The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-01-02
WHATIT COSTS TO DIE.
Some Facts of Interest Concerning
Bufial Expenses, Undertakers.
COffims, Eunerals-rheE Of
+ the sPauPer and the MflliOnefre.

~
the land OF wooden overcoats would
not postpone their trip, until they get
q discount, SO heavy is the burden OF
taxation upon those who would die
after the most approved modern style
OF course one can be returned to
mother earth in the psuper style, but
few care to wrap the drapery Of their
touches around them and lie down to
pleasant dreams if the drapery is to be
cheap and thin, the couch poor and
uncomfortable, and the pleasant dreams
nightmares in which one can see his
friends going to their last resting
place, followed by whole string OF
carriages and borne in hearse with
two horses and ten plumes.
But to the philosophic mind the for.
NAL pageant of the modern swell fu-
neral, seems as relic of the barbaric
ages, and even the extravagant ex-
penses attending the burial of the less
ahuent ought to be curtailed. Now
a-days more money is spent in respect
ably interring dead body than would
suffice to feed dozen live ones for
months.
With some such thoughts as these
occupying all his surplus brain re-
porter for this paper put on a new suit
of ssackcloth and ashes and getting his
visage down to regulation funerality
and standard solemnity started out on
his undertaking of presenting under
taking in all its presentable phases to
those who will sooner or later have to
accept the disagreeable duty of dying.
| The chief thing in an undertaker's bus
iness is what is commonly called a
coffin, but coffin is generic term,
and Is divided into three classes-cas-
kets, cases and coffins. Caskets are
made of iron, handsomely finished in
side with silk or satin, and splendidly
finished on their exterior with silver
mountings and beautiful japaning.
They range in price from $50 to 81 600,
and are simply long iron boxes, with
all iron and glass top. Cases come
next, and are of light metal Or of the
finest woods they have the traditional
coffin shape, and vary in price from
$50 to $780, Last come coffins. These
1 are of plain, common woods, aud cost
from So 10 $50, aud are only in de-
mand by The poorer people. Under.
| takers make the distinction in their
| talk as We have given above, bu. we
shall not do SO. simply calling the re-
ceptacles for the dead by their com
mon name-coffin.
Generally speaking, coffins vary in
price from S3 to 81 700, aud the thou
sand dollar variety is as handsome as
the three dollar kind is ordinary.
These extensive collins are not kept in
stock by undertakers but the manu-
facturer is called on when an order
comes in for this quality. They are,
of course, elegant and artistic. beauti-
fully painted and vanished on the
outside, with rich silver bar handles,
a plate of the finest French glass for
top, and the softest white silk for i'm
ternal decoration, making them as
nearly comfortable as the appreciation
of the contents can comprehend. The
cheap coffin, on the other hand. is
cheap, very cheap. Plain common
wood, stained on the outside to make
the Final Resurrectionists believe it is
cherry or rosewood muslin lining, no
glass lid for the friends of the dead to
look in upon the face, no nothing that
will infringe upon the meager profits
of the generous undertaken. The ma
terial used in coffius IS wood, iron,and
occasionally, as in the Oriental cas-
ket, a light metal like zinc; the lead
coffin is no more used, except in rare
instances. OF woods there are cherry,
rosewood, walnut and poplar stained
in imitation of all the others. Rose
wood is the favorite, while cherry and
walnut come in for share of the pat
ronagc. Mahogany is completely out
of style, and no one of taste now ever
starts over the river in q mahogany
outside. In size coffins range from
two feet, the smallest, to six feet three
inches, the largest, and these are al
ways kept in stock, anything larger
or smaller being made to order.
In the trimming of coffins much is
and he has almost as wide field for
the display of genius as the painter in
the mixture and application of his
colors. There are fifteen or eighteen
varieties of coffin tacks, and great
of plates, which are in order |
if any one has a desire to have his cof-
fin so ornamented. Coffin plates are
styIi and are made to suit all tastes,
and are usually plated, genuine silver
only being made as ordered. Solid
silver, however, is not desirable as it
adds another incentive to the business
of body snatching.
With collins we naturally associate
shrouds, hearses and carriages in
line. Shrouds are popular, the major
lty VI icHlaiHS cSiuS Olothou III ou"'
fashion in preference to the more ra-
tional idea of wearing the ordinary
W orldly clothing. Shrouds are as va
ried in quality and price as coffins, and
range from SIS to $50, as kept for sale
by the manufacturer. Hearses come
next, and are furnished. however, for
one occasion only at 81 or SO, accord
ing to the style of the vehicle. White
hearses are fashionable, and are con-