Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-23
WHAT FUNERALS COST.
4 Very Respectable One Furnished
Sometimes for Thirty Dollars.

| SOME FUNERALS WHICH COST OVER A THOUSAND
CONGRESSIONAL AND PRESIDENTIAL FUNERALS
LONG LINEsOF EMPTY HACKs-THE TENDENCY
TOWARDS QUIET AND PRIVATE FUNERALS &C.
congressional funerals are things we don't
care to talk about" said a downtown under
taker to The STAR man the other day. THAT
is, we don't care to talk about what they cost
You know the Senators and Members. especially
the Senators, like to have the best Of every
thing when they are assigned to the melancholy
duty of escorting the remains Of q fellow
Der on his last trip home. They like to have
the best OF everything and they like to have a
good. The cost? Well the sergeant arms
provides for that. It's the trip rather than the
funeral expenses proper that costs so much
No, l don't care to give any particulars.
Nothing left in the undertaken hands. Things
are ordered to be just so, and so they have
to be-"
"How about Presidents funerals?" asked The
STAR man.
"Oh, they don't cost 80 much. Garfeld's
I'm told cost a good deal; or it would had it
ever been paid for, but it has never been paid
for yet At least so understand"
But to come down to ordinary funerals YOU
can put man under for $50, or you can make
it cost thousand. You can make it cost even
more than that ifyou want to. A $50 funeral is
disgrace to US, and they are specials, and We
generally lose on EN-"
How, special?"
"Why. they are specials in this way. Some
times persons who hold good positions or have
held good places in society dis without leaving
money enough to bury them. In these cases
we make special of them. We charge about
$50, and give them pretty good funeral, one
that costs US great deal more than that. You
see they are folks that naturally belong to our
ole 81 -. %
them; it would not do for us to let them 60 to
cheap undertaken, and we could not ourselves
put one under except in good STYLE"
"Are there many of this class?"
"Yes, there are more such funerals than you
could imagine. I've had three or four within
the last two or three weeks"
Getting up funerals in Washington" he
added. after a short pause, lis very curious
sometimes There are 30 many persons die
here who though they are people of means
have no friends outside their Immediate family
Naturally they give orders for nice funeral q
large number of hacks are ordered and all that
but when the time comes there's no one to ride
in them-nO, there aren't even friends enough
to act as pall-bearers. This is because there are
80 many people come here just to stay short
have anything like that, though. II they can't
get up stylish funeral here they will 20 where
they can"
"But. speaking of pall-bearers, It's getting
more and more out of fashion to ask friends.
It's become quite a general thing for US to be
asked to furnish bearers Friends don't like to
serve, and 1t Is getting to be looked upon as not
just the proper thing to ask them. The Gus
toms change in these respects as in others.
But 1t don't stop there. People are actually
getting SO that they won't attend funerals at
all. Funerals of late years are very SHINY at
tended to what they used to be. People won't
go, and that ends it. They don't feel that any
excuse is necessary. / wouldn't be surprised il,
few years hence funerals would be the quiet
est things possible, no one but near relatives
being present. 1t will be only among plain
folks that strangers will attend. Among fash
1onable people the proper thing will be SIM
pllclty and seclusion. Without having any
strangers or neighbors and hacks and all that
they will make the affair Just as expensive by
the character of the casket and the laying out.
No. it's getting out Of fashion to attend
funerals"
What are the most expensive funerals?''
asked THE STAR man.
The expense is made up by the style Of the
casket, the trimmings. and the number of hacks.
A state casket-that is one OF black cloth with
full glass top, and heavily moulded might cost
from $500 to $500, or $3.50 according to the
trimmings This, together with large number
OF carriages. you see, would make the affair
very expensive. A very nice funeral can be had,
though for S100 or $3.50"
What are the best caskets made of? Oak?"
They make some of oak, but they are not
popular in this country The best caskets are
made Of red CEDAR covered with cloth. and If
they are to be extra fine the outside case. which
is usually OF pine. is made of red cedar, too"
''1 on don't want casket this evening? Well,
whenever you do l shall be pleased to serve
yOu,"