White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-30
ADDRESS At BIER
Of TURF PLUNGER
CLAD IN MINERS GARB AND
WITH BEARING OF PIONEER
THE SPEAKER PRONOUNCED A
DRAMATIC FUNERAL EULOGY.

DRAMATIC
Many requests have for some time
been made to this paper, says the
Goldfeld News-Tribune, for copies
of the address made by w. II. Knick-
erbocker at the funeral of Riley
Grammar, the world-famed plunger
on the turf, who died of pneumonia
at Rawhide, April 3, 1908, and In
order that these requests may be
met, this paper has decided to re-
print the address. 1t was probably
one of the most striking and
eloquent ever delivered in a mining
camp, and is well worth preserving.
Knickerbocker was formerly a
Methodist minister, but had aban-
doned that calling during the boom
DAYS of Goldfeld, entered the min
ing stock game. yielded to the lure
of the midnight lights, and finally
Joined the rush to Rawhide. where
he followed the mining stock game
and prospecting. An agnostic then.
he has since returned to the fold and
is now In charge of a prosperous con
gregation In Kentucky. His remarks
and a brief description of the funer-
al are here reproduced from an ae-
count published 1t that time.
1T don't amount to anything; it's
all a joke"
1t was with these words upon his
lips that Riley Grammar. the world
famous plunger on the turf. closed
his eyes upon the world and re-
lapsed forever into the sleep that
knows no waking.
He met the hardest foe that ii
is in the bitter experience of man
to encounter. and he met him with
the same iron nerve that he had
shown a hundred times at the race
track.
His funeral was typical OF a new
mining camp. For lack of a hearse,
the remains were taken from the I'M
dertaker's tent In an express wagon
to the improvised memorial chapel,
a variety theatre at the rear of a
saloon.
There assembled a throng. the like
OF which could not be duplicated in
any other community on the foot
stool. SILK touched elbows with cor
duroy and khaki. Women in Paris
ian gowns mingled with miners,
whose clothes were begrimed with
high grade, with sun-tanned pros
pectors. with brokers, bankers, mer-
chants, promoters. saloon-men, bar
tenders. gamblers and FOUNDERS. A
mining camp Is the most perfect of
all d%emocraeies; class was forgotten;
all men were equal.
A Reverent Throng.
A solemn hush lowered over the
strange assembly. Stiffness reigned
in the little playhouse, where only
the night before jostling crowds
drank and smoked while listening
to the course jests and doubtful wit
of the men and women of the variety
stage. Gathered about the bier was
as solemn a throng of sincere mourn
ers as ever assembled at the coffin
side of a departed friend. Now, and
during the remarkable funeral ad-
dress that followed, tears We're fire.
quent. Before the conclusion of the
o%bsequies there was not a dry eye
in the house.
Vocal selections, appropriate to
the occasion were sung by Mrs. Har-
~ Hedrick, a noted songstress. now
the wife of the editor of a Rawhide
newspaper, and by Jack Hines. a
former miner OF Alaska, and now a
leaser of Rawhide. Mrs. Dan Ed
wards played the prelude and ac-
compartments. Pnncturing the SER
vices came resounding blasts from a
score of mines on the hills about the
camp. Bar-rooms were closed and
the streets were wrapped in utter
silence throughout the services. Al
the close, the casket with the re-
mains, accompanied by ten of the
most prominent citizens, who acted as
pall-bearers, was followed by a SOL
emn eortege. comprising practically
every mar and woman in the camp