dr. f. julius le moyne, speaking of the great expense often lavished on funerals, says:—
“the aggregate of such questionable expenditures over the united states would amount to billions of dollars, a sum truly alarming in size; and this criminal expenditure has been an important factor in conducing to the monetary panic[1] still prevailing. this is one of the many extravagances which account in a great degree for national financial difficulties. the average expenditure for each body by the system of inhumation may be placed at $100. the average expense by the cremation plan would not exceed $20,—showing what an immense national saving would be gained by substituting cremation for interment.”
1. dr. le moyne’s paper was written in 1878.
it must be kept in mind that the expense of a modern funeral consists of the purchase of a lot in the graveyard, the funeral expenditure, and the outlay for the customary tombstone or monument.
the cost of a cemetery to the community is tremendous. the cost of a plain furnace with a columbarium does not exceed $5000, a mere trifle when compared with the price of a burial ground.
imagine what a lot of valuable land—the best soil is always selected for cemeteries—is lost by our present 225method of disposing of the dead. i firmly believe that graveyards are often a hindrance to the growth of a city; but progress cannot be stopped forever; it may be delayed for a short time, but finally it will overcome all obstacles, the dead are carted away, and a world of activity takes their place.
graves are not houses which last till doomsday. in this country where cities grow so rapidly, graveyards are soon surrounded by dwellings, and a cemetery which was once far outside of the city limits finally is almost in the centre of the city. it then becomes necessary to remove the dead. they are dug up and carted away, and are, perhaps, quietly dumped into some swamp to fill it up and assist in the generation of malaria. business blocks are then erected in the place that was once sacred to the dead, and the peace of the burial ground is changed for the din of traffic.
the following citation from an editorial of the detroit free press will serve to elucidate what i have said:—
“the interment of the numerous dead of a large population in the midst of a large population is very serious. to it are attributed the constant outbreaks of cholera in india, and the increase of leprosy in china, and it is certain as anything can be that the existence of cemeteries in crowded communities is meeting with an increasing prejudice. the people of large cities are already forced to seek, at some distance from their limits, suitable places for interment. and the existence of great cemeteries in the suburban communities themselves is provoking vigorous opposition. at newton, long island, there are 13 cemeteries, in which 30,000 bodies of people dying in new york and brooklyn are buried annually. there are, therefore, 60,000 226live people in one part of the town, the rest being occupied by 3,500,000 dead ones. property is depreciating and taxes are increasing. people are not attracted to a town of this sort, and the real estate of the village has been falling in value for some time.”
the proposed crematorium at cincinnati, ohio.
227but the financial deterioration is nothing when compared with the effect which the aggregation of many dead produces upon the health of the surrounding population.
in and about new york, brooklyn, and jersey city, 4000 acres of valuable land are taken up by cemeteries. it is calculated that with the probable increase of population in the next half a decade, 500,000 acres of the best land in the united states will be enclosed by graveyard walls. think of it! five hundred thousand acres of soil that might contribute towards the maintenance of the living given up to the “cities of the dead.” it is an outrage!
now, let us compare the cost of burial with that of incineration. as i have mentioned before, there is an immense saving of valuable land when cremation is adopted. millions of acres now uncultivated, and simply used for burial to the detriment of the living, would be changed into food-bearing land and furnish additional means for the maintenance of the people. a crematory connected with an urn-hall would not occupy more space than 360 to 400 square feet, and would last for centuries. there would also be a diminution of funeral expenses. the average expense of cremation in the united states is $25. contrast this with the ordinary funeral expense, and you will agree with me when i assert that the present waste of money for burials is as enormous as it is unnecessary. some author has said justly that the difference in expense would often equal one-half the proceeds of a life insurance policy. it is plain that the expense of 228the burning of single bodies will be very much reduced by the general use of the system. the annual expense for the cremation of 7000 bodies in bombay, india, amounts to $15,000 only, which is but $2.50 for each corpse.
the cost of incineration in our own country has varied. it is, of course, impossible to estimate the expense of the earlier cremations.
the furnace at washington, pa., was erected for the use of dr. le moyne only, and those of his friends who concurred with him in this reform. the public at one time believed that this furnace had been built for its accommodation, and that the owner followed cremation as a business, and charged fees for the use of his crematory. during the lifetime of the doctor no fee whatever was charged for incineration in his furnace. after his death the trustees of the crematorium were obliged to charge the moderate sum of $45 to compensate them for their time and trouble. this included all expenses after the body reached the railway station at washington,—a hearse, carriage, and box to contain the remains, as well as fuel, attendance, etc.
the building at washington was put up at the least possible expense (as economy was one of dr. le moyne’s principal arguments), and cost in all about $1500. compare this expenditure with that of purchasing a cemetery, not taking into consideration the improvements which must be made on a graveyard before it can be opened to the public.
it will prove interesting to consider the present state of the cremation question, and to note the progress which the reform has thus far made in various countries of the civilized world.
229incineration is making great headway in europe. in germany, societies were organized at coeln, hainichen, bonn, frankfort on the main, potsdam, liegnitz, chemnitz, heidelberg, elberfeld, eger, breslau, nordhausen, rheda, kollberg, bremen, and schleswig.
since prince bismarck declared that he would not be adverse to a law regulating and permitting the practice of cremation in all parts of the empire, the leading physicians of berlin and the members and officers of all the cremation societies of germany have petitioned the national parliament—the reichstag—to permit incineration in all cities of the empire, not restricting cremation to gotha, as has been done heretofore.
in austria, opinion is about evenly divided for and against the practice. a deputation from the “urne” society of vienna waited on the president of the austrian cabinet to ask that cremation should be authorized. this society now comprises 800 members, amongst whom every class is represented; they have collected sufficient funds for the construction of a crematory apparatus. and what was the answer of the government to this request? the minister of austro-hungary replied to the urne society for the propagation of cremation that incineration is forbidden in the empire because public opinion is against it.
the committee of the belgian chamber has favorably reported upon a petition for a law making cremation optional.
the municipality of paris lately decided to cremate the bodies which have been used at the school of practical anatomy and at clamort. over 3000 bodies 230a year are received at these two institutions for the purpose of dissection.
the municipal council of paris also recently authorized the erection of three crematories in the père la chaise cemetery, according to the gorini system, which are to be used for the purpose of cremating the remains of those persons who die of infectious or contagious diseases. they will be heated with wood, and are calculated to be capable of reducing the bodies of 50 persons per day at a cost of 15 francs inclusive of personal expenditure and the cost of an urn for the reception of the ashes. the prefect of police of paris has endorsed the decree of the municipality, laying stress especially on the many advantages—sanitary and economical—of cremation. he stated that sufficient testimony had been recorded by kuechenmeister and many other scientific authorities to demonstrate beyond a doubt that cremation is a protection against cholera, yellow fever, and small-pox epidemics. the furnaces at the père la chaise can be used eight hours a day. the total expense is estimated at 50,000 francs; and preparations will be made to burn 4500 bodies a year. the establishment of these crematories was brought about mainly through the efforts of m. koechlin-schwartz, mayor of the eighth ward of paris; and the plan for their construction was submitted to the municipality in the name of the commission of the assistance publique by m. chaisoaing.
the french chamber recently enacted the following: “any adult or free minor, capable of being a testator, may freely determine the mode of his sepulture. he may elect inhumation or incineration, may will his body or any part thereof to institutions of public 231instruction or to learned societies, and may regulate the conditions of his funeral, notably in regard to its civil or religious character.”
the privilege of cremation in the crematories at the père la chaise is now granted to any one who asks for the same.
the paris municipality will at a future sitting vote the construction of a sort of lay temple, where families will be allowed to keep urns or other funereal vessels, containing the ashes of dead relatives. this will not necessarily do away with any religious ceremony short of that of consigning the dead to consecrated ground; but, as m. koechlin-schwartz says, there is no reason why urns may not be consecrated, or why protestants, catholics, jews, and free thinkers may not build a vast mausoleum in which the ashes of thousands could be deposited in beautiful vessels without injury to the living.
it is probable that crematories being now legal in such an art center as paris, new and beautiful forms of artistic decoration will grow out of it.
altogether, cremation is progressing so favorably everywhere that one may be hopeful that comparatively soon it will be adopted by every country in the world.
public opinion in england has undergone a wonderful change, and now is universally in favor of cremation. even so great a newspaper as the times, once a vehement opponent of the reform, has come around, and now upholds incineration.
the crematory belonging to the cremation society of england, erected by them at st. john’s, woking, surrey, was made use of for the first time on the 26th 232of march, 1885. the body upon which the rite was performed was that of mrs. pickersgill, of london, aged seventy-one—a lady well known in literary and scientific circles. she had previously become a member of the society, with a view of supporting the reform, in which she took great interest. the form of declaration drawn up by the society had been signed by her, and, after the medical certificates had been duly filled up by registered medical men and an application from a representative of the deceased, the cremation was allowed to proceed. an autopsy had been previously carried out by the medical attendants of the deceased.
the body was conveyed to the crematory from london in a suitable hearse; and the cremation, which lasted one hour, was attended by two friends of the deceased, who expressed themselves perfectly satisfied with the system employed. the cost for fuel was under ten shillings altogether; and during the time of the cremation, no smoke escaped from the chimney-shaft, whilst the ashes were of a purest white and small in volume.
the italian government ordered the building of a crematory, on the gorini-gozzi system, for the cholera hospital at varignano, which was completed in the summer of 1885.
a crematorium was erected at florence, on the venini system, which cremates a body in 70 minutes, and the cost of which was 4500 francs. crematories are building at pisa and como.
on the 23d of june, 1885, the crematorium at livorno was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. it contains a spaciani mesmer furnace.
general acquiescence in the process of cremation is 233steadily growing among us; and i verily believe that the time is not far distant when crematories will be established in every state and territory of the union. the fact that one was recently erected in new york city, one has been built at lancaster, and one has just been completed at pittsburg, certainly proves that cremation has found a foothold in this country.
the new york cremation society was organized in the city of new york on march 8, 1881, under the presidency of the rev. dr. j. d. beugless, and was incorporated on the 26th of march in the same year. the objects and purposes of this society are to disseminate sound and enlightened views respecting the incineration of the dead; to advocate and promote in every proper and legitimate way the substitution of this method for burial; and to advance the public good by affording facilities for carrying cremation into operation. the members of the society consist of three classes: active, associate, and corresponding members. active members are subdivided into annual and life members, of whom the annual members pay the regular dues, and the life members the amount of $30 in one sum. those who have paid the regular dues for twelve successive years also become life members. no further payment is then required from such member. these payments for twelve successive years entitle an active member to all the privileges of the society for the remainder of his life; and an associate member to the benefit of the incineration fund without further charge.
only active members are qualified for election or appointment to any official position in the society; to vote at any election; and to debate and vote at any 234meeting; corresponding members are chosen from among those who have distinguished themselves by rendering service in the promotion of cremation; and they may reside in any part of the world, except within a radius of five miles around the city of new york. at present, the new york cremation society numbers 470 members, of whom 400 are active and 70 passive members.
the united states cremation company, incorporated under the laws of the state of new york, is in no manner connected with the new york cremation society, although many members of the latter are stockholders in the former. this company was founded for the purpose of acquiring land, and erecting thereon the necessary buildings, works, and other appliances for carrying cremation into operation. it was incorporated under the general business act of 1876 of the state of new york, with a capital stock of $35,000, divided into 1400 shares of the par value of $25 per share; $28,200 worth of stock has already been taken. among the stockholders of the united states cremation company are such persons of note as andrew carnegie, professor h. h. boyesen, the distinguished author, professor felix adler, and courtlandt palmer.
early in 1884, the company purchased a fine site on long island, about 45 minutes’ drive from the city. the cremation temple was erected upon the summit of a hill at fresh pond, long island. the site is bounded by olivet, evelin, and summit avenues respectively on the east, south, and west, and commands an unobstructed view of the cities of new york and brooklyn, from the center of population in either of which it is about five miles distant. it lies between two cemeteries. the grounds are high and picturesque. this 235place of rest will be, if present plans are carried out, more complete than anything of the kind in the world. it is expressly wished to deprive it of the mournful aspect usually associated with burial-grounds. to this end there are no yew or willow trees, nor any emblems of mourning. the grounds are tastefully laid out, and adorned with flowers.
the corner-stone of the crematory at fresh pond was laid on nov. 20, 1884. prof. felix adler conducted the services, the principal speeches being made by him and the rev. howard henderson.
the directors of the united states cremation company fixed the charge for the incineration of bodies at $25. the crematorium was finished in the latter part of october, 1885. experiments were made with the bodies of a number of the lower animals, in order to perfect the workings of the machinery. on nov. 10, 1885, a dressed ram, weighing 75 pounds, together with the skin, shank, and hip bones of an ox, was introduced into the furnace. with a temperature of 2000° f. the incineration was completed in two hours. a strong wind greatly retarded the process by interfering with the draught of cold air. the defect was remedied at once by altering the flues and the insertion of a steam jet at a point above the entrance of the flues.
the site was selected in order to carry out the first plans of the edifice, which were those of a grecian temple. the plans have been modified and modernized so that only a remnant of the classical design is left. the front portion of the building will be, when finished, two stories high. the rest of the structure is one story high, and is built of plain red brick. the dimensions 236are 38 × 74. light is admitted to the interior of the building by skylights in the roof, as well as by the half-dozen windows on each side.
cremation in new york has been advancing steadily, although perhaps slowly, in public favor. the first body was incinerated at fresh pond on dec. 4, 1885, and since then more than 100 persons have been cremated there.
cremation is spoken of with respect, and the stage of smiling and joking over it in new york passed away long ago.
it receives the unanimous support of the press and the medical profession. the society of medical jurisprudence and state medicine appointed early in 1886 a committee to consider the subject. the report of that committee, which was adopted, declared cremation to be “a sanitary necessity,” and recommended that all persons dying of contagious diseases should be cremated under direction of the medical authorities.
the cremation of dr. dio lewis, the famous health reformer, in the latter part of may, 1886, and that of mr. henry dodge, of one of the leading banking firms on wall street, in the early part of june, attracted wide attention.
the first one to advocate the adoption of cremation in buffalo, n. y., was, to my knowledge, dr. frederick peterson, who championed the reform in an article written for the buffalo medical and surgical journal. many years passed, however, before his ardent advocacy was followed by practical results. the buffalo cremation company (limited) was incorporated in july, 1884, under the law of 1875,—the so-called limited liability act.
237at a meeting held may 18, 1886, the first board of directors was elected, with dr. charles cary as president. the gentlemen constituting this first board managed the affairs of the company so well, and agreed among themselves so perfectly, that they were reelected, and are still in office.
at this meeting committees were appointed on the purchase of real estate for a suitable site for building a crematorium, also for plans for the erection of a furnace for the incineration of bodies. subscriptions came in rapidly, and those who had strong faith in the ultimate accomplishment of this work were gratified by the realization of their hopes. any one who takes a look at the crematorium of buffalo to-day, must acknowledge that the crematists of this city have a right to be glad and proud to behold at last the practical outcome of their work.
at a meeting of the board of directors in the early part of august, 1885, the committees appointed for the purpose rendered their reports in reference to a site for a crematorium and a cinerary apparatus. in accordance with these reports the directors purchased a site on delavan avenue, near delaware avenue. the dimensions are 181 feet front, 161 feet rear, and 148 feet in depth. the property was bought at a cost of $20 per foot, and on very favorable terms.
originally the capital stock was $10,000, divided into 400 shares, of the par value of $25 per share. this was afterward increased to $15,000, divided into 600 shares of the same par value. this stock when once paid up is non-assessable, and not liable for the debts of the company.
the buffalo crematorium, which was finished recently, 238is of a composite style of architecture, and is constructed of medina stone, with a slate roof. the outline of the building is a pleasing one, and the architecture is of such a character that it resembles a church more closely than a place where any mechanical operation is carried on. the grounds of the company are entered from delavan avenue by a spacious roadway, running to a porch and then passing around the building to the door of the mortuary chamber, on the east side. those who accompany the body alight at the porch, and pass thence into the auditorium. the body itself is removed from the hearse at the door of the mortuary chamber.
when the coffin containing the body is received in the mortuary chamber, the body is removed and placed on the car which awaits its reception. the car is then moved by machinery, and without noise, into the chancel, where, if it is desired, the body may remain in sight of those in the auditorium during the progress of such service as the friends and relatives may wish to have performed. at the proper time the same mechanism moves the car noiselessly behind the doors which cut off the incinerating room from the sight of the audience.
the building itself is some 70 feet in width, by 60 feet deep. the construction throughout is of the most substantial character. the lot is graded and seeded, and trees and shrubs were planted, so that the appearance of the crematorium and its surroundings is most pleasing to the eye.
239
crematorium at lancaster, pa.
(interior view.)
on dec. 20, 1883, mr. john storer cobb, who was one of the projectors and founders of the new york cremation society and the united states cremation company, requested bostonians (in the columns of a leading newspaper) who were in favor of substituting incineration for inhumation as a means of disposing of the dead, to furnish him with their names and addresses. after the receipt of these names he called a meeting, which took place jan. 24, 1884, and the result of which was the organization of the new england cremation society. organization was effected under chapter 115 of the massachusetts public statutes; but the commissioner of corporations refusing to allow such incorporation, the society not wishing to organize under the general corporation law, whereby the par value of 240shares must be $100, and all stock subscribed for and paid in before it could commence operations, applied for a special charter, embodying its views and needs. but the time for the introduction of new business having expired, it was obliged to wait till the next session of the legislature. early in the session it presented a bill for incorporation, which took the form of a general law, authorizing the formation of cremation societies.
it was the intention of the society to at once incorporate under this act, place the stock of the society on sale, and as soon as possible erect a crematorium in the near vicinity of boston. the bill passed both houses of the legislature, but was amended, so that now the par value of shares must be either $10 or $50, and, as under the general corporation law of massachusetts, the whole capital stock must be subscribed and paid in before the society can commence operations.
the capital stock of the society is $25,000, distributed into 2500 shares, each of the par value of $10. at present the society numbers about 75 members. the officers are: john storer cobb, president; charles a. holt, treasurer; and sidney p. brown, secretary.
inspired with the necessity of a better method of disposing of the dead, dr. john o. marble began the agitation of the question in worcester, mass., in november, 1884, by reading a paper upon the subject before 25 of the most prominent physicians of that city. much to his surprise and pleasure they heartily approved of the plan of cremation as a substitute for the present time-honored, but, to the living, dangerous custom of earth-burial. at the solicitation of one of 241them, who is the enthusiastic president of the worcester natural history society, the doctor delivered a lecture upon the subject of the “disposal of the dead, cremation preferred,” before a large audience in the hall of the society on the evening of dec. 4, 1884.
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 242over 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.
the national cremation association, which was organized and incorporated feb. 10, 1883, has so far met with success, as its object to make propaganda for the principle of cremation and keep its ideas before the eyes of the public has been fully sustained, as the 243discussions and arguments pro and contra in the press of philadelphia, pa., where it is located, will prove. according to its constitution, this association agrees to cremate the remains of any active or passive member in good standing at death, when so desired. the expenses of the funeral and cremation are carried by the association.
since the incorporation of this society, one of its members died, may 10, 1884, and was, in accordance with his wishes, cremated. the body was transferred to washington, pa., on the 13th of the same month, and there reduced to ashes, which were returned to the care of the family of the deceased.
since the incorporation of the association, the number of members has risen from six to 59 and will soon, no doubt, be a full hundred.
it is now the main object of this association to secure the erection of a crematory in or near philadelphia. for this purpose subscriptions were received and stock issued. as soon as the necessary capital is obtained the crematorium will be built.
in the medical school of the university of pennsylvania the bodies which have been utilized for dissection are burned instead of being buried as heretofore.
the lancaster cremation and funeral reform society at lancaster, pa., originated in this wise: early in 1884, a few gentlemen interested in the matter agitated it among their friends; and a list of members of a proposed society was made. on may 27, these subscribers met at the office of messrs. steinmann and hensel (both of whom were members), and, calling d. g. eshleman to the chair, a temporary organization was effected. a committee was appointed to report on 244a proper location for a crematory, also a committee on charter and by-laws. these committees reported june 6, when the amount of stock was fixed at $5000 in $10 shares.
at the third meeting, june 13, a permanent organization was effected by electing a board of directors.
the board organized immediately upon the adjournment of the stockholders’ meeting, and chose d. g. eshleman, esq., president; dr. henry carpenter and rev. j. max hark, vice-presidents; j. d. pyott, clerk; h. c. brubaker, esq., corresponding secretary; geo. k. reed, treasurer. mr. middleton was placed on the committee on ground and building in place of mr. hensel, whose engagements prevented his acting; and this committee was instructed to report june 20, at which time the site now occupied was selected and the committee ordered to purchase. on the 30th of june, the stock subscribed was called in, and building proposals asked for. on the 11th of july, bids were opened; on the 14th of july, the contract was awarded to mr. dinkelberg, and the building was immediately begun. on the 10th of september, the building was completed; and the retort builders having failed to come to time, the committee were authorized to construct one on plans of their own. this was done; for dr. m. l. davis devised and built a furnace from his own designs, and on nov. 1 the board met in the crematory building, and provided for the improvement of the grounds.
on the night of nov. 4 or the morning of the 5th, the furnace went to white heat, despite predictions of experts to the contrary, and justified the plan of construction. on the evening of the 17th of november, 245the body of a sheep, two ox-heads, and several sheep-heads were enclosed in a wooden box and placed in the retort at red heat, the company present being unwilling to remain later. some smoke, of course, was made; but when white heat was reached, the cremation was perfect, as specimens of the residuum amply proved.
the crematorium was dedicated on tuesday, nov. 25, at 2 p.m., when the body of a lady from jersey city, n. j., was incinerated. it must be remembered that this society was organized on may 27, 1884, purchased land, erected its building, and had its first cremation within the period of six months, while several other societies organized much earlier had not yet advanced much beyond laying the corner-stones of their respective buildings.
the dedication exercises were opened by a prayer by rev. geo. gaul, of st. paul’s methodist church. thereupon, the building was delivered to the society by dr. m. l. davis, chairman of the building committee, who discussed the subject of cremation from a sanitary standpoint.
the next oration, preceding the benediction, was delivered by rev. j. max hark, pastor of the moravian church, one of the vice-presidents of the society, who treated the subject from a theological standpoint.
the benediction over, the participants in the dedication ceremony dispersed. the incineration that took place on this occasion was entirely satisfactory.
the whole ceremony was solemn, and produced a profound impression upon the intelligent and thoughtful audience, among whom were many guests from other cities.
the rules of the lancaster cremation and funeral 246reform association are very stringent and well calculated to meet all demands. all applicants for cremation of bodies must present a certificate of death, signed by the physician attending during the last illness, whose standing as a reputable practitioner must be attested by a magistrate or notary public. when brought from a distance, official board of health papers are also required. the rules request that the body should be dressed in a shroud of cotton or linen fabric; all metallic substances being avoided—hooks, buttons with metallic eyes, etc. the body should be enclosed in a plain wooden coffin; or, what is preferable, in a coffin made of sheet zinc. the cost of incineration is $25.
the condition, financial and otherwise, of the society is excellent. mr. h. c. brubaker started the subscription shortly after dr. gross’s demise, and succeeded in getting some 50 subscribers before organization. the society now numbers about 80 members, of the best thinking element in the community, male and female. so far, 51 cremations have taken place in the lancaster furnace, every one of them to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.
recently a second furnace was put in the lancaster crematorium; and some important improvements were made by dr. davis in the process which was invented by him.
a single feature of the earlier incinerations seemed out of harmony with the character of the occasion—it was necessary to force the receptacle with the body into the retort by direct pressure. this was sought to be remedied by drawing it in by a wire cable; but the latter proving unreliable, the body, enclosed in the alum-saturated cloth, is now laid in a cradle consisting 247of a steel frame covered with asbestos and fire-clay, which is suspended from an extension arm, operated by a quick-thread screw extending lengthwise of the catafalque, by which the cradle is placed silently in the retort and the arm withdrawn. the incineration being completed, by reversing the process the cradle with the ashes is extracted intact and allowed to cool.
it is to be remembered that these lancaster people had almost everything to learn. dr. le moyne, of glorious memory, had devoted his labors to teaching the principle by precept and example; his method was necessarily primitive and crude. lancaster added the required art, gave the principle an adequate process, and sent forth the body of truth suitably clothed. the record of their first cremation was published, with all sorts of comment, in every live paper of the land; and the impetus then given to the cause of reform, while it cannot be fully estimated, is plainly seen in the wonderful development of correct thought and sentiment on this subject which immediately followed.
in the list of persons cremated at lancaster, the german element largely predominates; and practically the whole list is made up of residents in cities—showing that the centers of culture are also the nuclei of advanced thought on this question. nor is this crematorium altogether without honor in its own country. one of the prominent members of the society (george brubaker, esq.) dying since its establishment, was incinerated; also ex-mayor christian kieffer, of lancaster, and both parents of mrs. h. c. brubaker. the society is extremely fortunate in its personnel; from its president, a leading lawyer, its vice-presidents, in the front rank of medicine and divinity; its directors, active men 248in all walks of life, the high school principal, leading journalists, bankers, managers of large business enterprises, the medical profession largely represented in the rank and file of its 80 members—its position in the community is assured, and its radical doctrine finds the most solid of “backing.”
the cremation society of new orleans, la., was organized and incorporated on the 14th of february, 1884. it was established mainly through the efforts of dr. felix formento. it was founded to ascertain and demonstrate, by scientific research and investigation, the importance and necessity of incineration to society as the best method of disposing of the bodies of the dead; and in pursuance thereof to make known to the people the dangers to public health resulting from the mode of burial generally practiced all over the country, more particularly the special dangers to a city like new orleans, from the peculiar method followed there; to demonstrate the advantage of cremation over all other modes of disposing of the dead, in a sanitary, social, and economical point of view; to remove all prejudices which there may be against the introduction of cremation in the crescent city, and to prove that cremation can be practiced without in the least wounding religious sentiment or susceptibilities; to obtain information in regard to the different methods; to obtain, if necessary, proper legislative enactments on the subject of incineration, providing for the disposal of bodies, especially those whose death resulted from contagious or infectious diseases, and especially in small-pox hospitals and other public institutions; to procure necessary funds for the erection 249of a crematorium in the city of new orleans, and for its management under proper sanitary regulations.
i regret to say that this society is no longer in existence. it went to the dogs on account of the apathy of the people of new orleans. it started out with good prospects of success; a square of ground was even bought near the city, and it was thought that a furnace for the burning of the dead would be built without delay. but gradually the interest in cremation lessened in the crescent city and, in consequence, the society went into liquidation.
at st. louis, mo., the propaganda in favor of cremation was carried on for years by dr. luedeking, who died, and was reduced to ashes in the lancaster crematory. thereupon the robes of an agitator for incineration were donned by mr. oscar hoefer of the westliche post, an influential german journal, and rev. jonas, both of whom kept the interest in cremation alive by delivering lectures on the subject and by contributing articles to the daily press.
the missouri crematory association was organized in the early part of 1885 for the purpose of providing and establishing in the city of st. louis, a suitable building and other facilities for the cremation of the dead, and for the proper preservation of their ashes in a columbarium. the capital stock is $25,000, divided into 1000 shares of $25 each, ten per cent of which amount must be deposited by the subscriber immediately upon signing. non-residents may become members of the association, and, for the purpose of cremation, the bodies not only from this city or state, but also from other states and locations may be received.
from the beginning the association encountered a 250great deal of opposition. this was so strong that once the advisability of disbanding was seriously discussed. all agreeing, however, that it was too great a pity to abandon a project, for the execution of which there was enough capital on hand, concluded not to disorganize and to make more strenuous efforts to overcome the prejudice prevailing in the city council and among the citizens.
this proved to be temporary, for a bill, prohibiting cremation within the city limits, was repealed recently by both houses of the city council of st. louis, and only awaits the signature of the mayor to become a law.
the association bought no less than three lots. with the last one, not very desirable in location, they are at length gaining success. when they had bought the first lot, the building commission issued a building permit to them, for which they had to pay $5. after this, however, the municipal council enacted a law forbidding them to make use of that very permit, by prohibiting cremation. and the $5 were never returned to them.
the association is in a prosperous condition, and will proceed at once, as soon as the present obstacles are removed, to carry out the objects for which it was founded.
the first cremation society of san francisco was incorporated on the 17th of february, 1882, with 53 members. the directors of this society are: e. d. wheeler, president; s. heydenfelt, jr., vice-president; e. a. denicke, treasurer; max levy, recording secretary; george e. voelkel, corresponding secretary; h. a. cobb, j. bayer, m.d., f. schuenemann-pott, dr. wozencroft.
251the law of the state of california provides only for the disposal of the dead by burial; therefore the society is now making the greatest efforts to induce the legislature to enact a law authorizing cremation, leaving the people free to choose as to the disposal of their dead between the two methods.
at the last annual meeting of the society, the secretary stated that the society now numbers 113 members, of which six are ladies. one of the original members died, another left the society, which makes an increase in membership of 62 persons.
the san francisco cremation company was incorporated on the 10th of september, 1885, with 117 stockholders, representing 214 shares at $50. the capital stock is $25,000, divided into 500 shares of $50 each. the object of the company is to erect a suitable crematorium for the immense population of the great city at the golden gate.
a lot has been purchased, and a crematorium will be erected capable of incinerating 40 bodies a day. the officers of this company are: judge e. d. wheeler, president; s. henderfelt, jr., vice-president; max levy, temporary treasurer and recording secretary; george e. voelkel, corresponding secretary; c. w. banks, general cobb, e. o. denicke, w. t. trelan, jr.
a cremation company was organized at los angeles, cal., in the early part of september, 1885, with 152 members, of which 12 are ladies. this company intends to build a crematorium as soon as $6000 have been subscribed.
cremation companies were also recently founded at sacramento and stockton, cal.
the davenport (iowa) cremation society was formed 252on the 17th of february, 1885, and is still in existence. it counts about 120 members. it was founded to “enlighten the people on the subject of cremation.” the annual dues are $1.
the northwestern cremation society of davenport may be regarded as an offspring of the above. at a meeting held in april, 1885, a committee was appointed to obtain subscriptions for the purpose of building a crematorium. the committee reported may 6 that 100 shares, at $25 a share, had been subscribed. at this meeting a committee was instructed to draft articles of incorporation, to be acted upon at a future meeting; and another committee was appointed to ascertain the cost of cremation furnaces. the committee reported on june 30; and the stockholders then proceeded to elect the directors of the organization. on the 3d of july, the board of directors elected the officers: h. h. andresen, president; c. stoltenberg, vice-president; f. g. clausen, secretary; f. t. blunck, treasurer.
the capital stock of this company is $25,000, divided into 1000 shares of $25 each. the stock is payable at such time or times as the board of directors may determine. four thousand three hundred and fifty dollars have already been subscribed. a committee has been appointed to purchase a lot, and the crematorium will probably be erected in the course of this year.
in the spring of 1885, several citizens of san antonio, tex., circulated a list which read as follows:—
“we, the undersigned, believing cremation the proper, most healthful, and most satisfactory method of disposing of our dead, do therefore sign our names hereto, with the expectation of forming ourselves into a society, the immediate object of which will be the erection of a 253crematorium in this city.” this circular was signed by 95 persons, ladies as well as gentlemen.
a meeting was then called. at this gathering, three committees were appointed: one to obtain a charter, one to prepare the constitution and by-laws, and one, finally, to get subscriptions.
the latter made the round of the city with the following agreement:—
“we, the undersigned, do hereby agree to become members of the cremation society now being formed in san antonio, bexar county, tex. each of the undersigned hereby agrees to pay 50 cents down, as a contribution to the fund for defraying the preliminary expense in forming the society.”
this list was signed by 107 persons of both sexes, and $53 were collected to pay for printing, etc.
after this, another meeting was called in the latter part of may, and the company organized permanently. the organization is called the “san antonio cremation company,” and has the following officers: e. b. hadra, m.d., president; m. f. corbett, vice-president; f. groos, banker, treasurer; a. maverick, secretary.
the company was incorporated on the 18th of june, 1885. the amount of the capital stock of this corporation is $50,000, divided into 5000 shares, of the par value each of $10. so far, $1480 have been subscribed by 60 shareholders.
an acre of land was donated to the company by mr. a. maverick. it lies east of the city, on a hill, in the neighborhood of the cemeteries; but the property lies east of them, so that the east and southeast trade winds, which blow in san antonio during the summer, 254reach the place first, and, consequently, do not fetch any bad odor from the graveyards.
the grounds will be beautifully laid out and planted with trees and shrubs in the near future. the view from this site is very fine. toward the north may be seen the government depot, with all its stately buildings, about two miles off; toward the east and southeast is visible a beautiful valley terminated in the distance by the picturesque blue mountains.
in the beginning the company was opposed by a baptist preacher, who was soon silenced by the following declaration in one of the daily newspapers:—
“i have no doubt but that my good old christian friend is in this world for doing good; but, by opposing cremation, he not only does harm to us all as long as he lives, but continues to injure us after he is dead and buried,” etc.
the cremation movement in the state of michigan was begun by the author of this volume immediately after he returned from the incineration of his mother. by repeated newspaper articles i continued to awaken a lively interest in the reform at detroit, and was supported in my undertaking by all the leading newspapers of the city; even a publication only a few days old declaring in favor of cremation. none but the purely religious journals opposed the scheme. on the 7th of august, 1885, a meeting was held at a public hall in the city of the straits, for the purpose of discussing the question of cremation and of forming a cremation society. the meeting was well attended, nearly 100 persons being present. dr. j. h. carstens was chosen chairman, and dr. h. erichsen as secretary. the meeting was opened by dr. j. h. carstens. two plans, he 255said, had been proposed for the consideration of cremationists; one of these was the building of a crematory, the other, the formation of a society, each member of which would pledge himself to provide for the incineration of his body.
i then made the address of the evening, giving the main arguments for incineration as opposed to earth-burial. my statements were followed by remarks of a similar nature, made by several of the gentlemen present.
a motion was then made by dr. j. e. emerson, a prominent physician, that the chairman appoint a committee of three to prepare a constitution and by-laws for the organization of a cremation society in detroit; and three gentlemen were appointed as such committee. the following agreement was thereupon prepared, and received 27 signatures:—
“we, the undersigned, do hereby unite ourselves into an association for the purpose of providing facilities for carrying cremation into operation.” then the meeting adjourned, subject to the call of the committee.
the entire time of the committee was taken up by the formation of a stock company, which proposes the erection of a crematory. influenced by flattering prospects, the promoters of the project had prepared by messrs. spiers and rohns, architects, plans for a handsome crematorium. the chart shows three divisions, viz.: the exterior of the building, the main floor, and the basement.
256
crematorium at lancaster, pa.
(exterior view.)
the exterior view shows a handsome romanesque structure of one story and a basement. the main height is 16 feet, which rises in four gables on the sides. a dome, 35 feet in circumference, attains a height of 65 feet. the drawing of the first floor shows an auditorium of octagon form. back of the two rear niches are dressing-rooms for clergymen. two handsome altars on which to hold religious services will front from these niches. two rooms in the lower end of the building, on either side of the approach, are reserved for toilet rooms, one for ladies, and the other for gentlemen. in the center of the upper end of the auditorium is placed a catafalque, resting on an elevator. after a body has been properly prepared, it will be placed on this catafalque. when the religious services are concluded, the 257body will be lowered to the basement, and the opening in the floor closed with a slide trap.
the plan of the basement shows the same divisions as are made on the main floor. on the left-hand side is a retiring-room. the front is divided into four rooms. an ice cellar, a frigidarium, which is calculated as a place in which to preserve bodies for several days; a calidarium, a heated room in which bodies can be placed for several days, to insure against cremation while in a state of trance; and a drug room, where restoratives will be kept. the right-hand wing is designed for a preparing room, from which the body is taken directly to one of the furnaces. the furnaces, of which there will be two, are not yet definitely designed. it is supposed, however, that they will be after the plan of the apparatuses at lancaster, in pennsylvania.
in the rear of the building it is proposed to build an addition, in the form of a three-quarter circle, which will be styled the columbarium. on the inside this will be divided by three corridors, and the walls divided into compartments for containing urns. there will be room in this limited space of 40 × 30 feet, it is estimated, for holding the remains of 8000 bodies.
the building is designed to be built of ionia red sandstone. two immense flue chimneys, one for ventilation, the other for the furnaces, rising to a height of 75 feet, will give character to the building. the front will be set off with a handsome porch supported by roman pillars and approached by a half-circle road-bed, over which the hearse and carriages can drive up to the main entrance.
the michigan cremation association was organized at detroit on the 31st of march, 1886. dr. h. erichsen 258was chosen temporary chairman, and mr. a. n. low secretary of the meeting. the documents of incorporation were signed. on motion of dr. j. h. carstens, a board of directors was elected. at the close of the meeting the directors met, and elected the following officers: president, james f. noyes, m.d.; vice-president, hugo erichsen, m.d.; secretary, mr. a. n. low; treasurer, mr. m. w. field. the treasurer furnished a $10,000 bond, as required by the original agreement.
the subject of cremation was first agitated at baltimore, md., in the winter of 1884, by dr. g. w. lehmann and mr. j. r. rennous, who were also the originators of the cremation company in that city. in 1884, two public meetings were held; but they were poorly attended, and the prospects gloomy in the extreme. but the two advocates of incineration worked steadily on until their efforts were crowned with success. the cremation cemetery company of baltimore city was incorporated on the 30th of march, 1885, with a capital stock of $15,000, divided into 600 shares of the par value of $25 per share. at a meeting of the stockholders the following officers were elected: b. f. horwitz, president; j. r. rennous, secretary; j. w. middendorf, treasurer. the founders of the organization were obliged to call it “cremation cemetery co.,” to comply with the general laws of maryland in obtaining the charter. $9000 worth of stock has already been taken up, and the company expects to make such headway that it will be able to build soon.
when the la crosse (wisconsin) cremation society was founded in the middle of october, 1885, with mr. john pamperin as president, it resolved upon a full investigation of the subject of incineration and appointed 259a committee to get reports from other societies. this committee having performed its work, a meeting of the committee was held at the residence of mr. gustav carl, and these reports read, arranged, and discussed. the report from detroit was particularly exhaustive. davenport also furnished a report. the cremation society there had sent a representative to lancaster, pa., who had examined the cremation furnace there and had prepared a report, of which la crosse was given the benefit. the result of the conference was that a resolution was adopted calling for a meeting of stockholders at an early date for permanent organization. the la crosse cremation association filed articles of incorporation with the secretary of state on the 26th of november, 1885. the purpose of the association is to dispose of human bodies after death, by cremation, and it shall continue its business for 20 years, unless the holders of two-thirds of the stock consent to the dissolution of the association. mr. j. pamperin is the president, mr. g. carl, secretary, and mr. j. ulrich the treasurer of the association. a person wishing to become a member of this association may subscribe for one or more shares of $25 each (not exceeding 50 shares) of the capital stock of the association, which is limited to $8000. the shares so subscribed shall be paid in instalments. the first instalment must be paid at the time of subscription, and the balance in instalments, as called for by the directors, within one year thereafter; but none shall be called for until three months after the other. if any of the subscribers should die before the projected crematorium has been erected, and the deceased should have expressed a wish to have his body cremated, and provision is made by him or his family for the expenses incident 260thereto, the officers of the society shall see that his will in this respect be carried out at the nearest convenient crematory.
the kentucky cremation society, at louisville, which was organized in the fall of 1886, has been steadily growing, and now counts about 70 members. the subscribed capital is sufficient to buy a lot and commence building, and the society therefore hopes to have a crematory ready during next year.
a license was issued on jan. 2, 1886, to william christian, of the chicago tribune, elmer atkinson, a lawyer, and david hamilton, a real estate dealer, to build a crematory for the incineration of human bodies, near chicago, illinois. the capital of the company which they have organized, and which is called the “chicago and cook county cremation company,” is $40,000.
on april 6, 1886, dr. o. w. carlson read a paper advocating cremation, before the academy of medicine, at milwaukee, wis. at the close of the address the subject was discussed at some length by those present, and some very interesting facts were brought out. a proposition was made that the academy of medicine found a cremation society at milwaukee, and, though no action in the matter was taken at the time, it is probable that steps will be taken by the members with that object in view.
lately a cremation society was organized at milwaukee, that has already secured a desirable site upon a local cemetery, and intends to erect a crematorium as soon as the necessary funds are obtained.
it is proposed to build a crematory at toronto, canada. the pastors of the leading churches, upon being 261interviewed, almost unanimously expressed their opposition to cremation.
the newspapers state that a crematory will be erected at atlanta, ga.
this volume would not be complete without the mention of the modern crematist, a monthly journal devoted to the interests of incineration, and published by dr. m. l. davis of lancaster, pa. the neue flamme, a worthy german contemporary, is published at berlin.
my native country was always eager to embrace deserving reforms; there is no reason why it should not adopt the superior system of incineration. nay, i think it will become the standard-bearer of this sanitary reformation, and march in the avant-guard of this signal progress. the subject of incineration is already awakening much interest among us, as is evinced by a recent sermon of that eminent new york divine, rev. heber newton, who spoke strongly in favor of the substitution of cremation for sepulture. he said the mode of disposing of the dead human body was only a form, and that mode was best which was best for the living. in england, only a few years ago, a dignitary of the national church dared to assert that cremation endangered the belief in the life to come. he knew, or ought to have known, that the same process of combustion is surely carried on, whether in the ground or in the crematory, and that if dissolution of the body imperiled the true doctrine of resurrection, then that doctrine was long ago hopelessly lost. these words from the lips of a famous american preacher are certainly proof that the antagonism of the clergy to cremation is waning.
262there are other signs of approaching day. i refer to the constant discussion of incineration in the columns of the daily press, and to the fact that cremation was lately brought to the attention of the american medical association, while it met at st. louis, mo., on the 6th of may. the report of a special committee, appointed the year before, was read by its chairman, dr. j. m. keller, of arkansas. the committee moved to amend the original resolution so as to read:—
resolved, that cremation or incineration of the dead has become a sanitary necessity in populous cities, and that the association advises its adoption.
the association adopted the amendment by a vote of 159 to 106.
cremation was also endorsed by the american public health association at its last meeting.
i rejoice at the thought that most writers on the momentous subject of incineration were medical men. who, indeed, would be better qualified for such a task than the man who may daily witness the pernicious effect which the dead exercise over the living.
those who are friends of the reform should come out openly in its favor. crematists who are on the fence, or who, perhaps, hide back of it, might just as well keep out of the combat between cremation and interment altogether; we have no use for them. if you believe in cremation, candidly say so, and tell your friends why you believe in it. moral cowards do a just cause more harm than good. those who have tried to propagate the idea of cremation in an underhand way have invariably failed; the public must be brought face to face with the question: cremation or burial? to spread the 263reform in this country, i hope to see, before long, the birth of an american cremation association, to be composed of delegates from the various cremation societies of the united states. there is already a sufficient number of societies for the formation of a vigorous organization of the kind, that would undoubtedly aid greatly the progress of the reform.
this, then, finishes what i had to say about a hygienic reform that will be the leading one in the latter part of the nineteenth century. there will be a long and warm controversy before the people will generally abandon a custom of such antiquity as earth-burial; but cremation will supersede it in the end. the present style of burial does not do any one any good. on the contrary, it destroys hundreds, perhaps thousands, of lives every year. a good many deaths due to graveyard gases or water contamination by cemetery effluvia escape observation, since the real cause of the decease is seldom suspected. incineration, however, does nobody any harm, and is in accord with the humane and progressive spirit of the age. disadvantages it has none; and with the many arguments in its favor, it cannot fail to come out of the battle between torch and spade victorious in every respect. moreover, it has the generous support of the scientists, physicians, and sanitarians of the times, which alone assures success.
i close this volume with a prediction which will soon be realized, namely, that cremation will make more progress in the united states than in any other country of the world. indeed, the progression will be so rapid that old europe will open its eyes wide in blank astonishment, and wonder how it is possible. when we 264americans once perceive the advantages and superiority of a reformation, we do not hesitate long to adopt it; and the time will come when incineration will be customary in the union, and interment obsolete.
