The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-24
WERE HNIRED IN DEATH
THOUSANDS PxY TRIBUTE OF RE-
sPEE1s TO VICTIMS OK
FIRE
GRAND OPERA HOUSE PACKED
Scene Wasednsar eSsIse When Eto-
quent Divincs Pronounced Eu-
IOgies on Those who Died
at Pcs o. Duty.

A tribute, yet an insignificant one, with
the cost exacted was the occasion which
yesterday afternoon drew thousands to
the Grand Opera house to do honor TO
the memory Of the four brave firemen
who died while in the performance of
their duty Sunday morning.
Tongue canRet@ tell or pen indite the
impressiveness of the occasion when the
curtain with weird effect disappeared
from sight and displayed to the thou
sands assembled four black-ensased cask-
cts. arranged-ons a4.Yide. catafalque. each
holding the mortal remains of hero.
Natures beauties, .4lfastinted in profu-
sion, tribute to duty that knows no turn
ing back, tempered the impressiveness of
the stage, yet only added to the solemn
ity, as the audience looked on mutely.
while from their grief=s tricken relatives
or heart-broken wife or mother, sob of
anguish was-4feaFd. s-s4s
In silent sympathy brother fireInen
bowed their heads, tears Nglistened in the
eyes of many Of the boys, while the au
dience, silent in its testimonial to their
brave deeds, looked4on4and.s suffered. The
scene indeed was one for meditation, and
time can only effacesftafreH~fhe mind
THOUSANDS WE'RE TURNED AWAY
Fully 1900 was the estimate placed on
the number that gathered in@the vicinity
of the Grand prior to O'clock but only
portion of that number gained admit
lance when the doors We're opened at
2:15.
The gallery and balcony only were
opened the lower part of the house being
reserved to the french, the secret So
cieties to which the dead firemen belong
ed, and their relatives, in addition to the
city and county officials. Any space left
4nJF-T nod
crowds, a few of which were accommo-
dated, while the balance contented them
selves with waiting outside ana Witness
ing the funeral cortege as it passed by
on its way to the cemetery.
The stage settings were simple, yet i'm
pressiVe, the four caskets in their drap-
cry of black standing out in bold relief
from the mass Of beautiful floral offerings
and emblems that fairly covered each.
Shields Of white roses four in number
were ranged in front, on each being the
title by which the four brave men were
known in life and as such unflinchingly
had answered the last CALI On top of
the caskets, testimonials of love- bearing
the words cat Rest" and His Last
Call" were in profusion, while at the
sides and banked along the rear, natures
beauties were en- mass. v.fs-.zA
In the two boxes to the right and left
Of the stage were the families and rela,
tives of Lieut.. Edey and Assistant Chief
or indeed was theirs
On the rising of the curtain, Seibert's
Third Regiment band played ''Neare; Ny
God, to Thee" the effect of the beautiful
air being heightened by the muff1ing OF
the larger Instruments. @'<<f
Rev. John Wright, of st. Paul's Episco-
pal church, read the funeral services. con-
GLIDING with tribute to the dead fire
men, who he said, were imbued with that
great principle OF self sacrifice They fell
at the pest of duty and no sentiment was
too lofty in describing their virtues.
Self sacrifice said Rev Wright, ''un-
derlies our religion and therefore is a
measure of our usefulness. - -
DIED AT. DUTY's POST.
Following, Dr. S. c. Smith, of the Eco
pies church, and Rev. A. 3. Meldrum, Of
the Central Presbyterian church spoke
briefly, each adding his mite in pnstinted
tribute to the four bravo fremtn.
They say peke=DnsaNIeldrunar that
these men died an untimely death No
death that comes to a man found al his
post of duty is an untimely death That
life may be short tbs true, but it is a
finished one. These men were young and
brave, they went forth as called, ard fell.
Their lives say were finished To these
stricken families our hearts go. out In
sympathy. sf''isns s''s rzc.y RI
dered by quartette from the st. Paul
lodge of Masons and. Seiberts band
The services concluded, the bodies of
Assistant Chief Irvine and Lieut. Edey
were carried through the opera house and
placed III the hearses, while the bodies
Of Burt P. Irish and Louis Wagner were
transferred back to the undertaking
rooms, the. LATTER preparatory to- being
taken to Young America today and that
of Burt P. Irish. pending word from his
relatives.
The funeral cortege headed by a
platoon of mounted police was long one
and was witnessed by thousands who
gathered along. the line of march while
others followed in carriages and wit,
messed the last sad rites at the two
graves in Oakland cemetery.
Following the platoon Of police came
Seiberts' band, Woodmen of the Wa
No. 6, ST. Paul Lodge of Masons, local
and visiting firemen. from Minreapoi1S,
Saltwater and NEinona. city and rou+'-
officials, details Of police, and, lastly the
two hearses and carriages containing the
families and relatives OF the two men.
At the cemetery two distinct funeral
ceremonies were carried out, that over
the grave of Chief Irvine being under
the auspices of the Woodmen of the
World, While the Masonic order off,
ciated at the burial Of Lieut.. Edey.
HELD PRIVATE SERVICES.
Preceding the public funeral at the
Grand opera house private services were
conducted at the homes of the two men
laid TO rest yesterday. afternoon.
At the late home Of Lieut. Edev 843
Raymond street Rey. William C. Sage.
of the st. Anthony Park Methodist
church, conducted. the services while
sacred hymns were rendered by the Ma
sonic quartette. Z" i" ''a'''f<'-,s
The palibeareis, Messrs. C. E. Wright.
Duncan Ferguson, W. T. Black, H. s.
Warren, James Ferguson and Oscar
Landers, representing the fire depart
ment, and the St. Paul. lodge of Ma
sons escorted the remains to the opera
house, and later to Oakland cemetery.