New-York tribune., 1918-10-10
Uncounted Dead of
Jersey Blast Buried
In One Grave
Eighteen Unvarnished Pine
Boxes Used in Last Rites
for the Victims
Especial Dispatch to The Tribune


PERTH AMBOY, n. j., Oct. 9.-South
Amboy to-day buried the first quota
of its dead.
At the edge of the Earnston Gene
terry, Oh the outskirts Of the town,
eighteen unvarnished pine boxes were
lowered into a~single mammoth grave
In each box were the charred frag-
ments of three or four bodies-in some
cases possibly five.
"The services were of the simplest"
is the conventional funeral COM
mentary. Never was it more literally
applicable than to-day. Theer was not
even the assemblagc Of relatives in at
tendance, for these men who we're
buried in a single grave arc of the
company OF the unidentifcd-th those
who, III Jerseys most terrible war dis
aster, were blown into pieces past all
hope of recognition.
Early this morning word was sent
to the officers of the Gillespie plant
that the funeral was TO be held to-day
and that contingent Of grave diggers
would be most welcome. The answer
arrived in the shape of half q dozen
workmen,. former employees at the
wrecked factory.
A little after 2 o'clock four ambu-
lances driven by members Of the Won
ems Motor Corps arrived at the ccmc-
terry. Undertaken John j. Scully and
his assistants accompanied them. Rep
rescntativcs of the United States En-
ploymcnt Compensation Commission
were already on the scene, and from
the cemetery gate little handful of
refugees closed in about the waiting
grave. An employment compensation
crisp voice. The undertaker's men bore
forward the unwieldy pine boxes as the
number of each was pronounced.
he only two ministers who have rc-
manned in South Amboy-the Rev. Mr..
Shaw, Meth hodst, and The Rev. Mr.. Nc
Curry. resbyterian-maGe their way
through the little knot Of onlookers.
They were joined by the Jewish rabb;
| from Perth Aln6oy. In turn these three
read their burial services. A handful
OF gravel fell FROM the undcrtaker's
hand onto the topmost box at the words
"Dust to dust. ashes to ashes"
And the six survivors, with their
shovels, briskly filed the hole with
earth the amhulanccs turned back tow
ard the wrecked town. and the first
burial Of victims was over.
In the ncac future days Il is cx-
pccted the ceremony will be repeated
! many times. More and more fragments
Of bodies arc being recovered from
The ruins
Meanwhile tho epidemic OF Spanish
| influenza, which it was believed YES
terday was safely in hand, has de-
veloped aiarminglv both at South
Amboy and Perth Amhoy. Al the lat
! ter place seven deaths were reported
to-day and Health Inspector Willscy
tonight estimates the fetal number Of
case, in town a. 5000.
The Red Cross, which IS NOW in
charge Of The anti-iniluenza crusade,
has taken over St Peters parish
house and the Elks' Club here and
transformed them into hospitals, and
| the entire popuace is being made TO
80 about with gauze masks over their
mouths and noses as q precaution
! against infection.
At South Amboy the influenza work
has been taken over by DR.. Tucker, Of
Baltimore. The armory has been
turned into an emergency hospital
Money, jewclry, Liberty bonds and
other valuabes In huge quantities
were reported to the police to-day as
missing. Attempts at looting are also
said 10 have occurred at the Gillespie
plant.