Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-10-19
CREMATION.
The Body Of an Irish Laborer Consumed
at Washington. Pa.

The Body Of an Irish Laborer Consumed
at Washington, Pa.
WASHINGTON, Pa Oct 6.-This usu-
ally quiet and somewhat obscure
place Was yesterday the scene OF up-
usual activity and great excitement,
occasioned by the announcement-the
day previous that the first public Gre
nation of a human body in the
United States would take place, at
the new cremation furnace upon the
day following.
The news must have spread oyer a
vast amount Of territory in one day,
for as early as 4 o'clock yesterday
morning the crowd came pouring in.
At 8 o'clock a. m, four stages, three
carr bes. and sixty men on horse,
back rrivs xYhesf Jaa
SOM Ne ans epeie r byneA
burg party having started the eve
ming previous and travelled all night
In order to witness this, the greatest
event Of the century The trsin on
the Hempfield railroad Brought up
an excursion party of 1000 from
Wheeling, West Alexander, and
Claysyille, while the train from Pitts
burg atR1frAefursbs4ffs.
Cannonsburg, and other points. At
II o'clock an extra train arrived from
Wheeling. bringing some 1,4O0 peo-
pie. The cremation took place at
precisely o'clock By that time it
is estimated that not less then 10000
strangers were in tow n, and the scene
in and abope 30 isrpsee3 buldiag
was perfectly bewildering. Every
body was scrambling for a good po-
sition In order to get a glimpse OF the
body while being cremated. Now it
was simply i4Possib1s - snch .
larga pngrega5oA to,sef even nesrl
the building, and ropes had to be
stretched liz order to keep back the
surging crowd, who were all intent
upon the sole purpose OF seeing. On
ly few of the most intimate friends
OF the proprietor of the furnace were
permitted to enter the building, your
correspondent happily <being one Of
that number. O0&A = AA&&sA
The body which hal the honor OF
being the first cremated in the United
States was that Of an Irish laborer,
who assisted in building the fur
mace, aud met With, his death while in
the bertpEpauce Of his duties TT sp
peats thakhswas engaged fnzlaying
the stone steps leading up to the fur
mace, and while raising heavy stone
accidentally steppedupon the point
OF an old rusty scythe, which caused
a painful wound from which lock- jaw
set in. causing his death on Tuesday
evening hstI TBefofe bresthInes his
last hs rauested that hk body be
cremated in the furnace he assisted
in building. As he had no relatives
in this conntry,his.reqnest was COM
piled with, and what remains of the
body is now securely sealed in beau
tifu1 urn xhere OIL persons who desire
can see. The method OF cremation
was as follpusa AZ precisely 4 o'clock
the body arrived at the furnace in
the hands of six palI-beafers. 1t was
laid on a sort OF litter constructed for
the occasion. It was made OF plain
black walnut. trimmed VITA satin,
and by this meanst the useless coffin
was dispensed with The body was
placed in the furnace and the flames
turned upon II at ten minutes after
4, and In forty minutes aftcrward
whatswss once , body was then about
six quarts Of whits ashes, which were
Immediately p aced In beautiful urn
constructed especially for the occa-
sion. 1t bears the following inscrip-
ton:
@This urn contains the ashes from
the femainsof Thomas Collins, who
was cremated at Washington, Pa.
Oct. 8. 1876. He was q native ofIre-
land, Of the County Cork, and near
the Town OF Belley Castle. Died Oct
8, 1875. Peace 70 his ashes.s' is7tt
After. the cremation the great null
tirude OF people dispersed for their
respective homessmany. however, re-
naming until this morning 10 view
the furnace, which excites greater
interest among our citizens than the