The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-09-18
REDUCED TO WHITE DUST.
A Graphic Description of the Process 81
Cremation.

1SAIAy oSALD III w I'LL DC0Ir.
A Graphic Description of the Process Of
Cremation.
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
The body of Orson S. Murray,
was taken from this city to the Gre
! matorium at Lancaster, Pa, by the
O and immediate friends OF the de-
ceased. Agentleman who was OF the
party furnishes the following graphic
account of the process OF cremation:
Mr.. Platt, one of the officers of the
Lancaster Cremation society took
charge of the body on its arrival. It
was Immediately conveyed to the Gre
matorium, where q large number of
people OF all ages and sexes had con-
gregated to witness the operation.
After q short pause and conversation
in the reception room, the gentlemen
were led into the auditorium, which
vas filled with visitors from the town.
The officers OF both societies formed
semi.circle in front of thefurnace, with
the son of the deceased in the center.
The view presented was novel and
striking. The small building, resem-
ollng In many respects n country meet
ing house, built of pressed brick, was
too little for the purpose, and the
heat from the furnace was intense. In
front OF thespactators werefourdoors,
opening into the reception, the prepar-
ing and the two retort rooms. Only
one retort was in position, however,
and the heavy iron door protecting
the opening to it was about to be re-
moved. A deathly silence prevailed.
A knock at the preparing roomdoor
was the signal to begin. The prepar-
ing table moved noiselessly into the
auditorium bearing its sacred burden,
covered with a heavy dark cloth, and
was wheeled into position in front of
the retort. The cloth was removed
and the corpse, enveioped in q large
white muslin sheet, soakedina alum wa
ter, lay there but for a moment. The
door ofthe retort swung open and the
rosy light of 1900 degrees ofheatfilled
the auditorium. No fire or flame was
visible. Simply the incandescent1ight
thrown by the heat from the brick till
ing composing the retort was to be
seen, and it like unto the picture of
the setting sur on a summer evening.
The iron cradle upon which lay the
body was rolled from the top OF the
tablenoiselessly through the mouth Of
the retort and it disappeared in the
light within. The door swung to and
all was over. No noise, no fire, no
color, nothing of an REPRESENTATIVES,
married the operation. No dull sound
OF the clod upon the cotfin-lid sent q
shudder through the nerves of the be-
holder.
The auditorium was gradually va
Gated, and no one remained but the
son OF the deceased and the officers of
the two societies before mentioned. A
view OF the process going on behind
that large iron door was to be taken.
Adelay of hall an hour was necessary
before the gases being consumed with
in the retort had sufficiently dispelled
themselves to admit of it. Then a
small opening, two inches in diameter
was made by pressing a small knob
in the wall, and the incarceration was
to be seen. The cradle was plainly
visible, and there lay the body envel-
oped as before, in it's white sheet, to
allappearances umscathed. Onemight
have supposed it was the habitation
OF ahuman soul, so pure and heavenly
was the appearances. The ghost OF the
gases seemed to have been dispelled,
asno odorof any kind could be detect
ed. That a dead body could be re-
solved into its natural elements SO
quickly and easily seemed strangewhen
II thought of the horrible processes
going on daily in the burying grounds.
Death had lost most of it's terror. Tt
seemed beautiful thus to pass away
from materiality into vapor.
The process was nearly ended, but
not entirely. The opening was closed,
and the little party returned to town,
to return after dark. Leaving, q view
OF the building was again had, andone
could hardly suppose that SO impor-
tant an act had takenplaceins SO mod
est a structure. Nc smoke stack or
anything indicating its use was visible.
The simple word crematorium, hewn
in a marble slab and placedabove the
iron door, told the story.
At 8 O'Clock that night the party re-
turned to thecrematorium, andacom-
plete inspection of the building was
made. Another view was had Of the
lShOIU v, tbllu IOW VII Was
passive light. No gaseous flames were
visible. The light of the full moon
could not have been milder or more
beautiful. The cradle with it's appar-
ent burden was completely visible,
and the body seemed to rest
there unframed by the heat or
the fire that had ragged beneath
the retort nearly "a hours. Aslight
breeze would have destroyed thisiilmy
shell of alum and muslin tissue. But
none could reach it until the largeiron
door could be opened, which couldnot
be done until morning. a.m..this
was done, and a small! heap OF white
ashes was visible. These were care
fully removed by meansof Il wire brush
from the bottom OF the retort and
placed in a small 6x6-inch metal case.
They We're found to weigh four pounds
and one unce Small fragments were
found among the ashes, which werethe
remnants OF the larger bones of the
body, but no organic matter was there.
The work was complete. BY exposing
the ashes to the air for a few hours
the whole assumed the appearance of
white dust.
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