Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-04-14
and carted away with no more ofEense
than would be given by 20 may kegs of

and carted away with no more offenso
than would be given by 20 may kegs of
"What are the dimensions and shape
OF the cofin?" asked the reporter.
They can be made of all sizes. The
glass is three-eighths of an inch thick
and the coffin is oval with a concave top.
1t would not do to have it flat, az with a
vacuum inside it the glass would collapse"
wouldn't they get smashed in ceme-
teries~ queried the incipient investor.
"On the contrary. We have a system
OF t%oughening the glass that makes it like
iron. A spade struck against the coffin
with q good deal of force will not break
it. Body snatchers would get their
fingers cut, but that's all right. 1 don't
leegislate for ghouls. There is no end to
the variations which can be made on
these collins. The glass can be clouded
so that only the face is visible. 1t can
be colored, or butterflies and weeping
willows can be placed at intervals all
over the surface. There are a thousand
ways of ornamenting the exterior"
"What will they costw was the next
question.
From seven, up. Seven dollars I
mean, of course. They could possibly be
manufactured Of such choice material
and 80 beautifully etched as to cost as
much as a thousand dollars each. 1 have
often wished that atthe time of President
Gartield's death l had had a glass coffin.
Lam sure it would have been used. I
propose to form a company, with a cap
fftA OF some half a million dollars. No,
sir, ! will not sell you the patent out
right, 80 it's no use pressing me to do so.
l have too much faith in its future to
do that. Another reason is that 1 am
determined it shall not get into the hands
OF monopolists who will run the price of
collins to a fancy figure. The casket was
invented as much with the idea Of bene-
fitting the poor as anything else. Of
course, there will be money in it for me
and L suppose 1 shall have to accept it."
He then proceeded to unfold the par
ticulars of a remarkable scheme. He
said that he had often heard a PROPOSE
ton discussed for %excavating and con-
structing huge catacombs in this city for
the reception of the dead. In that case,
he thought, his invention would be in
valuable. He called the scheme a Crust
AN o"AO u0PoeAe 1ucd. we SHOULD nave
a vast system of vaults" he explained.
Gin which collins would be placed.
Spaces could be reserved for families.
Here, in a stall, would be a father; by
his side his wife; on the upper shelf the
grandmother and grandfather, and above
that the other ancestors. Each coffin
would have a number at its foot, and
catalogues would be issued, giving the
names Of the occupants, for instance,
Henry Jones, 241.' Above the vaults
would be a suite of elegant reception
rooms, into which visitors would be in
vited. They could sit down and call for,
say: mo. 241.' An attendant would 20
down stairs, slide the casket indicated up
on to a little barrow, come back again
and leave it with them as long as they
liked. They could look at it, have it
taken to its shelf when they were through
and return home. A certain amount Of
rent would, of course, have to be exact.
ed. What do you say to going into the
enterprise? 1t will take assuredly.
There are a lot of other m%illionaires
thinking the matter over, SO you had
better decide at once. Good afternoon
let me hear from you in . few days"
"Very well. Good bye."-PAiladelphid
Times.