Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1905-07-26
VICTIMS OF WARsHIP BENNlNG.
ton EXPLOSION At REST.
Forty-Seven Of Them Laid In a Com.
mon Grave In Military Burying
Grounds at San Diego, cal.-Army
and Navy Trlbutes-CIty In Deep
Mourninq-No Band Of Music.

Bennington's dead today-47 of them
in common grave. On the crest of
the promontory Of Iona, high above
the shimmering waters of San Diego
bay on the one side. and within sound
of the booming surf Of the Pacific on
the other. they were laid to rest the
peaceful little military burying
ground. Without the crash of drum
or the sound of brass, without pomp
or parade, yet with simple impressive
ness all honor was paid the nations
dead.
They have honored dead to keep
them company, these brave boys of
the Bennington. All about them lie
those who died in the nations service
in more trying times. Gravestones,
yellow with age, bear the names of
the men who died at Monterey, in the
Mexican war; others who gave up
their life in the conquest Of California,
and who followed Commodore Stock.
ton at Old San Pasqual. These are
their neighbors in death. Surely they
should rest we'll.
Army and navy paid their last trib-
utes no less sincere than the simple
grief Of the representatives Of peace,
who made the long journey around or
across the great bay. From Fort Rose
Grams came the One Hundred and Fiji
teenth coast heavy artillery; from the
city of San Diego the naval reserves;
from the Universal brotherhoods home
on Point Iona, a company of khaki
clad representatives, and from the
government ship Fortune a dozen Of
her sailors. But the most impressive
body Of mourners were the 81 men
from the battered Bennington. Besides
these, there were hundreds of civil.
ians, who, unthoughtful OF the fatigu-
ing journey from the city, brought
their offerings of flowers to lay upon
the graves.
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 ex-
press wagons and other ordinary We
hicles.
There we're no bands Of music to
stir the people with doleful melody
everything was quiet and businesslike.
The task was too big to be hampered
by any usages of ordinary funerals.
Forty-seven men were to be buried
md to bury them it was necessary to
haul them 10 miles up steep hills and
along dusty roads. And so there were
only flowers and flags. But there was
striking display Of these. Every
casket bore beautiful executed
wealth of asparagus ferns and white
carnations, thoughtfully sent by the
San Diego commercial bodies. The
flags came from the nation in whose
service they had died. Every one of
the plain black stained caskets was
draped with the national emblem, and
the plain commercial utility Of the
dead wagons was disguised under the
folds of the national colors.
The deep trench in which the bodies
were placed in two rows, feet to feet,
is 60 feet long and IA feet wide. It
was finished but a few minutes before
the arrival of the first load of bodies.
DeposIting Bodies.
Without a moments delay the work
Of lifting the collins from the wagons
and lowering them in the trench was
carried on. Shipmates from the Ben
nington performing this sad duty.
Squads of six came forward from their
ranks in rapid succession, lifting the
caskets gently, entered the trench at
the head and deposited the bodies as
directed by Lieutenant Tobin, who
checked them and saw that the board
placed at the head of each was. prop.
erly marked and numbered. In just
one hour and Is minutes the last body
had been deposited in the trench. The
work of caring for the unfortunate
men, which began last Thursday morn
ing, was completed.
IL ouIy Tcudiueu loT tuc TcpTcseutd-
tives Of the church to pronounce final
blessings for the dead. Rev. ]. A. M.
Richie, rector of st. Pauls, read the
Episcopal burial service, the 21st
Psalm and repeated the Lords prayer.
He closed his impressive duty by cast
ing handful of earth on the collins.
Venerable Father D. Aubrach of the
Catholic church. attended by two in