The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-04-05
RECOVERING THE BODIES OF THE
DEAD MINERS.

DEAD MINERS.
Anxi. : Crowds Gather to witness the Re-
suIt- OF the GhastIy Search at BraidEvoOd,
twenty-five COrpses Taken from the
Ainc-Anecting Scenes.
BRArpwoob, IN, March 90.
This was day of intense excitement at the
Diam nd mine. When it 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 morgue clamoring for admittance. |
In some cases Identification was absolutely |
impossible. Even where the poor miner had |
escaped the horrible fate OF being crushed by |
rocks and earth, the action of the
water had bIoated and discOlored his |
body heyond recognition Up to 12:3O p. H.,
the Efforts of the searching parties had been
rewarded by the finding of twenty-five bodies.
Those identified were: Patrick Wall Joseph
Smith. Joseph Carroll, Frank Kloss, Mike Ban
non, John johnson, Mathew. Redmond, John
CulioFgh, A. Dembrosky, John Dembrosky,
| Georire -Boukosky, August Palenis, Frank
! Mo- = Daniel Mcbride, Herman TIMBER,
| John Atkins and John Boyd The remains were
! in every instance in q most shocking condi-
| ton. When being placed in the cOftins even
! the most gentle handling caused the flesh to
| fall or in pieces. The Inorgue itself was filed
with the disgusting odors arising from the Pu-
! trified mass. The fumes of the disinfectants
| but added to the horrible STENCIL
| The funeral train, appropriately draped,
| left Braidwood for the mine at seven a m,
/ returning at nine a. m. Eighteen eOffins, with
their disagreeabe contents, were taken on
| the cars. But, disgusting as was the condi-
ton of the bodies, it did not detract from the
grief of those whose loved ones were being
taken to their final resting-plaees. A Mrs
Redmond, residing near the village of
Diamond, signaled the train to stop as it
passed her houses With heautrending shrieks
she demanded the remains of her boy, en-
cased in one of the cofins. This terrible
burden in her arms she rushed frantically to
her desOlate home, saying she could rot per
nit her child to be buried without seeing that
the body was decently prepared for inter
ment.
When the train with its 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 reT~ aims This
demand was acceded to, when tn cofin-hds
: were taken of, tie crows passed and looked
with curious eyes and bated breath at the hor-
, rible sight exposed -to-vicw- One of the most
affecting scenes occurred on the coffin con-
tanning the body of John Dembrosky. His
bereaved wife, rending the ar with her cries,
| wringing her hands, aud weeping in the agony
of woe, called upon God to return to her the
support of her life. Kind friends took her
| away, and the cOffins were placed IN hearses
teries During the after noon several funeral
. professions passed along the throrged streets
of BraidwOOd, aHa
The excitement seems to have abated sone'
| what and, although crowds press eagerly Tor
ward on the sidewalk, it is only out of idle
: curiosity. The remains of a miner who had
been a member of some benevolent organ1za
ton are being conveyed to their last resting
place band of music heads the procession
u and then follow relations and friends IN car
+ riages and wagons. Trade is going on IN Jht
4 stores as usual, and is probably increased, al
the town is full of strangers. The saloons, o.
which there seems to be no lack, are crowded
- The scenes in the morgue when the bodies
> were being identified were of the most melan
|. | choly kind. 4 man came in, and, hastily scan
ming the faces of the dead, at last stopped be
# side one claiming it as his brother. At tn
, same moment woman, who had been engages
in the sad task of looking at the bodies in feaI
/ fuI hopes of seeing the face of a lost one, eG
g claimed that the same corpse was that OF he
husband A dispute arose over this, whe
J the woman said she could tell if she was righ
=, when the boots we're removed, for the reaso
a, that her husband, upon the fatal morning
- when he got up, finding one of his own SOCK
~ wet, had taken one of hers. Accordingly, tn
$ boots of the dead man were taken of, an
le disclosed one mans sock and one woman
10 stocking.
a The scene at the Diamond shaft last nigh
a was devoid of exciting details. Relays {
- miners stood about discussing the incidents {
10. their work of excavation during the day. In
Ee funeral train, consisting of two coaches an
two fiat cars draped in mourning, was stan'
re | ing on the track near by, ready for its nel
i load of victims. The Daily NilCS represent
= tive running across Johnnie Skinner, of tn
i1 II" shaft, was told that, if desired, he cOul
~ 10 down the Diamond shaft. Accordingly tt
al party started. Upon reaching the bottom [
he means of the cage it was found that abol
he one foot of water still remained Althoug
re the pumps are kept steadily at work Il
L water does not seem to lower much. Pas
:, ing along the road of the mine tt
- party encountered immense piles of sOa
". stone, which had fallen from the roo
IL stopping up the passage. In numero'
Is, places it was only by crawling upon the han'
ne and knees that progress could be made. Sea
ad tered along the route were the relics of Il
dead. Here WAS a dinner pail, the conten
" just as the unfortunate man had lett theI
save for the mold which gathered thickiy oV
oy them. A little farther on was mtldewed COZ
ng and still further pair of mittens. AS the a
5he vance of the exploring party made plac
vas were pointed out where such and such
miners body had been found. In one spot
,or was said a body had been found on the top
80 the supporting timbers of the roof doubtle
CeS where the poor fellow had crawled, hoping
I've escape the relentless food. Twice the par
st. crawled over the dead bodies of mules whi
The were buried under the fallen rock. The {
Dloration was continued to the point whe
-or the work of eXcaYating had been -stopp'
., some FIVE hundred yards from the mouth
Oeu the shaft.
as 1t is hard to convey an idea of the immer
Su- labor to be accomplished before the work
lad l. l. search can be finished. Tons and tons
lad | rock will have to be removed. A pit boss
on | thirty-fve years experience claims that
- | mine can not be cleared until the 4th of j
next. and similar opinions exist among
l III miners. No conception of the task TO be p
ohe formed had entered the minds of the men l
til to-day Tonight new system of We
!, a was put in operation. A shift of men '
left put to work at the mouth of the shaft a
80 all efforts will be directed toward clear
- all the debris away, that the cars can
w run on the tracks and utilized to 4
rms away the rubbish and stone. There
no doubt that many an unfortunate vic1
lah lies buried under these masses of debris.
80 miners say that in all their varied experie
" 'Ao of disasters they never came across one
the which there was such immense mass
rubbish to get rid of. They also said that
mine was one of the safest in which they
/ >. ever operated. While the exploring pa
stopped to take breath after the labor
the | efforts which had been made, one miner
,itv that many time he had stopped right IN
- and smoked his pipe, feeling as stIe as u
uTy / his cottage. Pitt Boss Gallagher salo
il in more bodies could possibly be taken out pei
Tomorrow night AS the remains of the
tins were brought to the surface to-day I
Y of were viewed by Coroner Werner, of VIII 20
-. ty, and his jury. No time is as yet set Tor
MS formal inquest
ago. -<-S- -s---
ring Shooting a COmrade In Play
LA CROSSE, Wis, March .
N