The Ely miner., 1914-01-02
US. TO INVESTIGATE
STRIKE SITUATION
DEPORTATION OF MOVER LEADS
TO ACTION ON PART OF
GOVERNMENT.
CALUMET BURIES ITS DEAD
Last Sad Rites Said Over Bodies ef
72 Persons Killed in the Fearful
Christmas Disaster-Not
Enough Hearses.

Washington, Dec. 30.-A special in
vestigation by the department of JUS
tice of conditions in the copper mine
strike area in Michigan was called
for in a letter which Senator Mar
tine of New Jersey wrote to Attorney
General McReynolds.
Evidence Being Secured.
The department of labor already
has dispatched Solicitor John B.
Densmore to Calumet and Represen-
tative Macdonald of Michigan, who
is pressing for a congressional inves-
tigation, is on the scene
Senator MARITIME, in his letter to the
attorney general demanding an in
quiry says:
From reliable advice, am inform
ed that on Dec. rs President Charles
HI. Meyer of the Western Federation
of Miners was abducted and carried
out of the state of Michigan; and
it is currently stated that the abduc-
tior was advised, instigated and paid
for by the mine owners or their repre-
sentatives."
Calumet Buries Dead.
Calumet, Mich.-The Western Fed
Grafton of Miners buried it's dead Sun.
day. Fifty-nine bodies, including
A children, were carried through the
streets down winding country high
way and laid in graves in a snow en-
shrouded cemetery within sight Of
Lake Superior.
Thousands Of saddened miners form
ed the escort of the funeral parties
and passed between other thousands
who, as spectators, testified to the
grief that has oppressed the com
munitiy since 72 men, women and
children were killed in the Christmas
eve panic in Italian hail.
Services Only Sound.
For hours the Sabbath calm was
broken only by the tolling of bells
and the sound of voices intoning bur
ial chants. In half dozen churches
services were held earlier in the day,
and the mourners went about the
streets. passing from their homes to
the churches, back to their homes af-
churches to prepare for the last sad
trip to the gravesides.
Delegations of strikers began COM
ing into Calumet early in the day
The special train of nine coaches
brought hundreds of federationists
from the iron mines of Negaunee and
Ishpeming, and every town and min
srp ~, he ,frrx-
sent members and friends of the
union to swell the ranks of the march
ers in the afternoon.
By noon the union host was assem-
bled. Five months of experience in
demonstrating their numbers by pa
rading had taught the men to form
ranks quickly and with little delay
they lined up four abreast.
Not Enough Hearses.
The supply Of hearses was made
quate and there were only fourteen
of these vehicles in the van.
Then came three undertakers' wag-
ons and an automobile truck, the lat
ter carrying three coffins.
These vehicles contained the adult
NlCllIlS dllu TIC OlucI CuliuTcu
Beside one marched eight women
who acted as pallbearers for a mem
Der Of the women's auxiliary of the
western federation.
1t was this women's organization
which was distributing gifts of candy
shoes, caps and mittens to the chill
dren of strikers when the panic broke
out.
Behind the hearses was a section
of the procession which brought tears
and sobs from OnloOkers. Thirty
nine white collins, their size testifying
to the short life of the little forms
within, We're carried by relays of
strikers. Four men bore each coffin
and as their arms grew weary or feet
stumbled on the slippery roadway.
companions relieved them OF their
burden.