New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-31
TIE SMOKE AND GASES BURNED.
NEW APPARATUS AT THE CREMATORY.

INCINERATION OF MR.. ROBERTSS BoDY-HOW THE
ASHES ARE GROUND TO POWDER.
hcarse drawn by two black horses, under
the charge of Undertaken stephen Merritt drove slowly
w the hill to the crcatory OF Mount Olive yesterday
lust before noon At this time steam Jet In the tall
smoke pipe leading up from the furnace sang wil'
weird song. The body of f. NJ. Roberts was In tne
hearse Before his death Tuesday Of last week he
expressed desire that his body slnight be In
cneracd. Tho body has been Ia 'ne
receiving vault at the Evergroens Cemetery
II was some time after the arrived that car
rage drove up and End Leslie, the actress he wiie o!
Mr Roberts), got out, accompanied by Mrs. Thomas
whGen and went into the building. Mrs Roberts was
dressed deep mourning. In few moments tue oouS
taken into reecpuonroom, and the door leadhe
into The room Mrs Roberts sat was clOsrd ehe
had expressed of seonS the body pat Into
the retort. But bcfore it brought into
The room where che she became so
much agtaed rs noise OF A creaking pulley Dy which
the iron cradle which TO hold the 0OIy was Deins
lowered to tho floor that she went out Win MfS'
Whfen.
The body was estimated to weigh less than hundred
pounds 1t clad in suit of black hroadcloth Two
gold rings barely hang the thin left hand aud gold
button appeared tho collar above black scarf Inc
body WIS placed the cradle which was then hoSted
upon the tunerl-car Two heavy sheets, that had been
dipped IL alum water, wrapped around the body
and bunch Of roses. the last tribute
WAS then rolled in front OF the ret"rt'
Mrs. Roberts and her companion were walk
ing window but she did not turn her head "he
the ueavy iron door Of the reort swung open with
bang No friends OF Mc. Roberts present ana there
WIS no religious service. TAe cradle pushed into
the with long iron poles Al The inner end oi
the retort fierce blue ames elped through the small
holes in it, Before the door could be closed clouts of
steam alum sheet and thc body seemed to
expand ocneAh it, The door had been closed tut mo
and pressed intO position with haud'sce" whcn
httle bursts OF steam came out through the I'M
even surfaces. These leaks were stopped with
a cement made Of asbestos, were also several
other leaks in The brckwork Of the furnace An nnusua
strain had been pat upon tnc furnace hnd th' vas su
to have been the cu7' Of tue separation oil the brlchs
The fire had allowed To Out III order 10 pat ia
apparatus winch II wa' claimed would consn ne ali me
gases ana sm"Ar when hitherto nave escaped l"lo inc
air to TIC dmnO! 1t is sald OF the luha jtduts o
Ito Newtown Health Board to the crematory
after body LSd placed Ia tho reOr II inspect
The working o thls gas-con-umlng machine Whlch con,
produce vacuum and draw the gases
ughttlng hood. back to Inc furnace where they are
burned After body htd been IN he rctort Tor an
hour, q small cap III the door WAS taken oil ana the
Health Board inspected the burning boiy no Odor or
g,s escaped, snokc nad been seen coming ont
Oi the chimney they expressed them'cycs as satisfied
with the method of combustion and went home.
In hour and thirteen minutes from the time the
consumed IL was expected hat the hone- won De IN
currated and Dicachcd IN twO hour- pdt atef l" ho
elapsed they found 10 be burning ur,ty. Mrs
Roberts decided not to wait longer Tor the ashes AID ft
Merritt bring them. IL after O'Clock before
the furnace door opened few inches 10 allow tue
ashes to bleach Even then lttIe blue A'rcAks OF utme
that the body not fully incIneratc' slowly
the sheets melted before cold and when only
du Ied glow remained the door thrown Wido Op"n.
sWcl or ammonia came from the rrtort
After .nn retOrt had cooled sufficiently large pan
upOn stand paced IN front OF 1t. Ihe fmoraLchr
pushed close TO tue stand, aud the red not cradle
pulled 1hc ashes sfttd through the spaces ia
the cradle aud dropped into the pan After The car ~as
rolled away the retort was swept ont with wire
brupin Al the bones had bOneycOmbed appearance
and cOuld hc crushed between the fingers. Mhrn tho
contents OF the pan had cOued they placed upon
the stone floor. In the glare OF hckcring lamp the
yfaced furnaceeuder picked mp the white pieces
OF bone and AID them aside. The cEarred buI"s and
other material. consisting of chrbOnizcd clothing
black ashes. swept into shovel and
thrown into the nre. Ine white bone was
taken into the cellar and reduc Il 20
coarse powder by bOnecrushcr. Aiier grinding, tho
ashes weighed little four pounds and hall nlicd
tW0-Quart TN can. This gwen 10 Mr.. Merritt, who
started ~ once for Ncw-YOIk The conn was buried
~ the lot close the crraiOry and the heavy chest
nut OO1 that the coffin used fuel for the
boiler
The ashes Of Mr. Roberts will he sent TO indianapolis
for burial and the key to the lock on the little tr can
will to Mrs. Roberts The plate that was on the
coffin will bc buried III the can. the collin ornaments
were taken charge OF BY the furnacetender.