The cremation of the dead: considered from an aesthetic, sanitary, religious, historical, medico-legal, and economical standpointErichsen, Hugo
Religion
The cremation of the dead: considered from an aesthetic, sanitary, religious, historical, medico-legal, and economical standpoint
Erichsen, Hugo
Cremation
The people of the conservative city of Worcester seemed to appreciate
the sanitary necessity, and began intelligent inquiries, which Dr.
Marble answered in eight communications in the _Worcester Daily Spy_.
The movement was favored by almost all of the best citizens, and, after
considerable hard work on Dr. Marble’s part, took shape in the
organization of a society. The constitution was signed by, and the
society is composed of, persons of the very highest position, socially,
professionally, and in every respect. The society is not yet quite ready
for the erection of a crematory, but it is expected that such result
will follow in the near future.
The Cincinnati Cremation Company was incorporated on Oct. 18, 1884; it
was organized two or three weeks later. The capital stock of the company
is $25,000, divided into 1000 shares of the par value of $25 per share.
No member is permitted to own more than 20 shares. In the spring of
1885, the company purchased a site for the erection of Cincinnati’s
crematorium. The site is on a commanding eminence on Dixmyth Avenue,
west of Burnet Woods and within a quarter of a mile of the terminus of
the Clifton line of cars. The property is within city limits; it is
easily accessible, being on a fine drive; its elevation will give the
crematorium a distinguished prominence, while the view to the west and
south is extended and beautiful. The front measurement of the site is
somewhat over 300 feet, with a depth of 350, comprising an area of more
than two and a half acres, at a cost of $4000. The basement of the
Cincinnati crematorium has been finished; the furnace is being erected,
and will be completed in a short time. At present, the company counts
325 stockholders, with quite a representation of ladies. About $15,000
of the stock has been subscribed for.
A crematory on Sixth Avenue, in the centre of the city of Pittsburg,
Pa., was completed in January, 1886. The furnace (constructed by Dr. M.
L. Davis) is heated by natural gas to at least 2200 degrees. The
apparatus is owned by Mr. H. Samson, the ex-president of the National
Funeral Directors’ Association, who is a wide-awake man, and thinks the
funeral directors (_vulgo_, undertakers) are very shortsighted to allow
cremation associations to be organized; they should be willing and
prepared to take care of and make such disposition of the dead as the
people want. The use of natural gas enables Mr. Samson to have his
furnace in the basement of his business house. The first cremation in
this apparatus took place on March 17, 1886, when the remains of Milton
Fisher, of Columbus, O., were incinerated. The body was placed in the
retort at 7.30 o’clock, and in less than an hour was reduced to ashes.
This was the first time that natural gas had ever been used for
cremating purposes; and its advantages were apparent at once.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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