The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-01-26
BURYING HEROES.
BUTTE'S TRIBUTE TO HER
DEAD,
The Funeral Ceremonies Over the
Graves of Those Who Died i'm the
Performance OF duty-LarSe Delegn-
ton From Other Montana Cities.

IWenty-SlX funerals were held In |
Butte last Friday. The mourning citi-
zens of that city, as we'll as of all the
state, joined in paying the highest pos
sible tribute to departed heroes, who
died bravely in the performance of
duty the Tuesday night previous.
Twenty-Five Thousand people crowd
ed the streets through which the pro-
cession passed, and fully 5000 men
were in line. There were many sights
in the sad procession to induce solem-
nifty even in the most thoughtless. The
six hearses, the two dead wagons i'm
prOvised as hearses. and the big band
wagon, covered with Grape, drawn by
four white horses, carrying nine coffins.
were alone an impressive scene.
In small casket in one of the dead
wagons had been placed the fragments
of heroic manhood picked up far and
near the scene of the explosion. SO
shattered were the arms and legs, the
pieces of breast. and the scraps of skull,
that no identification of any of the
fragments had been possible. But it is
naturally supposed that they are all
that are left of Chief Cameron and his
brave men, Sam Ash, Dave Moses and
p. J. Norling, blown into thousand
pieces by the giant force which lay an
unseen and treacherOus enemy among
them. Friends had tenderly gathered
and preserved every scrap OF human
flesh in the hope, which proved vain,
that some scrap might show of which
hero it had been part. Always to,
gether in life, always fighting fire side
by side. no matter what the peril, Cam
eron, Moses, Ash, and Norling are
united in death. They lived together
they fought fire side by side for years
they met death together. Brave men
heroes every one of them, and THEN
heroic remains were carried to the
cemetery in one casket and placed fol
all eternity in one grave.
Not less impressive was the sight Of
the nine caskets on the great band
wagon. They We're the unclaimed
bodies of Tuesday nights disaster. Nc
friends or relatives has come to claim
these bodies. In the thousands of cur
ious spectators who had gaZed upOr
their features in the undertaking
rooms there was none to say, "Thl:
man was my friend; his burial is my
privilege Over some of them no ser
vice was said except the service at the
cemetery. But among the nine deat
whose departure brought no specia
grief to any heart there were SOM
heroes Some at least Of the nine los
their lives, not idle spectators Of an ex
citing scene, but as heroes who helpe(
to ward off the flames when danger wa
, thickest
There was another sight peculiarl
: affecting in the mournful cortege
, Chief Cameron's horse marched in tn
procession, drawing the cart in whic
, for years, in winter and summer, b.
y udy duu MS AAu, AAC Auu NoAASN 49,
> master to fires. There was no driver
=. the cart to-day. A fireman led tn
. restless horse, who, with uneasy actor
waited for the familiar touch of tn
r. rein, listened for the familiar voice {
q his master, the voice to which he ha
=. always been responsive, the voice h
would never hear again.
Not alone did the entire city turn o,
to pay tear bedimmed tribute of re
spect, but the entire state of Montan
was represented. Large delegations
v firemen were present from Anaconda
Helena, Great Falls, Missoula, Dee
= Lodge, Bozeman and Billings, and OF
e ciated as pail bearers.
- To the solemn music of funer
dirge from the Boston & Montana bar
e. the procession moved Oft IN the foilo'
ing order:
y, Marshal McNichols and Chief OF Poll
T. Leyden.
e. Platoon of Helena Police.
Sheriff's Officers.
Marshal Harry earns and Aids.
Boston and Montana Band.