Smyrna times., 1907-05-22
SHRlNERS DEAD
ARRIVE HOME
Funeral Train With II Bodies of
Wreck Victims Reaches Reading.
WAS BANKED WITH FLOWERS

OANAHO vim fIUW ERS
Reading, Pa, May 2O.-With practi
cally the entire community paving re
spect to their mamory, the II Mystic
Shriners from this city who were killed
IN the Southern California wreck on
May IL, were brought home. With the
dead came 10 survivors of the wreck
who showed the effects of the ordeal
through which they passed.
Ihe funeral train, which came puf-
nng into the station banked with flow
ers, arrived in two sections The first
on Its way east carried % dead-17 of
them Readings own-the others men,
bers of the tourist party of So men and
women who left here on April % for
Golden California. The second section
oil the train had as passengers the sur
NlvOrs of the tourist party and friends
ot the dead who had gone westward to
meet the train and act as an escort on
its solemn passage east.
Ever since the full story of tbe
wreck was told and Reading found her
self a city of the dead preparations
nave been made to receive the victims
OF the accident with proper ceremon-
les. throughout the day condition of
suppressed excitement prevailed, and
long before 1t was time for the train to
arrive thousands massed themselves
around the railroad station. but only
members of the various committees |
from Raiah Temple, members of the |
families and immediate friends of the |
dead and surviving of the tourist Dartv
were permitted to cOngregate on the
station platform, and they were pro-
Vlded with special cards to show that
they were entitled to this privilege
Every precaution was taken to assure
the returning survivors privacy and
ropes were stretched from the train
10 the carriage platform, so that thew
found clear passage on stepping from
the cars.
Ihe Joint committee of Masonic bod.
les issued an informal order tn NOM
bers of DeMolay COmmandery. No. o
and Reading Commanierv No 40
Knights Templar, requesting each
member to constitute himself a com.
mlttee OF one to, assemble at Masonic
Han and join in the solemn reception
Ralah Temple was kept open all dav
win committee in charge to give in.
formation and issue instructions and
When the funeral train arrived 2O0
hnlghts in full uniform were on hand
Lo act as a guard of honor when tho
lead were taken from the cars. An on.
IRE troop of the state constabularv IN.
sether with the city's full police force
we're on hand to preserve order. Tbev
we're called upon to do little more than
prevent people from blocking the an.
to the station.
NO such sad event has ever marked
ne history of this city, and when the
ram with Its burden of dead comDlet-
q us SOO-mile journey across the conn 5
~ II was received with 6. solemn do {
lohstratlon such as is seldom witness
q anywhere The fairest flowers
ought by members of the Masonic 6
rder along the train route. were niIod
Ihe cars. The section Of the train
caring the wreck victims was rim Il
ITO the station on one side. while thar p
arrylng the survivors and friends of p
ne dead was brought in on another 2
Those in the second section who h
.eht through the wreck and lived TO i
I'll the story were: Mr.. ami Mrs. A 7 n
e'ehgood' Mr.. and Mrs. Walter NJ
yson' Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Mertz Wal. :,
4 Esslck, Mrs. H. P. HenieI and her -
augAter' Helen, and Clarence Sem. n,
over They were quickly escorted is
carriages that were in waiting and ~
'Een directly to their homes. hi
The funeral car almost bur;ad :, -
'"e.s' contained the bodies of Mr. cc
ID MRS. Thomas ]. Brumbacb. Mrs -
: W. Essick, H. K. GittIenan. George D,
hagenman, H. P. HendeI 7 Doug- :,
IS Nipple, o. F. Kaufman. II q ~ =,
liler' A. l.. Roth, c. G. Steffe. w ~
oitz, Richard Essick, Mrs. E. F. Kab.
r Mr. and Mrs. S. S. SNYDER and
ISIS Nora Stoltz. The other dead of
e Ralah Temple party who were %
ought in on the train were CbarIos
nehry, OF Lebanon; Mr. and Mrs -,
N Ellenbogen, of Allentown. and II
'Ward Meyer, of Hazleton. Their au
0les were taken from the train be. ce
,e II reached this city. 20
ne IL caskets containing the Read. ui'
: dead were carried from the car Ino
i.7''' on four large floats. each -
y. irawn by white horses. E Eb~
cn hoat was laden with flowers %
aaed by an escort of Shriners and Col
knights, the procession moved wa
III the depot to the three citv pa
rgues' where the bodies were de- eoi @
sited. by
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