The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-11-02
UNDERTAKES WAYS.
WHAT ONE OF THEM SAYS OF HIS
BUSINESS AND ITS PROFITS.

People Who are Fascinated by Funerals.
The rondness for NIortuary ''EeSpect-
ability and MISUNDERSTANDING Noder-
atiou-in atrocious Practice.
The undertaking business isn't 50 profit
able Is many imagine" aid local under
tllar 10 "a rpports. People ia moderate
circumstances can't pay over 500 Tor "a
funeral. vl.yl sam usually includes a dozen
carriages Jiauy funerals cost much less
For 5000 The undertaken must pat the body
on ICE. attend 70 the digging Of the grave, FUR
nish camp stools, the coffin and dozen other
things, an If which cost money. Carriages
nrc worth from 81 to s. apiece, according 70
the distance"
Don't uudertai,ers receive commissions
from livery mem
Yes, lUt the commission i less than most
people suppose. On 4 basis OF 500 funeral,
with twelve carriages n - apiece, the under
taker woGd realize les than SO for his time
and trouble Surely, such compan~l. i-a Is
not cyhprhitlnt"
DO Brooklyn uud-rtakers ever send ci-.U-
lars 10 hcrvavei families. members OF which
arr dead
Az ATEOcIoUs PRACTICE
Not that I l,row OF. That practice flour
ishcs go n greater or les extent in New York.
An undertaken who would intrude on a de
his calling would, l think, commit murder.
The thought of man sending circulars Cx-
planning the nature of his business and giving
prices is to a refined mind atrociOus. Pos
sibly some Brooklyn undertakcrs carry on
such practices in the districts inhabited bv
the poor, hut if so Inn not in possession Of
their names. Taken rs class, the under
takers OF Brooklyn are better than those -
New York. Certainly, they are less sraspins
mdertallers were considered in the same light
with hangmen. Many people have a horror
Of the profession, and would so blocks out ot
their way 20 avoid passing UudcrtaEerS' shops.
OF late years such antipathies have ceazesl,
and the hi-htoncl members OF the professor
NOW cuIl themselves funeral directors"
Did you ever know Of doctor 0idiAs, IN
undertaken in securing a case - was asked.
Not exactly. While know OF no instance
in which physician wilIfully killed patient
So as 10 furnish an undertaken with n case, L
could name many Brooklyn doctors who
recommend certain UudcrtaScrs 70 bercayed
families, Possibly III, physicians whom
have reference 70 doat receive commissions
bat the chances are yhaU they are reimbursed
for their trouble Do YOU know that certain
individuals are fascinated 10y funerals. For
three or four years L noticed that an old lady,
attirrJ in "a somewhat shabby dress was often
1T first thought she might be u relative oF
friend, hut finally became curious and ques-
toned her. learned that she had a mania
for attending funerals She keeps record
Of the funerals attended, and tho liat when
last saw her numbered 10.
CRYING oN suoE. NOTICE
The old lady tells me that she has attended
as many as three funerals in one day. She
can cry ut moments notice, and usually
sheds tears when at the funeral Of a young
girl. The queer individual under notice
comes very near what thu professional
mourncr i supposed to he. The mania for
attending funerals Is not confined 70 woman
One man, with a round, chubby. good
natured face, IS n frequent visitor TO many Of
the funerals of which have charge 1t has
a somewhat dcmoralizinS effect on most men
to attend n funeral, and is liable 10 max
them sad and thoughtful"
What feeling prompts people 70 attend
funerals of persons with whom they We're not
acquainted IN life
Curiosity Many have a morbid curl
oSity in regard to the dead and are AZ all
times haunting morgues and hospitals such
men find comfort ard pleasure in attending
funerals
Are the poor 81 lavish rs formerly in their
expenditures in buryinS their dead
Il hardly think -. In former years il was
the custom Of poor people, and more especial
" Catholics to bury their dead in the most
cxtravagaut manner. l have had charge If
funerals in which there were no les than 2lJ
carriages Widows have often sold the bl,ls
from under them TO give their husbands re-
spectacle bUrials. The custom of having
costly funerals IS dying ont, thanks To the
efforts of the Catholic clergy, who have for
years denounced the practice rs IN injustice
10 the living. Many families 80 poor aS 10
be hardly able TO keep body and soul together
labor night and day to pay uriertakcr's bills
for services rendered TO some deceased rela-
tive. Among certain classes of the poor It Is
considered a disgrace not 70 give ones rola-
tive a respectable burial. When l say q re
spectacle burial | mean a funeral costing
t,r,y,-,r,I Of 500 - Tsr-f.g7-Iy-v EuuIa