Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-04-05
BRADwoOD, M, March g.


Iu.-Tgenty-twO COrpses Taken from the.
llIpe-AHecting Scenes.
BRAIDwOOD, Ill, March %.
This was q day of intense excitement at the
Diamond mine. When il became known early
this morning that the bodies which were dis
covered had been brought to the surface.
crowds surged to the shaft, and scene of the
widest confusion ensued Relatives and
friends of the unfOrtunate victims pressed
about the nOrgue clamoring for sdmittance.
In some cases Identification was absolutely
impossible. Even where the poor miner had
escaped the horrible fate of being egushed by
rocks and earth, the action of the
water had bloated and discolored his
body beyond recognitiOn. up TO 1880 p. M.
the efforts of the searching parties had been.
rewarded by the finding of twenty-five bodies
Those identified were: Patrick ivan, Joseph
Smith.41oseph Carroll, Frank Kl0SS, Nike Ran
non, John Johnson, Mathew Redmond, John
Cuuough. "A. Dembrosky, John DeEhbFeSky,
George BOukosky. August Palenis, TEIapk
Marry, Daniel Mcbride, Herman, lumber,
John Atkins and John Boyd. The remains we're
IN every instance in a most shocking copdi--
ton: When being placed in the collins even
the most gentle handling caused the hesh to
fall of in pieces. The morgue itself was filed
with the disgusting odors arising from the pu-
trif3ed mass: The fumes of the. aisiufectantss
but added to the horrible stencil.
IL.
left Braidwood for the mine at seven a! M,
returning at nine e. m. Eighteen coffinsl with
their dlSagreeable contents, were taken on
the cars. But, disgusting as was tho 'oondi--
ton Of the bodies, il did not detract from the
grief of those whose loved ones were beng
taken to their final resting-places. A. Mrs,
Redmond, residing near the Villages fof-
Diamond,r signaled the train to stop sas lit,
passed her house. With heartrending shrieks,
she demanded the remains of her, boy, en-
cased in one of the collins. This teTTiblef
burden in her arms, she rushed frantically co.
her desolate home, saying she could not per-
NIT her child to be buried without seeing that
the body was decently prepared for inter-
ment.
When the train with it's load of humanity
reached the depot at Braidwood a most dis
tressing scene took place! Women and chill
dren shrieking and crying demanded that.
they be allowed to see the remains, This
demand was acceded to, when the cofin-lids
were taken off, the crowd passed and looked,
with curious eyes and bated breath at the 11or-
ribe sight exposed to view. One of the most
affecting scenes occurred ON the coffin con
tanning the body of John Dembrosl1y. His
bereaved wife, rending>thp air with her cries.
wringing her hands, and Weeping in the agony
of woe, called upon Sod to return to her the
support of her ,life.5 Kind friends took her
away and the tcofRfis we're placed in hearses
teries. During the afternoon several funeral
professions passed along the thronged streets
of Braidwood. ''''i
The excitement seems to have abated some
what, and, although crowds press eagerly for
ward on the sidewalk it is only, out of idle
curiosity. The remains of miner who had
bean member.of some benevolent OrgRniza-
ton, are being conveyed to their last resting
place. A band of music heads the procession
and then follow relations and friends in carr
riages andwagons, Trade is going on in the
stores as usual, and is probably increased, as
the town is full of strangers The saloons, Of
which there seems to be no lack, are crowded.
The scenes in the morgue when the bodies
were being identified were of the mOSt- mGlan-
choly kind. A man: came in and, hastily sean-
ming the faces of the dead, at last stopped be-
side one, claiming it as his brother. AT the
same moment woman, who had been engaged
in the sad task of looking at the bodiesin fear,
full hopes of seeing the face of Il lost one, ex-
claimed that the same corpse was that of her
husband. A dispute. arose over this, when
the woman said she could tell if she was right
when the boots were removed, for the reason
that her husband, upon the fatal morning,
when he got up, finding one of his own socks
wet, had taken one of hers Accordingly, the
boots of the dead man were taken of, and
disclosed one mains sock and one wOnian's
stocking.
The scene at the Diamond shaft last night
was devoid Of. exciting details. Relays of
miners stood about discussing the incidents of
their work of excavation during the day, Che
funeral train, consisting Of two coaches and
two fiat cars draped in mourning, was. stand
ing on the track near by, ready for. its next.
load of victims. The Daily NsG0s representa-
tive running across Johnnie Skinner, Of the
at" shaft was told that, if desired, he could
go down the Diamond shaft. Accordingly the
party started. Upon reaching the bottom by
means of the cage it was found that about
one foot of water still remained. Although
the pumps are kept STEADILY at work the
water does not seem to lower MUCH Pass
ing along the road of the nfne \ the
party encountered immense piles of soap
stone, which had fallen from the sroof,
stopping up the passage In numerous
places it was only by crawling upon the hands
and knees that progress could be made. Scat
tered along the route were the relics of the
dead. Here was dinner pail, the contents
just as the unfortunate man had left them,
save for the mold which gathered thiclIly over
them. A little farther on was widowed coat
and still further pair of mittens. AS the ad-.
vance of the exploring party was made places.
were pointed out where such and such a.
miners body had been found. In one spot it
was said body had been found on the top Of
the supporting timbers OF the roof, doubtless
where the poor fellow had crawled, hoping to.
escape the relentless, food Twice the larty
crawled over the dead bodies of mules which
were buried under the fallen rock. The ex-
ploration was continued 10 the point where
the work of excavating had been stoppedr
some FIVE hundred yards from the mouth of
the shaft -.t1 49, e,..s y
1t is hard to convey an idea of the immense
labor to be accomplished before the work Of
search can be finished. Tons and tons Of
rock will have to be removed. A pit boss of
thirty-five years experience claims that the.
mine can not be cleared until the 4th Of July
next, and similar opinions exist among, the
miners. No conception of the task to be per
formed had entered the minds Of the men un-
til to-day. Tonight a new system of work
was put in operation, a shift of men was
put to work at the mouth of the shaft, and
all efforts viii be directed toward clearing
all the debris away, so that the cars can be
run on the tracks and utilized to- take
away the rubbish and stone. There is
no doubt that many an unfortunate victim
lies buried under these masses Of debtiss Old
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