The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-16

correspondence OF the Rochester Democrat,
From New York.
CREMATION -- BURNING OF THE LIVING
FIRE EsCAPEs--TnE BRIDGE FAMILY
PALACE BUILDING.
The World has made Il speciality of Gre
nation Cor burning the dead), II subject
which it has handled in an exhaustive man
ner Converts to this system may be OBJ
tanned in great city like New York much
easier than in the country. The reason is
found in the fact that in village cemetery
the friends Of the departed may visit their
graves, which is generally source q con-
ISOLATION. Here, however, the case is very
different. Cemeteries are distant and diff
fcult of access, and hence the family plot
is seldom visited except when new inter-
ment renders it necessary. Under such
circumstances burning the dead might be
an advantage. Still more were this proper
when we remember that burial grounds
are subject to change, and that of the large
number which once were in use in the
city and county of New York, only five
remain, and that only one of these is sill
used for its original purpose Since my
acquaintance with the city the vaults Of
the Reformed church, (now the postoflice. =
and also those of the Brick church and st
Thomas's church, have been empted of
tenants. All of this would have been
avoided had these remains been reduced to
ashes at the time of burial The burial
method, however, will resist any such sys-
tenn, through which, indeed, the tenderest
associations of our nature Gas illustrated by
Eleg) must suffer violence. The poem to
which have referred is designated by its
aufhOr can plpuv compnsnd in on,n,,,.
church yard" and such beautiful train of
thought would hardly be suggested by an
array of urns. This idea is given forcibly
in Shakespeares "Winters Tale" where
Leontes exclaims:
"Pr'y thee bring me
To the dead bodies Of the queen ana my son,
one grave shall be for both. Each day in visit
The chapel where they lie, and tears shed there
Shall be my recreation"
BURNING THE LIVING.
The question which more nearly con
Germs public veal at present is how the iv.
ing may escape burning. We have not
had single case of cremation of the dead
while the destruction of the living has fire.
quently occurred under circumstances of
great horror. Among these was the Center
street calamity, where group of unfortu-
nate girls persisted in the ruins of Il book
bindery in which they had found employ
ment. Another was the Fifth Avenue To-
tel fire, where number of chamber maids,
who lodged on the highest floor, were
smothered. These tragedies were among
the poor, and hence might have been light
ly viewed by those who worship wealth,
but they were followed by the Steiner af.
fair. This occurred in the house of a rich
man, who, with others of his family, per-
ished by fire, occasioning an unusual amount
of nj len aInn 20 L..
er previously happened among this class.
Before this horror loses its hold upon the
public mind we have the burning of a tene-
ment house, three of whose inmates are
consumed Here we find it is the living
instead of the dead which are called to un-
dergo cremation.
ALLusIoN TO THE DEAD.
The previous subject leads naturally to n
reference to the recent dead, and in this
connection instance the departure Of two
women whose names are suggestive of the
glories of former rank and wealth. One
of these was Mrs. l.. X. Bridge daughter
of Samuel Judd, once noted as a leader in
the oil trade Judd was an Englishman
who came to this city seventy years ago,
and had the secret of bleaching lamp oil.
He opened small place, but his reputation
soon led to an increase, and he lived to be
the most extensive oil-refner in this city.
His clerks, Penniman and Bridge, married
his daughters and became the lords of the
oil trade. Judd made large fortune, and,
though the secret of bleaching oil was soon
acquired by others, his reputation gave
him a permanent advantage which his sue
cessors still enjoy.
THE BRIDGES.
Lewis X. Bridge died early, leaving a
son who, like most rich mems children
found in wealth his greatest danger. lie
was kind-hearted young man, but $780,
700 was too much for him. lie went to
Paris to enjoy life, and came back TO his
colin before two years had expired. John
Bridge, brother of Lewis, held for many
years supremacy in the linseed. oil trade
equal to that which Judd exercised over
sperm oil. He was an adroit operator, and
manipulated the market in mastery man
ner 1t could generally be known when
John Bridge was sending heavy orders to
foreign ports by the fact that on such days
the market was depressed and prices were
down. The same steamer which carried
his orders also carried low quotations in
New York. Next day prices would adj
vance. In those days the variations in this
article were much like those in fancy stock
and this was chiefly owing to the caprice of
the grand master of the trade. John Bridge
retired few years ago with n large for
tune. had not met him in long time,
when one day | suddenly recognized him
in the crowd on Broadway. lie has chang
ed but little in appearance, and may still
claim to be one of the handsomest men in
the city for his years. lie is n bachelor,
and, therefore, should turn Il part, at least,
OF his immense estate to philanthropic
end.
SIXTEENTH STREET PALACE.
Two squares above the palaces above
referred to stood that of the Thornes In
those days Sixteenth street was far up town
as fashion had reached, and here, 1853
Col Thorne established himself. lie was
fresh from Paris, where he reached distinc-
ton as the gayest Of Americans. His wife,
who was commonly but incorrectly called
Lady Thorne," was the daughter of Jaun-
cey, once the richest merchant of this city.
On opening the Sixteenth street palace the
Thornes took the lead in fashion, and "her
ladyship's" diamonds excited both envy and
admiration. They had, however, a share
of disappointments and trials, and gossip
reported deep under-current of domestic
infelicity, illustrating to later age the pun
gent lines of Young;
"can wealth give happiness Look round and
What cav distraqQ What lnndId nnisprVin