The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-12-29
VICTIMS OF PANIC
At CALUMET IN
COMON GRAVES
Funeral Procession Nearly Two
Miles Long
TOTAL NUMBER or DEAD SO
Thirty-Nine Little White Collins Car
ried over Long Road BY Re-
lays of Miners

Calumet. Mich, Dee 29.--The
western federation OF miners buried
lts dead here yesterday Fifty-nine
bodies, including those of "A children
were carried through the streets
down winding country highway and
laid in graves in a ow-cnshcuded
cemetery within sight of Lake 81.
pericr. Thousands of saddened min
ers formed the escort OF the funeral
parties and passed between other
thousands who rs spectators tcstili.
ed to the geef that has oppressed
the community since - men, women
ana children were killed in the
Christmas-oYe panic in Italian han.
Delegations OF strikers BEGAN en-
tering Calumet early in the day. \
special train brought hundreds OF
federatlonists from the i'cn miners
OF Negaunee and lshpeming. and
every town and mining location in
the copied country sent memo ~
and friends of the union 70 swell
the ranks Of the marchers in the lf.
ternoon.
The supply CT hearscs was made
Quate ana there we c only J ! of these
vehicles in The van. Then cane
three under,akers wagons and en- IN
tomobile truck, the latter carrying
three collins. These vehicles con
tanned the adult victims and the old
or children. Beside one marched
eight women who acted as bea ers
for members OF the womans auxil-
airy OF the western federation. II
was this woman's organization which
was distributing gifts OF candy.
shoes. caps and mittens TO the clil-
dren Of strikers when the panic
broke out
Behind the hearses came a section
OF the procession which brought
tears and sobs from onlookors.
Thirty.nine white collins. their size
testlfying 10 the short life Of the N
tic forms within. we're carried BY re-
lays of strikers. Four men bore
each coffin and as their arms grew
weary or feet stumbled on the slip.
perry roadway. companions rclioyc'
them Of their burden.
Persons drawn 10 Calume; solely
By the curiosity OF the spectator. be-
came mouiners as this contingent
passed them. Men turned away 0
brush tears from their cheeks. No-
men. especially the mothers IN tho
crowd. sobbed openly. and dozens,
unable to endure the sight. rushed
from the streets, taking refuge in
homes where Yuletide had not been
directly saddened by death
Fifty singers chanted hymns in the
wake OF the carriers. Most OF these
were English miners who had learn.
ed in Cornwall to Chant Christmas
carols in The street and years ago
carried this old custom to the copper
country. Yesterday. however, they
did not sing songs Of new life
born. Jesus. lover OF my soul"
Rock of ages" and "Neare'. my cod
TO Thee" came from Threats thick
with emotion, but the hlrmonies
were full and rich.
The last marchers had scarcely
started from Calumet before the
head CT the procession had reached
the cemetery gates. two miles away
Al but half dozen OF the burlals
were in common graves dug Satur
day BY members Of the unicn. The
ground belongs to the federation and
II was stated that monument would
be erected there. the formal dcdica
lion to take place a year hence.
Only brier addresses were deliver
ed in the cemetery. Eugene \. Nc
Nally. Calumet lawyer. euloeizee
the dead in English and George Sire
zich Of s. Louis. Frank Al,onen o,
Nagaunee and other federation lead
c-s delivered addresses in Slavic
Finnish and Croatian.
McNally made only passing refer
/ cncc 10 the deportation OF Prcsiden
G. II. Meyer OF the federation. pre
dicting that his absence. whether
temporary or permanent. would 70
salt IN The Development Of Other ei
feciiNe leaders. All the speaker.
termed TIC victims OF the Christ MAJ
cfc catastrophe martyrs to the caus.
Of unicnism. They argued that he,
the mine manages not refused @.
recognize the union the usual waf
fare would have been settled month";
ago ard there would have been nj
need FOR the celebration IN Itallai
han.