The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-01-02
(By R. E. Norton.)

CHICAGO, Jan. 2.-Beneath a gloomy
sky in oppressive silence and an atmo-
sphere which seems ominously laden with
death, Chicago is today veritable city
of mourning. Whole streets which are
usually resonant with the clang of COM
mercialism, whose pavements are wont to
be thronged at this season with merry
makers, whose towering buildings are ac-
sleustomed to the cheer of throbbing ac-
tivity. are so silent that the rattle OF
funeral trappings bears with in sharp
and sudden shock. Funeral after funer
passes until the grim buildings themselves
seem to be forming an alley-like guardway
to the vast gate of the death. The pave
ments are either deserted or habited only
by those who stand with an expression oil
hopeless, oppressive and pathetic grief.
They have changed the scene to one of
funereal solemnity and of universal woe.
No sound of ringing sleighbell is heard,
no shout of mirth no glad exchange of
holiday greetings, but silence awful in
desolation or perhaps broken by moan
of despair.
The street gamin has forgotten in this
environment of gloom to call his wares
Cable cars give no tongue to gong and
the very bells of death toll with monoto-
nous regularity their mufaed strokes in
unwonted usage.
Almost a city of the dead, Chicago is
today in the blackest and most profound
grief nor can its vital heart-throb be
more plainly told than in the words most
frequently heard. perhaps, from one who
lost neither kin nor friend, my God, the
little children" In this mournful retinue,
this seemingly endless procession, devoid
of even that customary pageantry of
death almost all of those silent passengers
are encased in small, even diminutive, cof-
fins, telling again but too plainly of the
piteously futile struggle made by little
hands and feet for life, only life and
mercy. Mercy from fear of the maddened
throng that crushed them to death with
cruel feet like cast-of blossoms or dying
flowers. Probably it is this which makes
cold-blooded business men, officers familiar
with scenes of violent death, careless ones
who laugh and hardened outcasts stood
for once in one common tie, that of grief
The newspapers contain pages of the
death list, columns of burial notices, and
today they tell vet of more. Yesterday
face sof pedestrians bore a dazed look~s,f
the unrealizing. Today, with comprehen-
sion vivi6ed by the funeral panorama with
out precedent, those same faces are scared
with sorrows brand. Obedient to Mayor
Harrison's proclamation that this be day
of mourning, even those business houses
which bear no crepe telling of death
brought home to them have closed their
doors. That maelstrom of market, the
- board of trade. is silent.
But short time ago Chicago stood at
the stroke of noon for two full minutes
uncovered, traffic stopped and silence
reigned while that loved and martyred
president was, in distant city, lowered
to his grave.
Today. at like time, Chicago stood in
winter hatless, immovable and bowed for
five minutes while hundreds Of its own
were laid away. Mayor Harrison's procla-
nation to this effect was not necessary
70 bring tragedy home, although it was
issued this morning, for, as DR.. Hirsch
said in address last night, Through the
walls of one thousand homes in this our
mourning city sobs resound and are echoed
on the merciless wind that seatters the
voice of the bereaved throughout the
world
Two hundreds funerals in one day, and
vet there are a few places OF 'monotonous
activity-the mofgues. Professions which
are by this timescomposed of haggard men
and fearless women keep up weary round
of search Following an instinct which
neither time nor civilization effaces, they
long to see their own dead.
The morgue scenes no longer bear. indl-
viduality. 1t is now a uniformity of vain
passing of the rows of still forms, broken
only by a short sob as father mother,
sister, friend or brother reaches out a
trembling hand prefacing the passage of
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