Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1877-11-30
A nanY CREMATION.

The important subject Of the proper
and sensible disposition Of the dead. has
been again brought into prominent
notice. by the cremation Of a baby eight
days Of age. in New York city. Mr..
julius Kircher ia a chemist by profess
siou. and the proprietor OF a large ultra
marine blue factory. When his little
infant died. no aud his wife held a con-
sultation. The idea Of giving over that
tsnder body to the slow process OF disco
luton. and the gaping maws OF disgust
ing worms. was rspulsivs to both. Tho
notion OF keeping by them n souvenir
Of their little dazzling. and having the
ashes always by them. was beautiful in
comparison. And SO they decided to
cremate the infant. How this was sue
cessfully accomplished is related by a
Sun reporter. who interviewed Mr..
Kirchsr as follows:
At o'clock. when the majority Of tho
workmen were leaving. Mr.. kircher ~
quested two OF his most trustworthy hands
70 remain aud sec that the fires In the
| drying-room were kept up to their greatest
heat. His instructions were obeyed. He
then went into his private Office and came
out with q small paper parcel which he
had brought down with him in the morn
ing. and which. on being uncovered. was
found TO contain the body OF q baby. eight
days old and weighing seven pounds. The
child was wrapped up in 4 linen chemisc
and had Its little hands crossed upon its
breast
The body WAS carefully deposited on the
table. on the top Of several packages o!
u%ltramarine. while the bellows were APP
piled 10 the fire. which soen attained such
heat that the iron turned red and white by
turns. Mr.. Kircher then lifted the body
| Of his dead baby into an iron retort, which
he put on the fire. and. standing of at a
| distance Of q few feet 20 avoid being
scorched. watched the flames lesping into
and all round II. his eyes suffused with
tears. The two workmen removed their
hats and stood looking OF meanwhile.
In fifteen minutes the fire had done its
work. and all that remained Of tho seven.
pound baby was two ounces and u half Of
clean. white ashes. Mr.. Kircher then
babe his men extinguish the flames. which
Was done, and time being given for the re.
tort to cool. II was carefully removed and
the ashes were put into . piece OF tissue
paper and weighed. after which they were
closed In . small silver urn. which Mt.
E.--k- A. 49,. "a. HI !. "a AL
piece with the inscription
Eguihard Louis Kircher.
Geboren Stem November. 1877.
G-storben llten November. 1877.
But for the anger Of an undertaken,
who considered himself despoiled Of his
tribute from the friends Of the dead,
tsis instance OF cremation would never
have been known to the outside world.
Now who shall say that this mother and
father did not do well for themselves.
and we'll for the child. Aburid. accord
ing to Mr.. Kircher. would have cost at
least $50; the cremation cost two dollars.
In this instance tho expense was moth.
ing. for the gentleman is wealthy. anil
widely known for his libsrality. But in
the a Of a poor family. the expense
Of q funeral is an important item. That
mother and that father kaotc now that
their child is dead; they have no fears OF
its awaking and suffering all the houors
OF a premature interment. They know.
also. that they have injured no living
person, by helping to spread a fruitful
cause Of disease. which the burial Of the
dead in populous cities. is acknowledged
by all medical men 10 be.