Wichita eagle., 1888-09-08

GROWTH OF CREMATION.
EFFORTS MADE TO RENDER THE
PROCESS EASY AND PRACTICAL.

fhOCSSO EASY AND PRACTICAL
Tho Overcrowded Cemeteries OF Paris-An
Cbiection-Attempted solution of an
Unexpected Problem-Where the Cues
ton Rests.
Cremation In France is attended with
difficulties. Technical questions have
arisen and the laws regulating freedom of
burial have caused unpleasant delays
Still, the crowded condition Of the Paris
cemeteries, where the dead are crammed
into narrow mausolea and piled in an in
discriminate way on top of one another.
renders solution of some kind impera-
tive When the cemeteries OF Pere Ia
Chaise and Montmartre were established
they we're on hillsides that were at some
distance in the country. Now. though
they are not In the heart of the city. they
are far within the city limits and have .
dense population ON all sides of them.
No city In the world feels more impera-
lively the need of regulating the import
ant question of burials in a manner that.
while it shall respect the prejudiees in
favor of the dead. shall at the same time
sufficiently protect the interests of the
living. The establishment Of a new Gene
terry on grander scale al Merry sur Disc,
q few miles from Paris, has been in con-
temptation since 1879. and as the projec.
approaches solution the question of ere
nation is again being earnestly discussed.
In 1879 and again 1880 cremation was
by city ordinance made optional for tho
friends of the deceased, but the keeper Of
the seals found legal objections in the civil
II Il Al
of the doubtful points involved society
to promote the cremation was formed. of
which Gambstta was a profoundly con-
WINGED and exceedingly active member.
A new law regulating freedom of burial
was passed. and crematory, or crematory
chapel, was erected in the least used part
of Pere la Chaise, which is conspicuous
object in the scenery if nothing else. The
law has not accomplished all that its pro-
jectors desired, and various unexpected
difficulties have arisen, which have
strengthened tho hands of the enemies of
cremation.
At Milan, Lodi, Cremona and other
cities in the north of Italy, at Zurich and
in Germany, cremation is effected in two
hours. This is Of itself considered a suf-
fcient objection In Paris, since the long
purpose, would be too painful for rela-
teal in populous city, where, if crena-
precious. the process should be accom-
plished in half an hour 1t is this short
ening of the time that the experts are
studying at present. After having made
q personal examination of the crematories
at Zurich and Milan they concluded that
the desired result could only be obtained
by raising the temperatures. and that
wood should be replaced by illuminating
gas mingled with a current of air. Wood
only gives temperature ranging from
900 to 1000 dogs. centigrade, while gas
gives from 1,S00 to 1000 dogs.
Experiments have been made on the
carcasses of sheep at one of the gas man
of Paris which, though they
have not been entirely satisfactory, have
shown that they were tending in the
right direction. For instance. it was re-
marked that when tho high temperatures
effected incarceration in the desired time.
it rendered the pulverization of bones
more difficult. A curious chemical pro-
cess takes place. The bones, composed
principally of carbonate Of lime, acquire
almost the hardness of porcelain when
brought to temperature of 1.S00to 1000
dogs. centigrade.
What was to be done in case like this? .
The cremator could not evidently give to .
the weeping relatives q petritied skeleton /
approximately the original |
of the defunct, and inca pable |
OF being put into any cinerary urn. in !
stead of the handful of ashes which they
wished to be put into china vase on the +
parlOr mantelpiece. So he set himself to
solve this unexpected problem and dis (
covered that if at given moment, that IS .
after the tissues were perfectly reduced
to ashes, the remains were suddenly .
plunged into water, by a mechanical de-
vice easy of fabrication, the petFitIed
bones would at once resolve themselves
into fragments of the desired minuteness.
The process can be taken with glass /
which, when heated to high tempera-
ture and plunged suddenly into water, is
reduced to q condition Of impal pable .
powder
This IS where the question rests The
have been made under the
direction of the Paris municipal authori
ties, who expect In any arrangements fol
they may hereafter effect to re-
spect implicitly religious prejudices- They
desire that the time of the ceremonial
shall be as brief as possible. The body
brought to them for Incarceration will not
be removed from the coffin. but reduced
to dust with the wood clothing orna-
ments and jewels, al Of which will 10 re-
turned in condition Of fine powder. This
Will be done when. as expected, the cre-
matory at Pere IL Chaise is In working |
order. There are four owens" as they
are technically called 10y the French. and.
rs the demands for cremation are numer-
1us. it Is expected that they viii all be
Kept busy when physical and legal diff
;ulties are removed. which 1t Is hoped
Will be soon II is not only the COCO
French who will be cremated, but foreign
rs who may wish 70 give their burial
ceremonial a sort Of eclat- A Belgian some
ime ago sent money 70 pay for his Gre
nation at Pere la Chaise In duo time
,e died, ana the crenatory not being in
working order, he was buried at Brussels
With the understanding that his remains
will be taken TO Paris for cremation e.
Don as everything is ready.
The efforts Of the French to render
reration easy and practical naturally In
crest those Americans who have sough.
o introduce this method of burial Where
Iot & dozen persons arc creraated IL
ear in a population Of 10000. 900, the
ine occupied is Of comparatively little
onsequence- But should cremation be-
ONE fashionable art and science Will have
c be called OF 20 render the process no.
My inoaensive TO the finest feasibility.
ut even esthetic-Sau Francisco Cnron-
cle.
"a japanese Temple and-B Ben