New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-30
THE COST OF CoFFINS AND FUNERALS.
A CHAT WITH AN UNDERTAKER-FUNERALsA AT
PRICES FROM $500 TO ST. 100.


"Thirty years ago. when began this Dusi-
mesa SAID a well-kuown undertaken 81 the most e1peh
sive coffin made OF rosewood veneer, cost $Oo Al 'naV
time the burial casket was unknown and only the sharp
cornered widehead- and-narrowfoot cothn was USED
Later came the rounded heads and Sides then the present
.casket' which is used almost exclusvey-excepI py
cheap undertakes in white wood. Glass pates NJ ie
cofphd 80 that the face OF the dead might be seei
were introduced about thirty years ago, but they are
mt much used nowadays Why mott First, because inc
glass can hardly be fastened tight as not TO let the
gases escape and poison the air. second because even
the glass is fastened alright the pent mp gases are k
" to explode in days; third II the glass gets broken
il OF course falls in the face OF the dead So that no"
we use q headcovering OF wood which can be easily
raised on its hinges"
"What kinds of wood are most used for collins y
coax. chestnut and red cedar. The last has been
found to hold ont longest in the ground Inc chestnut
and cedar 'caskets usually covered Win DEick
broadcloth; sometimes with royal purple velvet some
of the oak collins fat embossed on the top
these are by the West Point authorities for cadets
funerals and by the Rtualsts among the Epscopalans
Rosewood veneer ia rarely used now Since President
GaAelds death bronze casets called the Garfield (oe
cause the President the first believe to be buried
in one) have been introduced In the trade Lead Baskets
are used for embamed bodies There are not many OF the
red cedar caskes It difficult to get that cedar In
the right width and the undesirable makeshift OF
costing TOO much The Baskets usually made by
wholesale dealers and there many different styles
'What 90 collins cost and what Is the expense in gen.
eral Of a funeral among the well-tOAo classes ="
"The outside box may be of pine or cedar and so may
cost from 81 so to 800 OF the burial caskes proper
the cedar cost from I73 $3.50; the oak and chestnut
frou 600 inward The bronze Baskets cost about the
same as the cedar II all depends, you know, on tne
matter OF having clOtn covering the qualt OF clOih
rase' we made cost over $500 The aggregate expense
for frsteass funeral about $500 II includes the
scasket' and outside box. the undertakerH services III
preparng the body burial and caring TOT H. inc use ol
hearse the expense o. the church cnOli rev cdTag
the fee for openn grave and other minor tnnGs ne
funeral Of child costs Just about nan as i1ue 20 Vs
funeral that we had charge Of cost high as nut
that Is an exceptional case, OF course me uhueIttT
nowadays Is given general charge OF the tIeia
engage railway trains for OuOftown bur1as When ihaI
{" Where arc the cemeteries that are most used I"
"Oyeron Long Island there are nom sixteen 10 twenty
On this side are Trinity Cemetery WOodlawn, abou,
twelve miles up the Harlem Railway and other shiaer
ones SuCle graves In Greenwood and NOodiawh cost
from s25 upward plots, having room for four graves,
cost from $3.50 1000. The Poters feldf That Ia
AS TO the matter Of dissolution p suggested the
wen II all depends Of course, the charactero Of the
disease Whether body will undergo rapid dissolution or
not For instance, comes quickly after dr0psy apo
ueyy or Brights disease body can be kept on ice,
however for "a very long per1od-say year EllDallh-
ipg3 That Ia done with fluids and may cost as lgh as
S75 Bodies to carried the ocean are usually en-
balmed The operation tends 20 give an ulnattlrdiy
white color to the Gesh but tue form In general remains
as before. Have any petrhed Dodles pen ound nele
I understand that two removed from the Aniy street
Cemetery were found TO have become petrinetL
''Bcsore taking charge OF funeral added the uldti
takcr must get the attending physicians cetlhcate
Of death and present IT 20 the Board OF Health ihe
Board authorizes 10 go on with the preparation
of the body for burial