New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-05
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE FIRST BODY BURNED.
OPENING THE MT. oLIvET CREMATORY.

"A
SHORT FUNERAL ADDRESS.
After weeks and months of delay arising
from msfortunes and the crematory as
Mt Olivet, L. l., formally opened at p yester-
day. when the body Of Eugene Lievre, tho
Hoboken wine merchant was placed In the
fiery retort for incneTaon The result OF the test will
not be knGwn until 10 o'clock this morning, when the
ashes Will be taken out but there 10 every 70
think that 1t will be entirely successful 1t is dicus
to conceive how any substance in tho human franc
could Withstand the terrible heat OF that moderator
The season Of the year, with Its sober and leaden
skies, and the dull character Of the day in keep
ing with the occasion The unfinished condition the
building with the marble slabs lying around caused ut
to resemble ruined church. the graveyard of which has
fallen by neglect into hopeless decay. The arrival Of
the funeral procession completed the effect.
There were that the local health board would
interfere and the cremation OF the body but
although representatives OF that body present they
made attempt to stop the proceedings. but merely
that all future ncineratons would be under their
supervision and direction They claim that cremation
under the boneburning ordnanceof the Sanitary
Code, but the cremation company does not think
However, there is no doubt that the matter will bo
satisfactorily arranged in day two.
Although 1t announced that admission would be BY
card only, yet before the body arrived crowd Of be-
two and three hundred had assembled in the yard
and peered curously into the windows Of tho furnace
whore the perspirng engineer. Mr. Beamsderber,
coulo De seen anNlously
critical hour. There few people from the neigh
borhood in the throug, but the majority Of those
present German friends of the dead man, from
HOboken. Jersey City and New.York The number
OF present noticeable. The entire assembly
was well-behaved and watched the novel
monies gravey and in silence.
1t nearly O'Clock when the hcarse
containing the body arrived from Greenwood where
the body placed Immediately after being embalmcd
superintendent Miriam asked for the permit and the
driver produced an ordpary burial transfer signed 6y
it had becu made for Eugene Funck instead
attention paid the matter. Funck is the OF
the HobOken undertaken who had charge OF the funeral
tine e feavS came " e d01S9 dead macs
directors OF the company and their friends Anon:
these Professor Eames, eX-Assemblyman Earl OF
Brooklyn Professor GTimshaw, OF the Franklin Dstl
tutc Philadelphia H. &. Iasch of New orleans Mr..
and Mrs kaufman, Peter Kraemer, DE- KaIlish Mr. and
Mrs. Herter. Edward A. Caswe, James Il. Brown,
William j. Flagg. L. II. Meyer, Dr. Leahmeyer, james
The Turner Ledertaael arrived in body. There were
forty Of them and they tosether with the hundred
others that responded to the Invitations completely
of which rendered cool by keeping the windows
down ana opening portion OF the skyight As soon as
the audience or portion OF 1t at least mad become
seated the large wooden box containing the coiin
brought in the shoulders OF haa-dozen salwart
attendants. Mr. Lieyre larce and heavily built
man, weighing over 200 pounds. The case was placed
dsagrceable part OF the exercses The outside box
Theoretically sealed. and hammers chsels aud other n-
most disagreesble and untimely noise After
upon "a temporary platform John L. R5hmer, Of
HOboken, Custom House official, ana friend OF lAcvre,
stepped forward and read an address which occupied
about five He spoke in German and was listened
TO with close attention. He said In substance that
two notable circumstances mad drawn the friends of Mr..
Leyre together-h!s death and the dedication or
cemetery, II such an expression might be allowed, bus
not a cemetery where distinctions were made between
the rich and poor I'm the shape OF costly monuments nor
where loansome decayng bodies which cause diseases
among the living were found but one OF character thas
marked new starting point III ciyizitoh He closed
ms 1rs peec9 his w & ssSiy g0d 0 nS Ge
VINO present sobbed and cried bitterly 1t is under,
stood that why Carl scburz General Sigel
and Dr. Peor declned to come was oyre helng
atheist Immediately after The address the eidertate
! MES, and the singing ceased the coffin was
taken into the anteroom, where the lid was re-
looking in fair state Of preservation.
His hair and beard were almost white and the dampness
the vault had formed slight mdew upon his face
| He clothed In black waistcoat. white SHIRT an
ordinary PAIR OF knitted drawers and socks. The con-
shaped wrought iron casket into which the body
placed was covered with muslin that had been thor
Folded around the body SO as to cover every part
OF it, The easket was then lifted upon
Into the chapel thrown open and the strange.
looking vehicle bearing It's mortal freight was pushed
into the receptiOn-ro0m in front OF the furnauce
the reman BEGAN m at once 10 1asGrew n9 door Of inc
cut Of the aperture causing great excitement among tho
spectators 1t took only moment. however. to undo
The interior OF the incinerator preseueda beautiful sight
and long 20 he remepbeIed The in-rushing cool
cate rosy tint which cOntrasted with the little tongues
OF pale blue fame that shot through the holes In tho
sides of the from the raging furnace flames on
the other side. As quickly as tho efforts OF his amateur
assistants would permit superintendent Merriam
thrust the body resting upon It's metallic bed feet fore
most into this bath OF crimson light One OF tho
iron rod caught in the sides OF the cradle and before t
could be extracted the intense heat had through
the covering and caused flame burst forth in
three parts the lower extremities But this lasted
only few seconds. and then the door was shut aud
sealed until this morning.
The crowd fingered around for time before de-
parting and from the various expressions heard thero
seemed he general satisfaction with the new system
Three fonr applications for cremation were received
Yesterday Two of these from William H. Spear,
undertaken OF Jersey City, for two bodies now In
vaults in one of the cemeteries there aud
from Carl Anred, No. 40 West
Twenty-dfth-st. for his wife, who died last
February and whose body has since been in Evergreen
Cemetery The given for not opening the retor5
yesterday to allow the ashes time to bleach ana give
the furnace chance to cool gradually as not to run