Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-29
CALUMET MINERS
BURY THEIR DEAD
Thousands Follow the Hearses
Bearing Italian Hall Victims
to City Cemeteries.

~
ern Federation Of Miners buried its
dead yesterday. Fifty-uile bodies. in
Guiding those o: II children. we're car
ried through the streets. down a wind
ing country highway. ard laid in
graves in q snow eashroudsd Gene
terry within sight Of Lake Superior
Thousands Of saddeIed miners
formed the escort OF the funeral par
ties and passed between other thou
sands who. a. spectators. testified TO
the grief that has oppressed the COM
munity since - men. women and chill
dren were killed in the Christmas eve
panic in Italian LalL
In half a dozen churches services
we're held earlier I'll the day. and the
r1ourners went about the streets.
uassing from their homes 20 the
churches. back TO their homes after
brief respites. and again 70 the
churches 10 prepare for the last sad
trip 70 the grayeside-
Delegations Of strikers began COM
ing into Calumet early III the day. The
special train Of nine coaches brought
hundreds OF federationists from the
iron mines OF Segaunee and Ishpem-
ing. and every town and mining loca-
ton in the copper country sent mem
hers and friends Of the union 10 swell
the ranks Of the marchers in the aft
eTnOon.
Rv noon the union host was as
,enbIed Five months OF experience
in demonstrating their number by
parading had taught the men 10 form
ranks quickly aud with little delay
they lined up four abreast
The supply OF hearses was made
quate and there were only Il OF these
vehicles in the van. Then came three
undertakers' wagons and an sutOmo-
bile truck. the latter carrying three
collins. These vehicles contained the
adult victims and the older children.
Beside one marched eight women. who
acted as paIIbearers for a member OF
the wOmen's auxiliary OF the Western
Federation.
II was this womens organization
which was distributing gifts OF candy.
shoes. caps. and mittens 10 the chill
dren OF strikers when the panic
started
Behind the hearses was n section OF
the procession which brought tears
and sobs from onloOkers Thirty-nine
white collins. their size testifying 20
the short life OF the little forms with
In. were carried by relays Of strikers.
Four men bore each coffin. and as
their arms grew weary or their feet
stumbled on the slippery roadway
companions relieved them OF their
burden.
Persons drawn TO Calumet solely by
curiosity became mourners as this
contingent passed them. Men turned
away 20 brush tears from their cheeks.
Women. especially the mothers in the
crowd. sobbed openly. and dozens. I'M
able 10 endure the sight rushed from
the streets. taking refuge in homes
whose Yuletide had not been directly
saddened By death. Others. too. were
in evidence among the toll hardened
men who carried the collins. They
bore the bodies OF their companions
children and many a rough sleeve
was brushed hurriedly across down
turned faces. the eyes OF which were
concealed by peaked caps drawn far
forward
Fifty singers chanted hymns in the
wake OF the Children's carriers. Most
Of these men were English miners. .
who had learned in Cornwall 10 chant
Christmas carols in the streets and
years ago brought this old custom to 1
the copper country
Yesterday. however. they didn't ,
sing songs Of a life new born. Jesus. .
Lover OF Ny soul" Rock OF Ages I
md Nearer. Ny God To Thee" came .
from throats thick with emotion. but 4
the harmonic we're fun and rich
AS the singer turned into Pine
street. which leads TO the cemetery
road. the open ranks Of marchers
wheeled into line. I~hpeming and
Negauuee men came first followed by :
a brass band and tie members OF the =
copper country locals
The last marcher had scarcely start I.
cd from Calumet before tine head OF
the procession had reached the Gene II
terry gates. two miles away All but
half a dOaen Of the hurials were in 1
common graves dug Saturday By men, Il
bers OF the union The ground be-
longs - the federation. and 10 was
stated that monument would be
erected there. the formal dedication
20 take place a wear hence
The cemetery l. In two sections.
one Is cOnsecrated TO the dead OF the
Roman Catholic faith. the other 10
those belonging 10 Protestant denomi-
nations In the former three trenches
had been eXcavated and f. these %
bodies were laid
On the Protestant side Of the burial
place TWO large graves received 5
bodies. The other six were laid in
family plots.
Only brief addresses We're delivered ,