Evening star., 1865-03-24
, FuaefeA : Custsms.

1t is annrunced that The owners Of carriages
IN This city have had = meeting, at whi2n u
was agreed 10 advance the rates to % caaIEsI H.
for carriages attending funerals. III tney oid
81, they have made their movement JUS :. "
time when, from the financial indleanons W
fall of prices ali over the country, .asy m"..
have resolved to put their rates down. Iney
have advanced their prices for fonefal service
once or twice during the last 1our yeass' ana
most persons think that their demands pre-.
yious 10 the advance just agreed upon were
uucons cionablY high. The undertakers may
think that their carriages are necessities, and
that families afflicted by the loss of dear
member cannot Withstand their extortion
But there can be q limit to every thing, and if
by com binafions II Is eought TO render the ex.
penses OF funerals more hurdensome han they
are at present, there will be, OF necessity, g
change In the method OF cond uctiDg funerals,
and 1t only needs few instances OF the appli-
cation OF the reform to render the improved
custom general.
In Hartford, Connecticut, we are told It is
not now the custom to invite every person
who may have had acquaintance with the de.
ceased 10 accompany the corpse TO the GEM
etery. They are invited to the residence OF the
Surviving friends, where the solemn funeral
services are performed. There are no car
riages to convey any persons to the burial
ground but the monrners and immediate rel
atives of the deceased. The friends who at
tend take their last leave Of the body and de-
part from the house. The family aud kindred
are all that require carriages, and the expense
is thus reduced in a very great degree.
At many Of our funerals there are forty or
fifty carriages, and we saw a procession In one
Of our streets short time ago in which there
was at least hundred vehicles. The bill for
this ccrtege must have been enormous at the
old rates OF carriage hire, and at the enhanced
prices now demanded, 1t would have been still
more burdensome. In many cases such a pa
rade would be wicked extravagance, and the
like has been borne frequently by bereaved
persons At pinching Inconvenience. Why
cannot the Hartford custom be introduced into
Philadelphia! 1t is sensible, decorus and
prudent. and its general adoption would be q
relief to many worthy families which are now
driven by custom or fashion into expenses
which they cannot easily meet.-Paila. Inquirer.
DRY GooDs.-In dry goods considerably
lower prices are ruling. Domestic goods aye
depressed. At the auction sale by Messrs.
Wilmerding i Mount, yesterday, Arnold
prints brought 16Xc; Atlantic mourning
prints, 1e%c.; Swift River brown goods q Ic.,
which is &c. per yard less than yesterdays
price; Androscoggin A bleached, 29c. Owners
would not duplicate goods because OF the low
prices. To day choice American delaiRes,
which were held recently at 3Sc., sold largely
t23kc. Flannels and wollen goods are gen :.
orally depressed. Foreign dress goods and
fabrics are held firmly. while choice articles
are scarce, and with q reasonable demand
prices must advance. This morning prices
are slightly lower, except in bleached goods,
which are hrm.-N 7. Post