Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-17
PROGRESS OF CREMATION.
Forty Bodies Now Awaiting the Conn
pletion of the HOuut OlIvet Crema-
New York Times.


ing completion OF the crematory al
Mount Olivet Cemetery might import
nothing beyond the CONVERSION of a
few hundred dollars into bricks and
mortar. But the fact that forty bodies
are awaiting 'fre burial can not be
misunderstood. 1t certainly Indicates
an unsupported growth OF opinion on
the subject. 1t is even more remarks
able, upon q wider view to find that
this movement began about the same
time in several nations, and In each
Of them shows a natural and steady
growth. There may be another ex-
PLANTATION Of this than the worldwide
unity of intelligence and thought re-
sulting from the modern press and
telegraph. 1t now makes no differ
ence in what remote spot an idea is
born. If it have intrinsic strength,
straightway the continents and
peoples throb responsibility. It may
be an error to trace to a Pennsylvania
village the progress Of cremation
throughout most Christian nations.
But there appears to be no other rela-
ton than that Of time between the
several revivals of cremation. An
Arserican led the way.
The cremation of Baron de Palm
under theosophic auspices in Deems
Der, 1876, appeared to be a purely
sporadic freak Of a not too sound
mind. But it attracted attention and
wide comment. Fifteen months later
Mrs. Pltm2n's body was burned, and
in October, 1879, the body OF DR.. LIE
Moyne, VINO built the FIRST furnace in
the United States, was thus disposed
OF. lie, too, was fanatic Oh various
topics. He was even said 10 be OPP
posed to bathing, holding an occa-
stonal scratching Of the skin with a
table knife for strigil to be better
substitute. These were not imposing
leaders But Germany followed The
Gotha Crematory was opened in 1878,
and 200 bodies have been burned
there. In 1881 and 1882 the number
was only 80, in 1883 it was AZ, and in
1884 it was 81 In Italy half dozen
crematories have been built, and the
crematOries now number 1862. In
Milan there are 5000 members of a
single society. In Francs the topic
has been much discussed, but tt G
practice is still illegal, although Gam
BETA favored 81 permissive law, The
committee OF the Belgian Chamber
has favorably reported upon petition
for law making cremation optional.
No action has been taken In Austria,
it is believed, although opinion was
officially gathered throughout the en-
plre as earl as 1870. In England
Lady Hanham and the wife of Capt.
Hanham were cremated in 1882; bat
they set no fashion, although they
brought the subject prominently for
ward.
The growth OF cremation in the
Uslted States has been general. The
New York Cremation Society was Or,
gained IN 1881, as also was the Uni
ted States Cremation Company Om>
ited). By this company was laid the
corner stone OF the Mount Oliver Gre
matory, IN November, 1884 That
was a good year for the cremationists.
In Buffalo company was organized
with q capital of $40, coo; at Boston
the New England Cremation Society
was organized; at Lancaster, Pa, was
| built the second crematory and the
| first for general use, and the Universe
| ty of Pennsylvania built the third.
At PIttsburg a furnace employing
natural gas is expected TO be complets
ed soon. In this year the original
t lrnacee st Washington, Pa. was
| limited in its use. The demand for
its Offices has outgrown its capacity.
and the trustees announced that only
residents-that is, former residents
Ia the county Of DR. LIE Moyne's home
would he accommodated in the fur
mace built by him. It remains to add
that In New Orleans the grand Jury
has advised cremation in cases of pub
lie charity upon the ground that bur
ial in the neighboring low lands is at
least a possible danger to the public
health.
| But if it De possible to suggest only
a probable explanation for the occur
renee so nearly together Of events so
similar and yet SO widely scattered
upon the face of the earth, at least it
is pos ible to understand the victory
of reason over sentiment and preiu>
dice. The religious argument against
the pagan" custom can scarcely
overweight the fact that cremation is
numerically strongest in Rome, the
seat of the worlds most conservative
church. It is Not meant that the
church has taken any official action,
BUTT appears that she finds no great
er obstacle to the resurrection of the
body in burning than in burial, The
plea that cremation is illegal was set.
| tied for common law countries by the
opinion ofSr J. Stephen to the con-
tray. Every argument from the fit,
ness OF things-at least as regards the
neighborhood IF cities-had previous
ly favored the new, or rather the re-
vlved custom. To the weight of rea-
son now began to be added names OF
authority. Prof. S. D Gross, of Phila
delphia, followed his wife in giving
his body to be burned, Joseph Leidy,
President Of the Pennsylvania Acad-
envy Of Natural Sciences, defended
the act IN the comment which follow
ed. Prof. Adler has often spoken in
favor of cremation In this CITY. and is