The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-10-19
The BODY OF an Irish LabOrer UOn-
sumed at Washington, Pa.

This usually quiet and somewhat
obscure place Washington. Pa, was
yesterday the scene of unusual actiVi-
ty and great excitement, OceRsioued
by the announcement the day pre-
vious that the first public cfematIOn
Of human body in the United States
would take place at the new crema-
ton furnace upon the day following.
The news must have spread oyer 8
vast amount Of territory in one day,
for as early as four o'clock yesterday
morning the crowd came pouring in.
At nine O'Clock A. NJ, four stages,
three carriages and sixty men on
horseback arrived from WAynesburg,
Jacksonville and Prosperity, the
Waynesburg party having started the
evening previous and travelled all
night in order to be on time to wit
ness this, the greatest event of the
century. The train or the Hempfield
railroad brought up an excursion
party OF twelve hundred from Wheel
ing, West Alexander and Claysville,
the train from Pittsburg took on
board excursion parties, numbering
about five hundred, at Mansfield,
Canonsburg and other points. At
twelve o'clock an extra train arrived
from Wheeling, bringing some four
teen hundred people. The cremation
took place at precisely four o'clock.
BY that time 1t is estimated that not
less than ten thousand strangers were
In town, and the scene In and about
the furnace building was perfectly be-
wildering. Everybody was scramb-
ling for good position in order to get
q glimpse of the body while being
erematec. Now it was simply i'm
possible for such q large congregation
10 get even near the building, and
ropes had to be stretched in order to
keep back the surging crowd, who
were all intent upon the sole purpose
Of seeing. Only few Of the most
intimate friends Of the proprietor of
the furnace were permitted to enter
the building, your correspondent hap
PLY being one of that number.
The body which had the honor OF
being the first cremated in the United
States, was that OF an Irish labOTer,
who assisted in building the furnace,
and met with his death while in the
performance CT his duties. 1t appears
that he was engaged in laying the
stone steps leading up TO the furnace,
and while raising heavy stone, acci-
dentally stepped upon the point Of an
old rusty soythe, which caused a palm
ful wound from which loek-jsW set
In, causing his death Tuesday evening
last. Before breathing his last he re-
quested that his body be cremzted in
the furnace he assisted in building.
As be had no relatives in this coun-
try, his request was complied with,
and what remains of the body is now
securely sealed in a beautiful urn
where all persons who so desire can
see. The method of cremation WAS
as follows: at precisely four O'Clock
the body arrived at the furnace In the
hands OF six psll-besrers. 1t was laid
on 3 sort of litter constructed for the
occasion. 1t was made of plain,
black walnut, trimmed with satin,
and by this means the useless coffin
was dispensed with, The body was
t1ffed upon 1t at ten minutes after
four, and in forty minutes afteFvard
what was once body was then about
six quarts OF white ashes, which were
Immediately placed in a beautiful urn
constructed especially for the Occa-
sion. 1t bears the following inscrip-
ton:
"This urn contains the asher from
the remains of Thomas Collins, who
was cremated at Washington, PS,,
October 5. 1876. He was a native OF
Ireland, OF the County Cork, and
near the town Of Belley Castle. Died
October 3, 1876. Peace TO his ashes"
After the cremation the great null
titude of people dispersed for their re-
spective homes. Many, however, re-
manning until this morning to view
the furnace, which .excites q greater
interest among our citizens than the
Centennial Exposition. So great was
the unexpected crowd that all the
provisions in town were exhausted
before noon also horse feed, etc. In
short, it was the greatest day ever
known in little Washington.