The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-15
BURIED BODY HAL7S
BIG CORPORATIONS
Court Holds Burial Ground
Safe from Intrusion
Estate Gets Land.

Chicago, Feb. 15.--In "a clash be-
tween business and sentiment power
ful corporations have been defeated
by Andres Zirngibl. humble Belgian
fisherman. who, In addition to having
been "as poor as Jobs turkey" has
been dead for half century.
Flguratiyely speaking. the spirit OF
the late Mr.. Zirngibl has risen from
its grave out I'm South Chicago and
said to it's foes: Thus far shalt thou
go and no farther"
Buried on Homestead.
And the foes have halted in their
tracks, not because alarmed or super
stitious. for corporations. being soul
less. do not feel these emotions. but
because they know that Mr. ZirnGibl's
spirit has the law on its side.
Zirngibl came to this country from
Belgium. his departure from his ma
tive land having been FASTENED by the
fact that he was wanted for smuggling
and settled on the shores of Lake
Michigan, at the mouth Of the Calu-
met river. where he took up the occu-
patton of a fisherman.
Zirngibl never got rich. but in the
course OF time his meager savings
reached the total Of $50 and with this
sum he bought an eighty-five acre
tract at the mouth Of the river. On
this farm he lived and died. When
the end came his family wanting a
better place. laid his body TO rest in
the middle of the homestead.
City Grows Around Grave.
That was fifty years ago. Since
then great changes have taken place
on the banks of the sluggish Calumet.
North OF IL Chicago, a sQualid lake
trading post, developed into the sec.
ond city of the continent. South of
Il the wilderness OF Illinois blossomed
into prosperous commonwealth. And
while Andres Zirngibls bones were
slowly moldering into dust the out
posts of the growing state and city
emit around his grave and great
manufacturing plants and shipyards
into existance. ,sr-r. r
Gradually as the years went by the
little Zirngibl homestead dwindled.
lmpecunious descendants Topped off a
segment here and Their and tossed It
to the hungry ."octopi" who were
creeping up on every side.
Court Holds Ground Sacred.
At last there were only $50 acres
left, and In the midst of this lay all
that was mortal of Andres Zirngibl.
The Great Lakes Dredge and Dock
company fixed a covetous eye on this
little strip. A question OF title was
raised. The controversy was carried
into the courts. The issue was fought
from one legal battlefield to another.
"A few days ago the case reached the
supreme court of the state. That tri-
bunal has just ruled that Zirngib's
grave. the 5.52 acres surrounding II
and the path leading TO ii are inviol-
ate, The corporations dere ordered to
keep Off
Sleeps in Tranquility.
a little fence surrounds the grave:
n blackcned wooden slab with faint
inscription In Dutch is at its head On
tho northeast the iriquois mills rum
bic and screech; and on the north and
west the Illinois Steel mills below
and roar.
by day the grave is overhung by a
pail of black smoke. and the red glare
Of furnaces illuminate It by night.
a cross lifts itself through the murk
and beneath that cross Andres Zirn-
gibl sleeps on tranquilly-dead and
turned TO dust, but dcfying the world
to move him.