Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-05-18
IN A CREMATORY.
rho Destruction Of the Human Body by
7ncinsratiou.

The following description OF the ere
nation Of body at the Fresh Pond Gre
natory, Long Island, will be of interest to
hose who are unacquainted with that
mode of disposlng OF mortal remains, "a
we'll as to the many who are becoming con
verts TO cremation ideas
The crematory is brick building, one
'trry in height, and is divided into two
soms The iron doors of the retort opens
INTO the reception room, where seats are
arranged for the convenience of spectators.
In niche in the wall of this room stands
glass u.n which contains the ashes of a
sheep incinerated as an experiment in the
gctort The other room is occupied
mainly by the great furnace, which glowed
with fervent heat on this occasion. A
glimpse could be had of the interior of the
retort through glass bulls-eyes set in the
iron.door The interior Of the retort
glowed with beautiful rose color. BE
side the furnace, suspended from the cell
ing, was a shallow ribbed Norway iron
Grub, which resembled the lower portion
ii a coffin cut in two through its side
diameter. Immediately beneath this crib,
IS il hung suspended in the air, was a table
with casters under its four legs. Into the
.op of this table were set rollers which re-
yolved at a touch.
The body was brought into the crema-
tory inclosed in coffin case After the com.
pauY had gaZed upon the face of the dead
the attendant lowered the crib to the floor
beside the coffin. Two strips of muslin
,esemblinga bed sheet cut in two length
wise were saturated in a barrel containing
alum water and spread over the crib. Then
the body was lifted from the coffin and
placed in the crib and wrapped in its
winding sheet Of muslin Tie crib was
hoisted up and placed upon the movable
table. 1t was then taken to the front Of
the furnace, distance of about twenty
feet. Two stout attendants wheeled the
table into position before the door Of the
retort, which was opened by means of
TWO .leavy weights arranged much in the
same way as those by which a man is
hanged There was good deal Of I'M
scrcwing of iron nuts, and then the door
ucned. glowing as if with Unsuitable de.
tr
There was nothing repulsive about the
Ambition, however. In fact, the feeling
produced on those present seemed one Of
awe at the transcendant beauty and awful
grandeur of the 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.
No billowy flames, no cracking sound,
Dut the ardent heat of the fire Itself, soft
ana roSeate 10 the eye, yet terrible In us
ievouring earnestncSs. The door was left
open just long enough TO permit two men
To seize long iron rods with wooden han.
dies and TO enable them to thrust the crib
with its sheeted burden into the seven.
times heated chamber. Then the door was
lowered and closed with clang, and there
was more screwing of nuts and tightening
bf bolts.
The process Of destruction was begun
The two glass bulls-eycs, which had here.
lofore glared with tigerish fiercencss, now
began to grow dim and pale, clouded as
they were by the gasScs arising from the
decOmposing body, and these eyes would
remain clouded by the vapor of death until
the incineration was complete, when they
would begin TO burn ardentlY again ~
though looking for another feast
The attendant said that about two hours
would be required to reduce the body "a
ashes. There remain only a few handfuls
Df pure pearly ashes, equivalent in weight
10 about per cent of the original. Thes.
are dropped into the chamber below and
are drawn thence into An urn of terrs
Gotta, marble, alabaster, or other suitable
material.