Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-04
BURY FIRE VICTIMS
Mrs. Rena Reiter and Miss Petit
Bell Laid at Rest in
One Grave.
SERVICE AT BROADWAY CHURCH
Memorial Ceremonies Held Las
Evening by First NJ. f.
Congregation.

Mrs. Rena Reiter and Miss PETIT Bell
victims of the Chicago theatre fire
were laid away in a single grave in
Chippiannock cemetery yesterday af-
ternoon alongside those of their par
ents. Mr.. and Mrs. William Bell, and
their brother and sister.
The funeral services were held AT
Broadway Pres byterian church, Rev
William Torrance having charge in
the absence of the pastor. Rev. w. s.
Marquis, who had been called to Min
onk. H., to the funeral of his nephew
and niece. whose lives were destroyed
in the disaster with Mrs. Reiter and
Miss Bell. The remains were no.
shown 1T the church.
DR.. Torrance touched briefly on the
general sorrow occasioned by last
weeks catastrophe, referring to the
fact thar while he was saving the last
rites over the two bodies before him
there were perhaps no less than 100
mournful professions leading to the
cemeteries of Chicago. and that in
many other cities in this and adjoin-
my states dear ones who had perish
ed in the same building were being
conveyed by loving hands to their last
resting places.
One hymm-"God BE With You Till
We Meet Again sung by a quar-
tet composed Of Mrs. Paul Hamilton.
Miss RosabeH Stewart. J. J. Lines and
II. f. Van Duzer. The paIlbearerS
were j. II. Warner. James Carl, ]. z.
Fleming. s Il. Stoddard. H. \. J. Me
Donald ana }. Il. ladders. Accom-
panying the remains from Chicago
were Mrs. j. Paul Jones and Miss Ella
Bell. TcleCo. Ohio, and Percy Reiter.
Miss Maude Reiter and j. j. Heating.
of Chicago. Misses Bell and Reiter
remained for visit at the home of
Mr.. and Mrs. W. J. Harold. SIC Twen-
ty-third street.
Memorial Services II ED.
Memorial services were held for the
victims of the Chicago fire at the First
Methodist church ON Nineteenth
street last evening. There was large
congregation present. The speakers
were the pastor. Rev. Il. Il. Williams.
and Hon. William Jackson. The lat
ter said in part:
''Wcrds are inadequate to express
our feelings for the 600 lives that were
lost in the fire. but it i so ordained
by the Almighty Ruler that every life
must come to an cnd. Man must not
blame Providence for the lives lost in
the fire, because he is to blame. God
gave the theatre builder the knowI-
edge to build, but this knowledge was
not used. GCd gave man the power
tC make the theatre safe, but when
this power j. not used. * Providence
To blame for the lives lost? No; it is
the fault Of the man who knew how
20 make the building safe and did not
do so. In the event Of last week some
rebel against Providence. but we must
lock AT the practical side of these
things. Providence is not To blame.
There are many events in the career
Of Il mans life that we can't under
stand. The practical side If this must
be looked into. The people who were
in the theatre were sitting behind
locked doors. The managers of the
house knew that the doors were lock
ed. and the flames were allowed to
sweep over the house because the fire
curtain was of an inferior make. Now
II man or Providence to blame? Did
God not give man the power to make Il
curtain that would keep the fire con-
fined To the stage? Was this done
No. Then we must not rebel against
Providence"