Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-07-27

mites no les af fhan ths simple
Rrief Of ths lntives Of peace
who made M barney around or
across the grtA Prom Fort Rose
Grams came the llbth company coast
heavy artillery, from the city q san
Diego the naval reserves; from lne
universal brotherhoods home on Point
Iona. q company Of khah-ciad repre-
sentatiyes and from the government
ship Fortune dozen Of their sailors
But the most impressive body OF
mourners were the 81 men from the
battered Bennington. Besides these
there were hundreds Of civilians, VINO,
unthoughtful Of the fatiguing Journey
from the city, brought their offerings
of flowers to lay upon the graves
San Diego was city Of mourning
Sunday. Although the people Of TINS
little city have taken In the benning-
ton catastrophe an interest that was
personal 10 all from the moment that
it happened, they set apart this beau
tifll Sabbath day to pay last and low
ing tribute to the dead
thousands fled through the morgues
Sunday morning with arms filled with
flowers. dropping the blossoms here
and there upon some unfortuna1es
fiae-draped coffin. Other thousands
gathered in the plaza from whence the
procession Of coffin laden wagons was
to start.
Promptly 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 It was found impracticable to use
hearses or even dead wagons and the
bodies were stacked in heavy express
wagons and other ordinary vehicles.
From noon until o'clock these dead
burdened wagons toiled toward the
burial grounds and not until almost
half past four was the last casket plac-
ed In the rock-ribbed trench.
Hundreds Of other vehicles stirred
the choking dust Of the 10 mile road
throughout the forenoon, all making
for the, same point, while every craft
that could be had brought hundreds
across the 1--WE mile stretch Of bay,
who, unmindful Of the precipitous
heights to be scaled, climbed 500 feet
to the crest Of the ridge. In this way
the soldiers from Fort Rosecrans came,
toiling up the steep foot path, their
striking full dress uniforms giving col
or to the dull grey hills. After them
came the naval reserves and still later
the survivors Of the Bennington.
The deep trench In which the bodies
ere placed, in two rows, feet to feet,
Is sixty feet long and fourteen feet
wide. 1t was finished but few min
utetes before the arrival Of the first
load Of bodies.
Around 1t were drawn up in long
lines, the artillery company from the
fort-75 strong-on the west; the
naval reserves, bearing arms full Of
flowers on the north; the Benningtons
survivors on the east and the univer-
sal brotherhood on the west. Just out
side the simple picket fence enclosing
the burying grounds gathered the pub
lie in solid masses on all sides. This
was the setting for the most Impress
i've spectacle-the eliminating scenes
Of San 5Diego's week Of sorrow.
Without moments delay the work
Of lifting the cofins 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 thier-
ranks in rapid succession, lifting the
Baskets gently, entered the trench at
the head and deposited the bodies as
directed by Lieut.. Tobin, who checked
them and saw that the board placed
at the head Of each was properly
marked and numbered. In Just one
hour and fifteen minutes the last body
had been deposited in the trench. The
work Of caring for the unfortunate
men, begun last Thursday morning,
was completed.