The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-27
THE DEAD AT BRAIDW0OD.
Removing the Corpses After Thirty
Eight Days Immersion.
Great Excitement Attendant Upon the
WOrk-sad Scenes on the Surface, and
Sadder Ones in the Mine.
Braidwood Special, 18th.

OIaiuWOOu special, z0tn.
A continuous stream of people from miles
around has been visiting the Diamond shaft
all day. The throng includes many of the
widows and orphans of the unfortunate vic
tins whose bodies are about to be resur-
rected, and almost every nationality is repre-
sented. Profound secrecy has been the
standing order among the Diamond company
officials, who claim openly at this hour Is
o'clock that 10 bodies save two nave been
found. The programme of the company, it
is said, is to first bring up a few bodies, and,
everything being in readiness, hold the in
quest with all possible dispatch, and then
send the corpses On the funeral train to
Braidwood depot. This move is to divide
the thousands of people present and divert
much of the interest to Braidwood city.
Probably the debris will be removed and
everything ready to raise a large number of
bodies by IL o'clock tonight.
The afflicted women and children up to
this hour bear their suspense philosophic-
ally. There is no disorder of any kind, and
the thfong, though anxious to identify their
dear ones, is acting with commendable good
sense. Many in the crowd are young people
with light hearts, contrasting notably with
the grief-Stricken widows whose faces have
worn sadness and melancholy since the ever
memorable 10th of February.
The excitement at the Diamond shaft is
intense. A correspondent descended the
main shaft at 10 o'clock, and thoroughly ex-
piored every accessible part of it. About one
foot OF water yet remains in the bottom. On
reaching ii, the first thing in view was four
canvas stretchers elevated above the water,
each containing the CHASTITY remains of one
OF the unfortunate victims. The condition
OF the bodies is much better than would be
naturally expected after thirty-eight days
immersion. Three of the four were clothed
in their usual mining suits, and the fourth
with merely an undershirt and pants sup
ported bya belt. One man Ia splendid specimen
of physical manhood, with q light mustache
and his pipe sticking out of his pocket,
looked as though asleep, and the features of
none were distorted. The smell was not
nearly as bad as was expected, These four
were not seen by anyone until to-day at 10
o'clock. They were found after removing the
first trap-door upon the Western I've. About
% yards further a number of heroic miners
were engaged in removing a heavy fall of
rock from the body of a fifth victim. The
poor fellow lay upon his face, with only his
head projecting from beneath the rocky mass.
After removing this fall and the body, prog
ress was made some so yards further, and a
fall which blocked the entire roadway was
encountered. 1t probably weighed a hundred
tons, being ten yards in length and two yards
i'll height. Work was at once commenced to
remove this immense mass, and upon cutting
away some of the broken props, the sixth
body was discovered lying upon the
rocks, and having apparently doated
to this position. At this writing
the prospect of finding any more bodies be-
fore this pile is removed is very doubtful.
In the opinion of those whose willing hands
were untiringly working IN, its removal can
not be accomplished before daylight to-
morrow. The hosting of the bodies will
begin on the arrival of the Will county coro-
ner at midnight.
At the morgue, which is midway between
the hosting shaft and the escapement shaft,
all is activity. A dozen collins tand on end
in one end of the room, and q strong odor of
disinfectants pervades the place. Anxious
faces, white and black; peer through the
windows at the scene of preparation, and
workmen are busy providing materials for
any emergency that may be anticipated or
suggested. The working force comprises
about 100 picked men, and those in the mine
work in three-hour reliefs, fourteen men
at each shift. The force represents every
company operating in this coal field. Hun
dreds of other brave fellows are volunteering
to. aid in recovering the bodies, some of them
almost begging to be allowed to go down,
that hey may see the remains of some COM
panion or relative. The probabilities are
that many of them will be given a chance to
work in the CHASTITY search before any great
majority OF the bodies are exhumed. Among
persons on the ground are Sheriff Reitz and
his deputies, and two physicians. At 5
O'clock this afternoon one of the large
Knowles pump-pipes came apart at the
thread, causing some delay and an accumula-
ton OF water. At that time nearly two feet
of quicksand lay all along the double track in
the main I've. At II o'clock several hundred
men and many women still fingered at the
shaft, watching every development and
listening to all sorts of wild rumors. A bright
fire CLEANS in an iron rack in front of the
morgue, and prairie fires extending more
than a mile in length light up the heavens in
a s%outherly direction, making a weird scene.
Everything proceeds quietly, and much of
the conversation is in an undertone. 1t is
feared that the matter of identifying the
bodies will cause much delay, Judging from
those seen thus far. Several of the cofins
here are designed for the bodies of certain
individuals, but it may be a week before
such bodies are found and identified. To-
morrow none of the mines here will be
working, owing to the intense excitement.
A special train was run to-day from this city
crowded with visitors from this place and
neighboring towns.
WHAT WAS SEEN IN THE MINE.
At 7 o'clock on Sunday evening the first
practical exploring party that has yet entered
the Diamond Mine began the search beyond
the drop or cave, which was continued down
the south road, or what will be termed sec
ton one, as the mine is to be explored in
sections. The door was found closed, which
substantiates Mine Inspector Moifat's theory.
The door was broken open, when a sight
met the eyes of the Mortified miners which
chilled their very blood. Lying on his back,
with nothing on in the shape OF clothes, I'M
d~erneath a body of soapstone fully ten tons
in heft, was one of the victims, with distorted
features and clenched hands. Lying on his