d ' . . - rx . .A , y . * / . . % t . _ *
16 the Conservative.
CREMATION INCREASINGLY POPU
LAR.
It is cheering to note the steadily
growing popularity of cremation in the
United States. While at the Fresh
( 1 Pond crematory of New York city there
were incinerated in 1900 about six
hundred bodies. A newly organized
cremation company anticipates that by
introduction of improved methods it
will bo able to increase the number more
than a hundred per cent. With the
furnaces at present in use by the Fresh
Pond crematory , to consume a body
requires from two to four hours. The
directors of the now company guarantee
to do the work in half an hour. Truth
to tell , it has hitherto required three
days to transact all the business involved
in a cremation. Upon application to
the incineration authorities , arrange
ments were perfected for conversion of
the body into ashes on the following
day. The next step was to convoy the
body to the crematory and deposit it in
the retort. "On the third day one could
call for the ashes. " In the language of
a director , you can , under the new
regime "call him up over the 'phono in
the morning , bring the body over imme
diately and in an hour go home with the
ashes. "
Cremation societies have been greatly
handicapped by popular prejudice , but
that has now been largely overcome.
They affect to have discovered that their
two worst enemies are women and the
church. We quote from the New York
Sun :
"Louis Lange , president of one of
these societies , says that men often
come to him. and tell him how they pine
to bo cremated after death , how they
have labored with their loving wives to
bring them around to the same view
and of how dubious they feel about the
future. The burning question with
these men seems to bo , how to get the
wife to agree to the burning. They say
she'll bo sure to bury them if they
happen to die first. The conviction a
man may have , that ho won't lie easy in
his grave under those circumstances
doesn't help him much. But apparently ,
in some cases his uneasiness reaches the
widow. For Mr. Lange says that
women often come to him and say :
" 'lean find no rest I My husband
wanted to be cremated , but I , basely
persuaded , put him in a gravel Now I
want him disinterred and cremated. "
Hard is the way of the transgressor !
comments Mr. Lange.
"Yes , and expensive , too. Think of
having a cemetery lot and a granite
tombstone for the exchange and barter
column ! It would be a worse plight
than that of the 'widower who would
like to exchange a lady's riding habit for
anything useful. '
At Fresh Pond there is but one furnace
and but one chapel for funeral services.
The now crematory is to have five. Said
a director by way of explanation : "We
don't want to have one funeral party
sitting on the front steps waiting for
another one to get out. "
It appears that the number of volun
tary cremations in the city of New York
exceeds that of any other city either in
Europe or the United States. There are
more incinerations in Paris than in
OMAHA NATIONAL BANK ,
OMAHA , NEBRASKA ,
CAPITAL AND SURPLUS , $1,150,000
DEPOSITS , 6,300,000
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS :
J. H. MILLARD , Prest. E. W. NASH.
ERASTUS YOUNG. GUY O. BARTON.
N. W. WELLS. A. J. SIMPSON.
O. W. MINK. W. WALLACE , Cashier.
E. E. BALCH , Asst. Cashier.
America because in Paris all paupers
and unclaimed bodies from the hospitals
and the morgues are burned in a public
crematory. The only exceptions to the
hostile attitude of the church to crema
tion are the Episcopalians. Not only do
their ministers often officiate at the.
crematory ; many of their famous men
like Bishop Potter , Bishop Lawrence ,
Dr. Rainsford and Dean Hodges have
shown cremation societies marked
favors. Both the German emperor and
the Pope are against incineration , deeply
prejudiced.
The number of crematories in the
United States in 1884 was two. Twenty-
five is the present number. Moreover ,
from forty-seven in 1885 the number of
cremations became in 1900 , 10,000. It
transpires that while in actual number
of incinerations New York remains at
the head of the class , San Francisco is a
good second and the number of crema
tions in proportion to population is far
greater in the metropolis of the Pacific
Coast than in New York City. The
Odd Fellows' crematory of San Fran
cisco , by the bye , enjoys the distinction
of being the finest in the world.
Burial of the corpse is a relic of
barbarism. It is unclean , revolting ;
scantily considerate of the dead and a
menace to the living. Cemeteries occupy
much valuable land that could be used
to better purpose and by pollution of the
water-supply of cities annually slay
unnumbered thousands. Californian.
K
THE
J AMERICAN TRUST
AND
SAVINGS BANK ,
CHICAGO ,
DEPOSITS , - - $12,500,000.00
CAPITAL AND SURPLUS , - 1,250,000.00
RECEIVES ACCOUNTS
OF
Banks , Corporations , Firms and Individuals ,
and pays interest thereon.
OFFICERS :
EDWIN A. POTTEH , JOHN JAY ABBOTT ,
President. Ass't Cashier.
G. B. SHAW , O. 0. DEGICKII ,
Vice-President. Ass't Cashier.
JOY MORTON , FBANK H. JONES ,
Vice-President. Secretary.
J. B. CHAPMAN , W. P. KOPF ,
Cashier. Ass't Secretary.
in-