The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-05-22
CREMATION Ia TIE EAST.
Tho AncIentC Custom in Jnpnu-Disp0sing
E $40 Oftho Bodies.

In the House OF Commons yesterday the
Home Secretary, opposing tho bill intro.
duced by Dr.. Cameron, urged against Gre.
nation that tho elder nations, more par.
ticularly the Greeks, had never adopted
the practice. There Is one nation, now the
oldest empire in the world, where creima.
ton is an established usage, and where the
Government, with shrewd appreciation Of
the advantages Of sanitary laws, have OF
late years carefully fostered it. This is
Japan, where cremation establishments,
under Government control, are to DO found
in all the chief cities. In Toxic, the prin.
cipal place OF cremation is situated a.
Shen 10, suburb reaching through long
lines Of busy streets. 1t was fete day in
the neighborhood, and at the time OF my
visit we approached it through dense
crowd Of holiday makers. The shops were
brightly lit. Jinrickshas abounded, most
Of them holding two, and one at least iour,
persons, two being babies. One these &C.
casions tho Japan infant obtains change
Of view and position. For the most part
it peers out upon the world round the side
Of liz mothers or oisters head. But it be.
ing physically impossible for a woman to sit
in q jinricksha with the everlasting baby
at her back, it is, on this occasion, only
slowed around to the front. Many OF the
tea houses in this quarter were brilliantly
Illuminated with scores Of lsnterns. One.
which our guide said Was goose house."
had over hundred, tall pole running up
from before it hanging out score. II ap-
pears that the Japanese are rapidly deyel.
oping CarnivorouB tastes. As the hons
culinary department is not yet equal TO
cooking joints, the luxurious Japanese Of
the lower middle class goes out to beef
house or goose and duck house, and feeds
on the unfamiliar Wand.
After an hours drive through lane Of
busy lie we came to the silent house,
where the dead awaited the Last service Of
the living. It stands little apart from the
main road, building OF q single Glory,
with an innocent-looking tall chimney, and
might be connected with pottery or
small iron foundry. The business is al
ways conducted privately, and there are
few in Toxic, except those who arc pro.
feesionally engaged, who have witnessed
the process. But arrangements made BY
the omnipotent foreign minister opened
the doors and secured respectful welcome
for us. We were frs! received in the
house OF the manager, where lea was served
in priceless porcelain cups Of kutani ware.
The furnace, il so imposing name may
DO used for process go simple, stood few
PAGES from the house. On entering il
there was nothing to be seen but what ap-
peared to be two butter-tuhs resting upon
q few fagots of wood. There were several
cavities about two inches deep and a foot
long in the stone floor, and these were
filled with shavings. According to mum.
cipal law, no burning is 10 be done before
$50 in the evening. 1t still wanted ten
minutes to that time, but in the circum-
stances the manager thought ho would be
safe in anticipating the hour, and the shay
ings were fired.
One Of the men, kncelirg before the
growing flame, famed it with piece of
wood. 1t caught the dry fagota, greedily
licked the sides Of the tub, rose high in the
air, and then, with horrible thud, the
head OF the barrel burst octwards. Quick
as thought the man siezed large piece Of
wood, lying by in readiness, and hid from
sight whatever may have pro!rudcd. It is
the boast Of the nkillful cremator that under
his provision the contents Of the barrel are
never exposed to view. A heavy mating
Of wet straw is laid over the length OF the
barrel before the the fire is ipnited, Az
the barrel is burned away this TAILS in and
coyera the body, In three hours the work
is done. Every particle Of flesh is burned
away, and there remains only skeleton.
The bones and the teeth the relatives col.
lect and give them sepulture.
There are three CLASSES OF cremation at
this establishment. In the first class each
body 10 burned separately, charge beinp
made OF yen, equal to 2S shillings in Out
money. In the second class the charge ia
only 10 shillines the difference being that
two or more, according to the brisEness OF
trade arc burned at the same time. The
Third class pay shillings pence, the sem
blance Of coffin provided by tho tub be-
ing dispensed with. It will BIZ seen that
aa compared with the moat moderate scale
Of ordinary burial charges cremation is
cheap. AS far as could gather, it ia this
which recommends itself to the class Of
Japanese, generally the least wealthy, who
avail themselves of the resources at the es-
.ab:ishment Of shen-jo and kindred insti-
tutiens. '.-S"