Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-12-26
CATASTROPHE
may RESULT
IN GOOD
PANIC At CHRISTMAS TREE At
CALUMET IN WHICH IA LIVES,
MOSTLY CHILDREN were SNUFF
FED OUT, may HELP SETTLE
STRIKE.
ALL FACTIONS UNITE
IN DEEP MOURNING

Calumet, Mich, Dec. 26.-While
four separate Investigations of Calu,
NETS tree disaster, in which seventy.
two persons. most of them children,
were killed, were being made today,
and a dispute was being waged as to
who should bury the dead, peacemak-
ers were at work in supreme effort
to bring about an end to the copper
mine strike in this region.
Over the bodies of the little ones,
the leaders of the peace movement
hoped to see an end to the labor
strife which has torn the Calumet
copper district for several months.
United in their grief over the snuff
ing out of so many young lives, the
warning factions - mine operators
guards and strikebreakers and the
stricken union miners and their
friends gave thought to the big labor
battle that was indirectly the cause
for the most gruesome horror in the
history Of Calumet.
lUeTG Was sui d uloputS oFVi VIM
ther the offer of the Citizens Al
lance. an organization that has been
considered opposed to the strikers, to
defray all the burial expenses. would
be accepted Officials of the Western
Federation of Miners declared that the
offer would be spurned.
1--WE will care for our own dead,
was the response to the Alliance.
The feeling of hostility was not SC
marked today when 1t was seen that
the citizens of Calumet and other
cities in the mine district were In
earnest in their efforts to raise funds
for the stricken families.
Coroner William Fischer will con
vene jury in his Office Monday morn
ing at 9 O'Clock. His quarters are
small and adjournment will be imme-
diately taken to larger hall where
scores of witnesses and the public can
be accommodated
Tentative arrangements of the Cal,l-
met local of the Western Federation
of Miners providing for the funeral
of the victims, to be held Sunday
afternoon, each nationality holding
separate services.
This program, however, is subject to
change. Federation officials report
that contributions for funeral ex-
penses and relief are still pouring in
from organized labor bodies in all
parts OF the country. The federation
still insists that it will bury its own
dead and look after the families of the
bereaved, paying all the expenses.
Burial will be in Lakeview GENE.
terry, on the shore of Lake Superior.
It was stated that the morgue of
Calumet contained rs bodies, al
though only 72 are known to have
been killed Wednesday night. None
of the undertakers claimed to have
bodies others than those killed Christ
mas eve, and the authorities were at
loss to account for the differences
in figures.
On the day set aside for rejoicing
over the birth of Christ this city
mourned it's dead-seventytw vic
tins of false alarm of fire. Most of
the dead are children, who had gone
to a Christmas eve celebration in ltal-
ian hall. arranged for the families of
striking copper miners of this section.
AS a result of the tragedy, caused,
it is believed, by drunken man who
thrust his head into the hall entrance
and shouted fire." all bitterness be-
tween the different factions in Calu.
met is wiped out. There is no i'll
feeling. There is nothing but dumb
grief which is beyond the possibility
of tears.
A mass meeting was held yesterday
afternoon, at which committee of II
was appointed to visit each individual
home of the bereaved families and
ascertain what financial assistance is
necessary. Unlimited funds are as
sured.
The statement of President Meyer
of the Western Federation of Miners.
that no benefits from the citizens
would be accepted. was disregarded.
The strikers also met and named
committee to call on the strikers rel
atives and learn their wishes regard
ing the funerals. This committee will
meet tomorrow morning to make ar
rangements Tor the services.
The authorities so far have been
unable to trace the man who is said !
to have gone up the stair of the Ital- |
ian hall and raised the cry of fire, !
which is supposed to have started the !
panic which led to the fearful crush |
in the stairway. There seems to be |
little hope that he will be appIe-
hended. I
Matt Sari. striker, who lost his !
son in the disaster. declared the cry |
came from group of men and |
women toward the front of the hall. !
A 14-year-old girl who died this morn.
ing brought the official revised list of,
dead up to seventy-two, all of whom
have been identified. Five injured .
are in the hospitals. 1t is said they
will live.
Three little girls in the Calumet and