The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-11-03
BURNING BoDIEs.
What the New York Cremation Society Is
Dolng-Progress of the Practice of In
cineration-What the Friends of the
Movement Say,

What the New York Cremation Society Is
Doing-Progress of the Practice of In
cineration-what the Friends OF the
Movement Saw.
a., 90 M, VI
NE" iokA, OcNoocr o'-lhe new iorA
Cremation society is preparing for an active
winter campaign. The society was organ
tod civ ,,ontbs oco With Est of ,,o,,,b ors
law o 'iiO'-, IS "''' i''' -,
that was scarcely 100 large 10 properly ON
Ger the concern. Although partly quies-
ont during the summer months. IL has added
49, ,,,,,,Io. =. ~, ,,,a,,,',,..,,;. -
quite hu'hoer W i's i'leiiiporsliP' anu
now has over hundred names on its roll.
Its council meets for the transaction of
business every fortnight. Once q month
during the winter public meetings will be
held at which various prominent men will
speak i'll advocacy of the incarceration ofthc
dead. The Rev 0. B. rockingham is in
hearty accord with the purposes of the So
ciety, and il he returns to New York this
winter he will deliver an address on crema-
ton. Prof Felix Adler approves of the
society and is one of the speakers engaged
for the course of lectures. Charles \. Dana
has written the society an encouraging let
| ter. The literary committee intend to
sound the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, and
| if he can speak good word for cremation
| they will include him among their lectur-
| ers if they can engage him. The officers of
the society inform the Times correspondent
| that this community is full of timid
friends of this reform" who hesitate to
| take an open stand in its favor while the
public sentiment on this subject is so large
| " apathetic or antagonistic. 1t is expected
| that similar societies will soon be formed in
| the larger cities of the country. Steps to
| this end have already been taken in st.
| Louis The New York society hopes by
agitation in public meetings and the circu.
lation of tracts on the subject to largely in
crease its membership, and awaken a favor
able public sentiment.
"The United States Cremation company, "
| which was organized in connection with the
society, was incorporated some time ago with
a capital stock Of $4,000. Eight thousand
dollars of the capital stock have been taken
| and as soon as the subscriptions amount to
$4,000 the company will build a ere
matory, for which plans, based upon some
of the most improved crematories erected in
Europe, have been prepared. 1t is pro
| posed to buy two adjoining building lots in
some pleasant uptown location for the pur
poses of the company. The central part o.
the building will consist of large recep-
tion-room. On one side will be the office
on the other the crcmatory will be placed
| In the rear will be chapel where religious
exercises may be held. The crematory vii
be so constructed that the friends of the de-
parted will have u perfect opportunity tC
witness, if they desire, the process of incin
Grafton.
The practice of cremation has become
quite popular in Italy, Germany and Bel
GUM. The authorities of Berlin reported
| favOrably on cremation last wear. In Milan
about two hundred bodies have undergone
cremation during the past two years. Per
hapsthe most forcible objection yet raised tC
the practice is that which was raised in the
house of parliament by Mr.. Cross, OF Eng.
land, who said
| "rhe result of the practice would be that
| it would tend in cases where death he'd
been occasioned by violence or poison, to
defeat. the ends of Justice; there will nc
longer be an opportunity for that oxamina.
detection and punishment of crime. The
practice Of ordinary burial has become in.
terwovcn with the legislative arrangements
of the country, and is closely connected
with the various safeguards respecting
death with the statistics of death, and with
| the evidence of death"
| 1t is rather remarkable that in spite OF
all that has been written on the subject. the
only crematory in thisconntry has not been
employed more than twice year thus far.
| What progress the movement has made
has been made in Europe, where, during
the past two years cremation has been
| thoroughly discussed and some uota-
bic advances in methods effected.
The great difficulty in cremation is to de-
compose and reduce to ashes tissues con
tanning 10 per cent. of water. NJ. LISA
garry, of Paris, overcOmes this difficulty by
exposing the body first of all to the action
fsupcr-heated steam, which chars the It's
sues and enables them to burn easily in an
ordinary, simple furnace ut much les,
cost of fuel and without the least unpleas
antness.. Another difficulty was the escape
by the chimney of u certain quantity OF
organic particles, not entirely burnt, which
make. their presence known by a peculiar
burnt odor,. The remedy which as beer
applied in this case is to place in the chin
ney a grating, over which is kept burning
sufficient quantity of coke. The organic
matter which had resisted the first combus
| tlOn SucrUmD To the second.