New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-15
WHAT 1T COSTS TO BE BURIED.
REVENUES OF UNDERTAKINGS AND GENE
TERlES

REVENUES OF UNDERWRITERS AND GENE
TERlES.
HEAVY COST OF BURYING THE DEAD-wHAT IS PAID
FOR CoFFINs. HEARsES. CARRIAGES. ETC.-Ex-
PENDIrURE FOR FLOWERS AND MUsIC-vALUE
OF LOTS IN PROMINENT CEMETEREs-TOMB-
STONES, MONUMENTS, AND VAULTS.
At the present time, when cremation is a
subject of discussion and system Of basket burial" Is
brought TO public notice in England through the columns
of The London Ners few facts relative TO the cost Of
funerals NewYork may not be uninterestng to read
ers Of TIE TRIBUNE That funerals are expensive lnx
res need not be stated In nothing probably are the
laws of fashion vigorously enforced than IN the
burial OF the dead. Music and flowers are as necessary
at funeral as wedding and the body must be attred
for s final resting place with the utmost care Inc
best Of kid gloves be furnished to the palbearers
and carriages must be provided in which fhe relatives
and friends may ride TO the cemetery Ine sexton mus'
neglected. the organist and chor 60 unre-
and unless handsome fee is given the personal
attendance of the undertaken cannot be secured Lots III
frscass cemeteries costly, and 1t Is indispensable
that handsome and expensive monument OF marble or
granite should erected the grave And besides
oil these expenses mourning apparel Is absolutely heces
sary each member of the family OF the deceased person
and all his her relatives must be clad i'll black
for in society Grape is both an indication and measure
of fashionable grief.
The expense of funeral in its numerous details Is 70
great as to appal man of moderate means. ln these
days only the wealthy afford funeral But whie
funeral expenses i'll NewYork in every case consid
cradle is OF great variation In the cost
according TO the taste and Of the family some
persons have morbid ideas the way in which their
funerals should be conducted; occasionally taey give
long ago in this city left the sum of 900 to the ucer
taker who had charge of hs funeral. Now and then
chases hs coffin and keeps in his house ready for
at any high price is charged for buria ois
prices to su the customers while tOmbstones and monu
Of all varieties and designs can De procured
UNDERTAKES BILLS.
The cheapest coffin which can be bOught-leaving out
of the account plain pine boxes in which Jews and
Quakers inter their deads made to represent black
walnut and lined with alpaca The price of this is $1O
while IN imitation rosewood coffin, trimmed in similar
way is worth $13. 1t may be mentioned that al the
estimates in this article for adults to bury child ~
less expensive, and the outlay varies according To age
and size; black walnut coffin costs S2 ana one , OF
black walnut with round top is worth $50 An lmita,
ton rosewood caske also be obtained for $50 and
solid California dappe 9lack walnut Ganae. tS a TN
mings from 500 to Sl5O those trimmed with black or
or even more wooden casket covered with cloth
1926. Coffin handles are an additional expense eght
handles extending along both sides of the coffin. are
worth $50 Coffin plates OF variety OF shapes-sheids
crosses square, and oval-cost IRON - 10 $lZ hcuhg
The box in which the coffin is ncosed before it is
the cemetery In advance in order that the beauty and
richness of the casket may be seen through me glass
plates of the open hearse additional charge OF ~ 30
Is made From 50 to s12 is charged for the use OF the
hease and the price Of carriage to Calvary Cemetery
charge for icecOns varies from 81 70 49, scars are
worth 81 S. and gloves for the cost ~ %
a par Shrouds are made of lawn OF merino, and vary
in price from SO TO $40. When body is deposited IN a
vault an engraved eopperpate Is usually procured; tne
undertaken is worth from 81 10 500 and p0ters 10 carry
the coffin from the house to the hease are bad 81 90
their services worth 81 90 Tor each For his services
in opening the church, toing the bell. and attending to
IA dufie
the choir and organist are paid from s4O 10 800 o
money expended for flowers is very large in many
although in this in the other funeral expenses there Is
TO SO and large crowns from SIS to $50 1t
unusual thing for 5000 or $500 to be expended IN
procuring and preserving flowers and more than 5000
has been spent for this purpose on the occasion OF
exfravagany in the of young widows OF rich old
husbands
NECESSARY OUTLAY AT THE CEMETERY.
The expenses which have been thus far enumerated in
cnde only those which enter into the underakers bill
At the cemetery cost of lot swels the expenditure
and il is no nconsiderabe amount AT Greenwood each
lot contains 37s square feet Its form depends upon the
surface Of Tie ground and may be CIRCULAR oval, oblong,
square, IRREGULAR The situation determines the value
some IN speciay desirable places are valued at 81 600
Half third and quarter lots are sold at $40 500 and
81 j5 each and upward according TO situation Entire
lots of quadrangular FORM II feet by p feet admit 10
graves each hall lots contain SIX graves third lots four
graves and quarter lots three graves. Al Woodlawn
somewhat different system is pursued. Ground in the
cemetery sold at prices ranging from so cents TO ~
square foot the shape and of lots vary with the
extent of the purchase and the formation of the ground
Half lots. however, sold for S1s1 80 and $40 ac
cording situation aad quarter lots for 500 But in all
eases where fractional lots purchased granite Corner
posts must be procured the prices for which are 50 for
half lots and "a for quarter lots -
The ordinary depth of graves is six feet although
are dug seven eight, nne and even ten feet In depth
The usual charge for opening grave 80 for adults and
81 for children. At both Greenwood and WOodawn the
cost OF an inermentn the receiving vault is 25 u the
body is remor 6, IN tlfee Months $50 will he returned
will re buried in lot provided for that purpose If
lot removed in three months at Woodlawn and in six
months at Greenwood. This rule was made because
few years ago The receiving tomb at Greenwood became
overcrOwded account OF the low charge for depostng
vanced ard the market naturally corrected itself pre-
eisely ss demand and supply regulate other markets
cured for SOB the Cemetery Of the Evcrgreens and
al Cypress Hills the price OF single grave is So For
opening vault 81 Is charged at Greenwood and So at
woodlawn In both these cemeteries person who pnr-
ehases but does not wish to use an entire lot may sell
vented by the fact that an exortan price demanded
the % s VIII na nna o% n to Sy s
owner. At woodlawn receiving lot is provided for
to the RECEIVING tombs The price Of grave in the recev
ing lot is S3s for an adult and $50 for child:
the funeral is the tombstone monument In these there
countless variety in material and design from the
elegant and bghypOlished shaft OF Scotch granite The
material from which the majority OF tombstones are made
fciently firm to Withstand exposure to the weather.
quincy granite is extensively used as Is also the granite
quarres of brown-stone that article is used for the
construction OF monuments, but 1t is Objectionable.
because it rapidly becomes covered with noes.
Tombstones OF marble can be obtained for SIS,
and from this the prices range to $3.50. Occasion
ally as much 5000 is paid for a tombstone, but
generally when large an amount as this expended
monument is purchased. The t0mbstones generally
placed block Of granite and the foundation must be
placed below the of frost The price is affected by
differences in the style Of ornamcDtatOn, crosses,
wreaths anchors, pals and figures of many
being carved in the marble. A marble monument, IS
feet In hight, without any ornanentation, cannot be
bought for less than 5000 The price Of monuments OF
Quincy granite is5 per cent more than those Of Italian
nndS Ia lot