infantry were rolling over
the highways. their rifles In hand.
But Colonel Parker found 1t diff
cult to mobilize enough soldiers
quickly, and the radio applied Tor
Boy Scouts Of the first class.
The Eagle Scouts were given rifles,
but no ammunition, and their youth
full faces lined with solemnity, re.
ceived and felt responsibility. They
patrolled their beats with the regu-
lar soldiers. The soldiers and their
adolescent allies held back the curl
Gus, modified and effectuated the
unordered volunteer oil workers, even
helped the women Of the country
side - wives OF the oil field workers,
many Of them mothers dead or In
jured children - prepare coffee and
sandwiches for the workers.
Supt. Showered With Bricks
w. G. Shaw, the superintendent,
had left the main building a few
minutes before the explosion to
watch children playing tennis on
nearby courts. Bricks showered
down around him, lacerating his
hands and face. He was too stun
ned TO discuss the disaster, as was
Troy Deiran, the principal. J.
H. Bunch, a mathematic instruc-
tor, had been In the gym at the
parents-teachers meeting. He saw
the windows cave In, the walls
coming with them. The day grew
black as night with flying dust and
rhinestone. Then the air cleared
and at his feet was wreckage and
death. u
Govt. Agencies at Work ~
Warm Springs, Ca, March ID
U.P)-Presiden Roosevelt mar
shaled government relief agencies
today ito render every assistance in
their power" to teh community OF
New London, Tex.
II have asked the Red Gross and
all the government agencies to
stand by" he said at hts vacation
headquarters, "and render every as
sistance in their power to the COM
munity to which this shocking trag-
cdy has come"
Some Parents Happy
OveFton. Tex, March l0--(UP)--
The parents OF three boys were
elated today because the sons played
hockey" from classes IN the New
London Gchool. The ceiling crashed
down on the boys empty desks
when an explosion shattered the
building. The youths were Elmer
MaFsden, Llstlier Mcclure and TFu'
man fSoneycutt. ~ We
Two young Dutch brothers o.
their way from HARLEM 70 java
1900 miles. have reached Han