Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-24
CRYSTAL CoFFINs,
TIE Ne,U Burial System to be Organised on
the Shoac-Case Principle

TIE Ne,U Burial System to be Organised on
the Shosc- Case Principle.
An invention has been recently patented
by which glass is to be substituted for
wood in the manufacture of collins: ''It's
almost worth while dying to be buried in
one of them,' said the inventor to Phila-
delphia Times reporter. Henry b. Barry,
the speaker, who lives on Fifth street, Just
below Spruce, has for many years inter
ested himself in transparent systems of
burial. After conceiving the glass casket
he kept it secret until Oct. "a of last year,
when it was patented. ''Yes,'' continued
the inventor, 81 believe the success of this
thing is going to be immense. There is
one San Francisco firm will take thousands
of the collins to sell to Chinamen.'
''What is the advantage of glass for
domiciles of the dead?"
"In the first place, one has perfect pres
ervation. Before being placed in the vial
the patient is embalmed. 1 may say that
the coffin is devised on the walnut-shell
principle, in two halves. After my Gus
toners are once securely packed in collins
apply an exhaust pump, take out all the
air, and Dramatically seal up the aperture.
Then the thing is accomplished. There is
the advantage that no infectious disease
can come through the glass. The flesh of
the subject will preserve its natural tints,
and relatives and friends will be able to
view the deceased for years to come.
Gas sanitary reform it is unparal-
leled," he went on. ''Tenanted collins can
be piled up like any other merchandise
anywhere, and stay there for years. Some
people might prefer to keep relatives in
their own houses, nicely put away in the
collins. There is nothing Objectionable
about the idea. When buried in cemeter-
les there will be no exhalAtions whatever,
and in case of the removal of graveyards
the cofins can be taken up and carried
away with no more offense than would be
given by so many kegs of nails
''What are the dimensions and shape of
the cofins?" 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 concave top. It
would not do to have it fat, as with va
CUM inside it the glass would collapse
Wouldn't they get smashed in cemeter-
iesw queried the incipient investor.
''On the contrary, we have a system of
toughening the glass that makes it like
iron. A spade struck against the coffin
with good deal of force will not break it.
Body snatchers would get their fingers cut.
There is no end to the variations which
can be made on these cofins. The glass
can be clouded, so that only the face is
visible. It can be colored, or butterflies
and weeping willows can be placed at in
tervals all over the surface. There are a
thousand ways of ornamenting the ex-
terror"
''What will they cost?" was the next
question.
"From seven up. Seven dollars I mean,
of course. They could possibly be manu-
featured of such choice material and so
beautifully etched as to cost as much as
81. 900 each. have often wished that at
the time of President Garfeld's death I
had had glass coffin. I am sure it would
pany, with a capital of some $500,000.
"This casket was invented as much with
the idea of benefting the poor!as anything
else. Of course, there will be money in it
for me-"
Mr.. Barry then proceeded to unfold the
particulars of remarkable scheme. "We
should have vast system of VAULTS" he
explained, sin which collins would be
lilies. Here, in 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 number at its foot, and cata-
logues would be issued giving the names
of the occupants, for instance, Henry
Jones, 251.' Above the vaults would be a
suite OF elegant reception rooms, into
which visitors would be invited. They
could sit down and call for, say: No. 241.'
An attendant would go down stairs, slide
the casket Indicated Mp on to little bar
row, 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 exacted. What do you say to
going into the enterprise? 1t will take,
assuredly. There are lot of mill1onaires
thinking the matter over"