Morning journal and courier., 1889-02-14
DEArH,s SIDE PARTNER.
A Transeoneinental Bndertaker Wh
 Travels With Csrpses.


 sDo you know there is something fascina- ting to me about a corpsei I travel a great deal and generally have one along with me. It's possible my business has made me like them.n
 The speaker was James A. Dodson, for merly of Brooklyn and now resident of Los Angeles, California. The remark was a strange one, and naturally attracted the at tention of half dozen people within hear ing. It was brought about by the sight of funeral eortege passing on its way to Green wood.
 "For the past three years," Mr. Dodson continued, "I have followed the businesss of taking charge of the remains of eastern peo- pie who die In California and bringing them to their homes.
 "How did come to start in the businesst We'll, you see about four years ago went to Los Angeles for my health, and had been there probably six months, when one day was talking to a young man engaged in the undertaking business. He asked me if I wanted to take a trip to New York. I told him was going to return in about 8 month. He said if would consent to start that night he would furnish me free transportation through providing l would take casket along with me. 1t will go on the baggage car, he said, 'and you will have no trouble whatever. Just keep your eye on it when you change cars and see that it don't go as~ tray.' The casket was to contain the re- mains of @ young man who had come to Cal ifornia to effect a cure for consumption. As soon as his relatives had been notified of his death they telegraphed instructions to have some one accompany the corpse and see that it came through all right.
 ssThis started me thinking. I found that over one-half of the people who go to Calis fornia for the benefit of their health put off going until too late, and about thirty per cent die within two months after reaching there. The change in the climate is of such | a decided character that it's effects are gene rally felt, either for the better or worse, within tour or five weeks. great many of | the health seekers are consumptives, and ninety nine times out of hundred they | cling to the belief that they are improving l up to within an hour of their death. Con- 1 sequently when it comes 1t takes them more or less by surprise, and they have made no preparations. They are often alone, and 1 their relatives do not like the idea of their remains being shipped such long distance 1 by express. If they can afford to go to Oal- l ifornia for the purpose of improving their health they do not mind little extra ex- pense. If you have ever had occasion to ship a corpse by express you'll probably re- member that the express companies charge the price of two frst-class tickets. If some one accompany the remains the railway com pany transports it and carries it in the bag gage car for one frst-class ticket So you see it costs just the same for live man and
 a corpse to travel together as it does for the
 corpse to travel alone. Alter ascertainine
 these facts I spoke to number of physi
 clans on the subject, and they considered il
 an excellent idea, So decided to make Los
 Angeles my headquarters and devote my en
 tire time to this seemingly strange vocation
 "The entire foundation of the business,