New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-06
THE CREMATORY A SUCCESS.
A FAIRLY SATISFACTORY EXPERIMENT.
TWO HUNDRED POUNDS REDUCED TO sIx-vARIoUs
VIEWS on THE SUBJECT

TWO HUNDRED POUNDS REDUCED TO sIx-vARIoUs
VIEWS on THE SUBJECT
The first incarceration in the new erematory
at MI. Oiivet, L. l., although not perfect, may
be considered fairly successful. The result
entirely such had been expected by many.
Superintendent Merriam and the OF the
crematOry reached the building little before 10
yesterday and Immediately after their arrival the
tort door opened. The furnaces mad been cooling
for several and interior of the receptacle
nearly dark except the extreme end, which still glowed
with crimson light sufficiently to show the outlines OF
the iron crate with it, side and end rails covered
with dark grey ashes. An iron framework holding
shallow iron trough placed close to the bottom
edge OF the furnace opening and into this the ashes fell
that were drawn out with the crate The remainder
swept ont with long handled steel brush. IL was
estimated that the entire mass weighed about six
pounds. Mr. Lievres weight was about two hundred
pounds The ashes much dscOlOred by the bits OF
scales that had been peeled Off from the crib by the
heat and also, the fireman said, by the fine
fire dust that had fallen through the holes
in tho sides Of the retort. great
the largest being about four inches in length and half
an inch thick 1t was apparently portion of the
femur or thlghbone. The bleaching process had cyl
IDENTIFY not worked WELL but Professor Eames says that
he is confident that he not only bleach the ashes
perfectly white, but also pulverze every bit Of the
the ether crematories in this country
After picking out the iron pieces with a magnet and
removing the other foreign material. the ashes will be
sent to Mr.. Levres family to-day in a little ia.
PANIED tin can made expressly for the purpose. Mr.
Beamsderfer, who was connected with the Lancas
ter CrematOry for nearly year, says that the
incarceration Of Mr.. L6vres body was more complete
han that OF the first body burned at Lancaster Some
slight changes and improvements being made IN the
furnaces and there will be bodies burned
Wednesday. Another application for cremation
received yesterday. 1t for the body Of infant
now In "A vault in the Lutheran Cemetery
The opening OF the crematory one or two others
In Western cities has caused renewal Of public interest
in the subject of Gcineration and derabe discus
sion as to the merits and dement's is gong
on. II is believed that the cremation movement Ia
gaining Roadway In NewYork. The number Of those
In this city who either Outspoken advocates Of he
practice or arc moro or less inclined toward il, in
parisOn with tue few who favored project when 1t
was frat agtated here ten years ago, shows that the
idea has spread considerably While representatives of
all nations found among the GrematOniss yet this
mode OF dsposng Of dead bodies to be pop
nlar with Germans, Americans and Hebrews
than with people OF other natiOnaities
II Is noticeable that many OF those persons who favor
cremation do relish the thought of having
bodies burned. A wel-knOwn Liberty-st. lawyer was
asked for his opinion the subject other day He
spoke warmly in favor OF cremation for about half an
hour and wound up his remarks b. saying that Is
sanitary measure 1t ought 10 be- introduced ut once.
DO you expect that your body viii be dis
posed of In this way r. inquired listener
Well hardly" said the eXpounder Of Blackstone-ina
nestatng way and with some confusion then with "a
sudden Durst Of candor: IL hope that havn't got
child mean enough to treat my remains in such
afashion."
Among the prominent educators OF tho country who
have given thought to the question ofcrematon is Pres
dent Baner 0f Columbia College, who wrote an article
the subject Toa TRIBUNE reporter who
asked his views this topic the other evening the
tor said; " The adoption Of cremation a mode Of
burial is but return TO the Old Roman method OF dis.
posing o: the dead VrsiPs tomb Naples is gener-
ally supposed to contain out the of poet in an
urn, and an satisfied that the body OF Julius Cesar
burned In the Forum The custom does not seem TO
have prevailed to any great extent among Christians
who apparently followed tho example OF the Jews in
burying the dead t0In1s or In Tho ground, As IA
done II dag. Tho attempts prove from
the burning OF the bodies OF saul aud hts by the
Isaelites at Jtbe,h that cremation generally en-
ployed by that nation be considered successful
The az Israel ncinerated the corpse of their King
aud his that occasion to prevent further mutila
ton OF the bo lies by tho Phstnes this plainly indi-
Gated In the scdptur narrative There IL little doubt
that the Jews have always practsed tomb earth burial
from the day that Abraham buried Sarah the Held OF
MAchDeah until the present time. Lazarus. you remen
Der, was showing tnat TINS inenO
poycd the SayiOrs time. But the Scriptures contain
njunctions regarding the disposition of the dead
aud therefore they be cited 10 being for or
against cremation"
WHAT do you think OF tho objection to incineraon
the ground that it would undermine the faith Of man
kind in the resurrection OF the bOdyi"
81 fail to how It do that since cremation only
accompllshes IN hour two what Intimidation
brings about In years IL Is simply oxidation In either
All that remains or human body which has been
the grave for century. less. Is few ounces
OF ashcsnOtbng more aud this Is precisely the Result
~ cremation. Now II 1t IA necessary that the body
should be preserved entire for the resurrection then wa
hal better back to tho old Egyptian plan OF emban
ing for that Is the only way Ia which dead bodies can b
preserved IN ther original form any degree of IN
tegrty. But II cremation is going prevent the resr.
reciOn OF the BODY what Is to become hundreds of
martyrs that have been burned the stake or the hou
ands OF Christians who nave persisted In couagraons
We must In mind also that tho bodies OF mions
who have preceded this earth but ashes now
and have long since mingled With the soil"
DO you think then that cremation IL destined TO he.
come generally adopted In eho ruturor
"It possible that the practice ultimately pre.
vail. Il has great obstacles 10 ofore H.
supplants the established system OF inerment Frst
there may termed the sentimental obeel,on
10 IT, That dead should be treated with all tender
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