The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-24
MONTGOMERY. ALABAMA MONDAY

representatives, and from the govern ment ship Fortune do3sn of their sailors.
 But the most impressive body of mourners were the flfty-two mon from the battered Bennington. Besides these there were hundreds of civilians who. despite the fatiguing journey from tho city. brought their offerings of How CTS to lay upon the graves.
 San Diego was . city of mourning toe day. Although the people of thae Ht- tic city have taken In the Bennington catastrophe an interest that was per- sonal to all from the moment 1t hap pened, they set apart the beautiful Sabbath day to pay last and loving tribute to the dead.
 Thousands filed through the morguss this morning with arms filled with flowers, dropping the blossoms here and there upon some unfortunate's nag draped conn. Other thousands gAth- cred in the plAsxa. from whence the proceesion of conn laden wagons was to st9ft
 PrShnptly at noon the long line of vehicles began the long journey around the bay to the burial place. Owing to the steep hills and rough roads 1t was found impracticabis to use hsarses or even dead wagons. and the bodies were
  other ordinary vehicles.
 There were no bands of music to stir the people with doleful melody: everything was quiet and business like. The task was too big. to be ham, pered by any usages Of ordinary funer- als. Forty-seven men were to be buried and to bury them 1t was neces- sary to haul them ten miles up steep hills and along dusty roads. There ,vo- .t~iry,S- xtsuI.v of fhAao Ev- cry casket bore beautiful wreath of asparagus ferns. while carnations and immortels were thoughtfully sent by the San Diego commercial bodies. Tho flags came from the nation In whose service they had died. Every one of the plain. black-statned cofIins was draped with the national emblem and the plain, commercial utility wagons were disguised under the folds of tho national colors. From noon until o'clock these dead-laden wagons toiled towards the burial grounds and not until almost 4:30 was the last casket p.N.ed in the rock-ribbed trench. The deep trench. in which the bodies were placed in two rows feet to feet, is six ty feet long and fourteen wide. It was finished only few minutes before the arrival of the first load of bodies. Around 1t were drawn up in long lines thS dTtiAtcNy Sompahy AAoAh sho Aot v seventy-hve strong; on the west the naval reserves. bearing armsful of flowers; on the north the Bennington's survivors and on the east the Univer- sal Brotherhood. Just outside the sirn- ple picket fence enclosing the burytng grounds gathered the public in solid masses on all sides. This was the set ting for the most impressive spectacle the eliminating scenes of San Diego's week of sorrow.
 Without a moments delay the work of lifting the coffins from the wagons and ranging them in the trench was carried on. Shipmates from the Ben nington performed this sad duty. Squads of six came forward from the ranks in rapid succession. lifted the caskets gently, entered the trench at the head and deposited the bodies as directed by Lieutenant Tobin and saw that the board placed at the head of each was properly marked and num- bered. In just one hour and fifteen minutes the last body had been depos- lted in the trsocs
 The list of dead oficially announce ed makes these corrections: Edward Brewster Ferguson. instead of B. Fer guson; Frederick K. Geiss, instead of c. J. Geiss: Oscar Frederick Nelson. not c. F.; Michael George Quinn. not N. G.; and Harry Fay Saunders. not A. F.
 Account Wired President.
 Oyster Bay. N. T., July 23.-In re- sponse to the Presidents telegram sent last midnight. Acting Secretary of the Navy Darling today telegraphed an off- cial report of the disaster to the Ben- nington to President Roosevelt.