Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-02-23
a Kentucky crematory.
Courier Journal.

A bill which has for its object the
establishment of crematOry s0cie-
ty in this city has been. forwarded
by a gentleman who is the origina-
tor of the scheme to senator IL. q.
Hays. 1t is a new thing, and as
there is considerable misapprehen-
sion abroad and much popular pref
udice, mainly through Ignorance of
the subject, it is only right that the
views of the promoters should be
fairly stated. The present mode of
disposing of the dead is not only
very costly, as everyone knows. but
it is also repulsive in its details,
when calmly considered. The cold
grave the damp Vault "falling
of clods upon the coffin" not to
mention the hundred distressing
thoughts connected with the slow
decay of the forms of our loved
ones, as is too often proved when
examinations are made, all point
to the present system as barbar0us
and inhuman. Physicians who
have studied the subject are unan-
imous in asserting that many disea-
SEES are directly to be traced to the
system OF burial in crowded cities.
Statistics show that the death-rate
is higher around graveyards than
in other districts, and the testimony
of sanitary science is universally in
favor of cremation.
AS question of economy there
can only be one opinion. A fash
ionable % funeral often costs as
high as 81 900, and the expenses
connected with very plain burial
seldom fail short of $500. Many
persons are kept down by these re-
auirements of bad custom, neceS-
stating the spending of their hard
earned money on the "trappings of
VICE." which do not represent any
value or give any consolation to the
living, and are certainly useless to
the dead.
The promoters of the proposed
society are thoroughly in earnest,
although for the present they do
not wish their names to be known.
Thay propose to build an elegant
temple, which in the midst OF
flower garden, will be an ornament
to the city, and which can be point
ed to with pride las one Of the best
evidences of Louisville's advance
ment. The appliances for cretna-
ton will be the best known, prob
ably on the retort system, and the
whole of the surroundings will be
those of a quiet retreat. There will
be nothing Suggestive of the har-
details OF a burial, or of the
fearful thoughts that sometimes
come tous, the dissertation ofgraves,
or of friends who may be buried
alive, or of the "worm that gnaW-
eth; nothing but gentle assist
ing of the "house of clay" to re-
solve itself as speedily as may be
into its demonstrating but an
etherealizing of our poor bodies,
which idea perchance inspired the
poet when he spoke of the blessed
who, standing leaning
over the golden bar of heaven, look
ing out into space, saw
"Souls mounting up to God
Pass by her like thin flames"
The Cremation Society does not
seek to compel any one to be ere
but simply claims the priv
ilege of providing means for dis
posing of the dead in the most
scientific way to those who volun-
tarily desire it. The benefit to the
from a sanitary point
of view is undeniable. The econ
Omy is also very palpable. 1t is
that the cost of d crema-
ton will not exceed $50, including
all expenses, and this could be
much reduced. The cremation of
The city's dead would also save a |
large amount of money to taxpay-
erS.
Soap don't cost as much as dia-