Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-04-29
A FLOATING GRAVEYARD.


on Saturday last by persons living on the
bank Of the river at and near Jefferson
Barracks. The river was observed to be
covered for some distance with a number
of human bodies, some in coffins and some
floating in their grave clothes upon the
water, and all drifting along silently, with
out guide or pilot The impression atthe
Barracks was that the soldiers graveyard
on Arsenal Island had washed away, and
orders were issued to secure as many bod
les as possible. A skif was obtained, and
five or six Of the cofined corpses were Sc
cured and sent to the cemetery. One OF
the collins was opened, and it was discov-
cred that the inmate was citizen; the
others were then opened, and they also
contained the corpses Of citizens. A
large number Of the foaters passed on
probably ffty;or sixty--and fifteen of them
we're eau ht at the mouth of Meramec by
Justice Fette. Previous to this, four
bodies, in collins, were brougEt ashore at
Ivory Station, on the Iron Mountain road
One Of these was dressed in black cloth
clothes, with white gloves on the hands,
another was woman dressed III calico
Another was colored man, who although
buried nearly two years ago, appeared to
have been dead only an hour Eight
bodies were brought ashore at Carond6let
Most Of the bodies were greatly decompos-
ed, and the efluvia caused those who were
near to hold their noses A few Of the
bodies, however, were not at all decom-
posed nor discolored
When the first three or four foaters
were caught, news was sent to the Coron-
er, who went down and held an inquest
on three Of them. They came in SO fast,
however, that the Coroner concluded they
must have come from the cholera grave
yard on Arsenal Island. When the fact
became known, there was great excite
meat in Carondelet, and people kept at a
distance from the corpses. Thirty-eight
corpses were recovered altogether, and
probably twice as mary foated further
or drifted into eddies. They will afford
employment for the Coroners of the coun-
ties on both sides between this place Caro-
These foaters had been buried in the
summer of 1866, by order Of the Board
Of Health, on Arsenal Island They
were paupers who died Of cholera, and
their burial was generally hasty. It will
be remembered by some Of our readers
that at the line mention was made in our
columns Of tie dispute that arose between
the Mayor and the health officers in re-
gard to the selection Of a spot on the Is
land for interring the dead The Mayor
selected q place which the physician
thought was to nesr the hospital buildings,
and While the dispute was IN progress
large numbers of bodies remained unbur-
led for several days, and some Of the cof-
fms were burst by the swelling Of the
corpses, aud created most horrible
stencil. The men employed as grave
diggers could hardly bear the smell, and
their work was done in a very hasty man
ner. Trenches about hundred feet LONG
were dug three or four hundred feet from
the water, and the collins were placed ia.
them in rows and covered with a foot or
two in sand. Since that time the river
has constantly been cutting away the is
land, and it was known months ago by
the Board Of Health that it would be nee
essary to remove the bodies Orders to
that effect were given and partially exc
cuted, but We could not ascertain why the
removal was left incomplete. Tt is be-
leyed that at least one tier of collins fell
into the river on Saturday, aud that about
one hundred bodies were set adrift. At
that part Of Che island the ground washed
away is about 800 feet long and 200 feet
wide butt whole island, for which the
city paid $33 600 about three years ago,
is rapidly caying in, and in few years
there will be nothing left of it.
Tt is due to the present Board OF
Health to state that not one Of the pres
cnt members were in the Board at that
time. In 1866 John Finn was President
Of the Board and a majority of the mem
bers belonged to the City Council. Tt
was The same Board that deposited the 70
dead mules in mans quarry, and for
which the city has been sued As dis
poser Of dead bodies the Board was not
success, as the revolving spectacle Of Sat-
urary proves. 1t is believed now that all
the remaining graves upon the island are
secure, at least for the present.--St. Lou
20 Noq,7oapof Ig,9,iT %