Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-24
FUNERAL DAY.
All Brockton in Mourn
ing for Explosion Victims.
Twenty Thousand Citizens Join
In the Exercises.
An Expression Universal Sympathy
Throughout the City.

Brockton, Mass. March 23.-AIl
business was suspended in this city,
today, traffic ceased. schools We're clos
ed and the people united in one great
tribute of sorrow and sympathy on ac-
count of the explosion and fire of Mon
Gay in which. il is believed IS persons
leriShed.
Thirty-nine bodies, so charred and
disfigured as to make identification
impossible. were borne away TO Mel
rose cemetery on BrOckton Heights,
escorted by a great thrOng of mOurners,
city officials, representatives of labor
organizations and fraternal societies.
Three public funeral services had
been arranged: five were necessary TO
serve the desires of the people and
thousands had no opportunity to take
an active part in the expressions of
grief and sympathy.
The day of sorrow opened with a
solemn high mass of requiem in ST.
Patrick'S Roman Catholic church in
memory of four members of the parish
who are believed to have persisted in
the flames.
vices We're held at thu City Theatre
the Porter Congregational, St. Paul's
Episcopal and First Congregational
| churches, and at Canton hall. While the
services were being held. militiamen,
labor organizations and fraternal So
cieties formed in line in readiness to
escort the remains of the victims to
the cenleter.
The sOlemnity of the services at the
City Theatre We're notable from the
moment the doors We're opened. On the
stage sat clergymen representing prac-
ticaliy every religious denomination hi
the city, the members of the city gov
eminent and the members of the Joint
Shoe Council. Mayor Edward H. Keith
presided, and near aim sat Governor
William l.. Douglas.
A brief utterance of sorrow at the
city's calamity came from Mayor
Keith in opening the services.
Mayor Keith said:
Fellow citizens ana all who mourn
today: Our city has been visited by IL
terrible calamity, the magnitude Of
which battles the power of description
and has cast a gloom over our COM
munty so dreary as to Sadden the
stoutest heart and cause even the
strongest to tremble with awe, and nov
we. rising from our PROSTATE condition
of overwhelming grief and suffering
find our first duty in the care of the
wounded and MANNED also in the burial
OF the dead.
"GuideG by common impulse. our
city today is nuShed in mourning and
this great multitude las assembled to
witness the last sad :'ites administered
and the last act of love and respect
paid to the victims of this great disas-
ter. May God grant that never again
in all our future history shall we be
ga He'd upon 20 pass through such a ter
,ihle experience"
Following Mayor Keith's remarks. a
band played Chopin's Funeral Dirge. As
the mournful strains arose. the first man.
ifestations of poignant grief was awak
ened. and sobs were heard from all sec
tions If the theatre.
After n psalm had been read by Rev.
r. T.. Rae. the bov choir of St. Patrick's
church. robod in black cassocks and white
surplices, sang two hymns. one in Eng
lish and the other ir Latin. Rev. Father
William Heating Of ST Patricks church,
then addressed the assemblage. referring
particularly tc the hcroism and unself-
ishn.ss so frequently shown at Mondays
fire.
A white-haired man. stopping with age
the venerable dean of the citys clergy
Rev. Rush r. Shipper. pastor of the Uni
tartan church-arnse and in faltering
tones blessed the dead and the living.
Then Rev Samuel ID. Turner of the Lin
coin Congregational church. a negro. pro-
no,nced the benediction and the services
were over.
MANY people were unable to gain adj
mission to the services at the Porter Con
ercgational and st. Paurs Episcopa
churches. At the former church the
sneakers were Rev. Francis p. White and
prv George r. Titus. Mr.. Whites mes
sage TO the people was to the effect that
ont of the whole of destruction. with all
tic attendant sorrow. the whole city |
shor,5 rise to be lifted by God to divine-
rfe At St Paul's church the regular |
E,,;sconal service for the dead was read. |
Nth music by a vested choir and words !
IF Cancellation by Rev. Sherman Ellis.
Meantime the bodies of the unidentified |
aood which had remained at the morgue
since
nd undertakers' wagons. there being an
;,,s,,e;cent number of hearses to bear all
.ho baskets. These vehicles then moved
60 Main street and joined the procession
.,,t had been formed. 1t was IN i'm
,rass;ve spectacle rs the hearses and
J., rriapes swept into line. Hats were rails
- raverentiy and at the same moment
-. Gro bells began to toll. and * strokes.
~ reeenting the number of bodies recov-
LII, from the ruins rang out.
with the first peal of the fire bells. the
,,,d hogan dirge and the slow march
:. ,Ia,rnse cemetery was taken up.
- ,r,,-oueh the divided ranks Of the march,
ascort. the carriages and hearses
- 70 a little house in the cemetery
80 80, the remains of the victims were to
~ aso until graves could he prepared.
III sn the last coffin had been transferr-
fav brief words of prayer were Of
80 nv Rev. IRA F.. Davis. and Their the
IT, TT, hattery Of militia. which had been
continued on Page Two) ,