Burial in Coalville and Salt Lake

Coalville's eleven dead were brought from Scofield on a special train, which reached here at eleven o'clock last night. The bodies were carried to the Stake Tabernacle. Forty-three of the relatives accompanied the dead. Salt Lake people contributed a carload of flowers. Undertaker T. L. Allen met the train at Salt Lake and took charge of the bodies. The funeral was held today, the Stake Tabernacle being decorated with flowers and appropriately draped. There was a large attendance of people from adjoining towns of Wyoming. The Tabernacle was filled to overflowing. The Stake choir did the singing, while Mrs. J R. Smith sang in a touching manner: "O, My Father." The eleven coffins were placed in front of the stand and covered with floral tributes. B. H. Roberts delivered the funeral sermon and paid a tribute to the bravery of the deceased. The resurrection, etc., were topics of the brief remarks by President Cluff and Eldredge. These are the names, ages, etc., of the deceased:

Knights of Pythias, Elks and I.O.O.F. officiating over
graves of their Brothers

Salt Lake Funeral Ceremonies

The overmastering grief that has hung over ill-fated Scofield for nearly a week, was extended into a few Salt Lake homes, and yesterday the victims were buried, amidst the most solemn ceremonies.

The commodious Sixteenth ward hall was filled to overflowing by those who had come to sorrow with the afflicted, and express their heartfelt sympathy for the bereaved. The obsequies were over the remains of the Wilson boys: Willie, James and Alexander. The young men were members of the Twenty-fourth ward, but Bishop Ashton, realizing that his meeting house was much too small, secured the more capacious building, but it was not adequate to accommodate the congregation. The room was draped in white, and a wealth of potted plants and cut flowers literally covered the pulpit and the three caskets. The services were conducted by Bishop Edward T. Ashton, and there were on the stand: President Angus M. Cannon, his counselor, Charles W. Penrose, Bishop George R. Emery, and counselor of the Sixteenth ward, W. J. Newman, E. F. Parry, Elder John Nicholson, and the pall bearers. The speakers were President Angus M. Cannon, Elders C. W. Penrose and John Nicholson. Elder John Nicholson, the concluding speaker, delivered a most excellent discourse, his words and sentiments striking responsive chords in the hearts of his hearers. He was a personal friend to the family and had crossed the ocean with William Wilson twenty years ago and he knew him to be a kind and generous young man, whose hands were extended to the needy. After further eulogizing' the young men and testifying to the worth of the family, he spoke on the subject of sympathy, characterizing it as the grandest of all qualities; that the man who has no sympathy has no power, that he is wrapped up in himself and is a centre without a circumference. The services were closed by the choir singing, "O, My Father," and Elder W. J. Newman pronounced the closing prayer. The flower laden coffins were borne to the hearses by the following pall bearers: A. W. Chiverall, R. E. Currie, Thomas Marnane, Hyrum Myers, F. D. R. Gray, J. W. Sugden, for the local I. O. O. F. lodge; A. Wilson, J. and James Barrell. Charles Dalton, Otto Kurt and R. Norman; J. H. James, E. Fletcher, J. H. Selley, Stephen Ried, Andrew Benson and James Davis, the sextettes bearing respectively the remains of Alexander, James and Willie Wilson.

A large cortege followed the remains to the city cemetery, where the graves were dedicated, and a quartette, consisting of G. W. Timpson, Alma Vincent, Joseph Winter, and C. J. Winter, rendered a beautiful hymn.

The following report was also sent:

"With the mating birds in the cemetery singing a requiem amid the scent of freshly turned sod and spring flowers, the joyous sun shining over that pitiful knot of mourners, the Salt Lake victims of the Scofield disaster were laid away in their last resting place yesterday. There were three funerals and eight burials. The new and spacious meeting house, Sixteenth ward, was yesterday noon tilled to its utmost capacity by people of all classes, who had gathered to pay their last tributes of respect to the memory of the three Wilson boys, Willie, James and Alexander, who lost their lives in the disastrous explosion at Scofield, a week ago. It was a representative assembly that thronged the aisles and spread out into the street, unable to gain admittance to the commodious structure. The congregation represented almost every walk of life, from the successful business man to the horny-handed miner, with his face all pitted with powder burns. The dead miners were members of the Twenty-fourth ward. But owing to the fact that that meeting house was deemed too small to accommodate those who would assemble. Bishop Edward T. Ashton made arrangements to have the services in the large building. The Sixteenth ward meeting house was draped in white for the occasion, while pot plants and banks of cut flowers diffused their fragrance through the structure. By the time the three hearses arrived with their sad burdens the house was filled to its capacity, and Arthur Parsons at the organ was softly straying his fingers over the keys among the minor chords. By the time that the relatives of the three departed young men had taken their seats in the space reserved for them, the pulpit was occupied by President Angus M. Cannon, his counselor. Charles W. Penrose, Bishop George R. Emery, of the Sixteenth ward, his counselors, W. J. Newman and E. F. Parry, Elder John Nicholson, and various pall bearers, and Bishop Edward T. Ashton, who presided at the services. The ceremonies opened by the choir, under the leadership of George W. Timpson, rendering the hymn, 'Though Deep in Trials,' after which Bishop Emery offered up a supplication to the Almighty on behalf of the widows and orphans who were called upon to mourn throughout the land. After the choir had sung the affecting hymn, 'Thou Dost Not Weep to Weep Alone,' President Angus M. Cannon arose to address the congregation. In his opening sentences, while referring to the calamity which had spread over Utah, the speaker's voice was choked with emotion, and there was hardly a dry eye in the building. Continuing, he bade those bereaved to be of good cheer. He said that at the present time the prayers of the united people on Fast day were being offered on behalf of those bowed down with grief, and proceeded to comfort the afflicted. After paying a tribute to the departed, whom he said he knew and was associated with in days gone by, the speaker went on to dwell upon the subject of the resurrection, concluding his discourse with the blessings "God comfort you, my sister, and these relatives of the sterling boys who lie before us.' Elder C. W. Penrose was the next speaker. He prefaced his remarks by saying: "In the presence of this great calamity, I feel that words utterly fail to express the sympathy that goes out to those who are at the present time suffering. While we cannot of course sense the sorrow of those afflicted, we feel that they are our brethren." Elder Penrose then proceeded to deal with the difficulty experienced by some under the conditions to reconcile these calamities which occur from time to time which is the eternal love and justice of God. Under these conditions, he said, there was a disposition to murmur and rebel in their hearts. The speaker held that there was virtually no such thing as death, as the ordinary world understood it; that what the world usually termed death is merely the changing of the being in the twinkling of an eye. He then proceeded to dwell at length upon the doctrine of the resurrection as taught by the Latter-day Saints. He exhorted his hearers not to blame God, for were it not tor such occasions there would not be any opportunity for the exhibition of sympathy, love and charity which at the present time drew all men together. Elder John Nicholson was the last speaker. After a preliminary reference to the occasion of the sad gathering, he stated that he in conjunction with the other speakers had been requested to occupy the time by the members of the family, from the fact that personally he was acquainted with the deceased miners, and had crossed the Atlantic with William Wilson twenty years ago. Elder Nicholson said that he had occasion to remember the young man from the fact that he had always exhibited a willingness to assist those who were in trouble or were stricken in years. After dwelling on the good qualities of the Wilson boys, he referred to the international sympathy which had been extended to Utah in her day of mourning. Continuing, he said: "Sympathy is the grandest of the qualities. Without it there is no power, for an unsympathetic man is wrapped up in himself and is a center without a circumference."

The services concluded by the singing of the old Mormon hymn, "Oh My Father, Thou that dwellest," after which the closing prayer was offered by Counselor W. J. Newman. The coffins, literally covered with flowers, were literally borne to the hearses outside by the following pallbearers: A. W. Chiverall R. E. Currie, Thomas Marnane, Hyrum Myers, F. D. R. Gray, J. W. Sugden for the local I. O. O. F. Lodge; A. Wilson, J. and James Barrell, Charles Dalton, Otto Kurt and R. Norman; J. H. James, D. Fletcher, J. H. Shelley, Stephen Ried, Andrew Benson, and James Davis, the sextettes bearing respectively the remains of Alex, James and Willie Wilson. A cortege consisting of twenty-five carriages, the Utah brake, containing the Ladies Auxiliary Caledonian Club, and the pall bearers of Salt Lake drag followed the hearses to the burial ground in the city cemetery, where the dedicatory prayer was offered, and a quartette consisting of G. W. Tipson, Alma Vincent, Joseph Winter and C. J. Winter sang a hymn.

Burial of the Italians at Salt Lake

Headed by Held's band and accompanied by the Societa Italiana Christofaro Columbo, 150 strong, together with twenty-three carriages, bearing relatives and close friends of the deceased, the bodies of Joseph Maio, G. Funari, Anselmo Nocolo and Antonio Rollo, victims of the Scofield disaster, were taken from the undertaking parlors of S. D. Evans yesterday afternoon and laid to rest in Mt. Calvary. Rev. Father Keenan of the Catholic Church officiated, while the funeral arrangements were made and the expenses borne by Antanio Jachetta, Joseph Notti, John Maio, a son of Joseph Maio's; R. Jachetta and Luigi Barberie, the latter gentleman bearing the expense of the band individually. Ten relatives from Scofield, with friends from that place, Castle Gate, Helper and Tucker, about twenty in all, made up the party of chief mourners. A large gathering of sympathizing people was present at the undertaking parlors, and hundreds of them viewed the remains prior to and at the close of the service At 1:30 the funeral cortege formed on State street, moved west on Second South to Main, up Main to South Temple, going east to the cemetery. Mr. Antonio Jachetta called at the Herald office last evening and asked to have the grateful thanks of himself and other members of his committee tendered to all who had so kindly assisted them, and particularly to the Italian society for turning out in a body in respect to their departed countrymen. The committee, friends and relatives of the deceased, who came up with the bodies, will leave for their homes this morning.

Burial of Chris Johnson

Another of the victims of the Scofield disaster. Chris Johnson was laid to rest in the city cemetery yesterday afternoon. Funeral services were held at the Eighth ward meeting house. Addresses in eulogy of the deceased were given by Bishop Sheets. N. C. Christensen, Carl Jensen, and John Cartwright. The casket was almost hidden in a profusion of lilacs, gathered by the children of the Sunday school, of which one of the dead man's little daughters is a member. At the conclusion of the services all present joined in singing the hymn, "Sweet Rest in Heaven." The pall bearers, John Olsen, John A. Hellstrom, P. H. Berquist, and John S. Erickson, then carried the casket from the meeting house to the hearse, and the funeral cortege made its, way to the cemetery, where the grave was consecrated by Bishop Sheets.

Index

Source: History of the Scofield Mine Disaster, by J. W. Dilley, The Skelton Pub. Co., Provo, Utah, 1900.

Editors Note: The I.. O. O. F. were very active in raising money for the benefit of the widows and children along with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This information is included for historical value, it does not mean the people of this project support these institutions.