The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-08-29
OUR PRESENT AND FUTURE HOME.
Something Entirely New-A Modern
JOintless, Albright and IndeStructi-
bic Casket and Miniature Vault
Combined.
Combined.

L over our country are evidences of
S very high order of refinement and O
the thoughtful care and generou:
provision made by our people for tht
comfort and happiness of the living
While we are admitted to be in adj
vance of all others in scientific re
search, and everything pertaining to
the interest of the living we are VET
very far behind other nations, and es.
pecially the ancients, in providing
suitable receptacles for the repose OF
the body after death. This is not
owing to our indifference, for no peo-
pie have greater respect for or vener-
alton for the dead, and none have
made a more liberal provision for
their repose; but anything IN con-
nectiOn with this subject has been
considered disagreeable, and in con-
sequence of this we have shrunk from
a consideration of this subject until
forced to provide receptacle or rest.
ing place for departed loved one.
The preserved bodies of the an
clients taken from the catacombs of
their buried cities, are now exhibited
IN our museums, as evidence of the
care, skill and reverence felt by them
for their dead.
The modern funeral director is far
in advance of his ancient brother. he
Is generally refined, competent and
well-skilled in the art of embalming.
and mall details of his profession, but
he has had nothing in the past to offer
his bereaved patrons for the money
they so freely lavish on costly funeral
pageants. and profusely decorated
wood or iron burial cases, which are
covered with costly satins, velvets and
plushes, and ornamented with gold
and silver trimmings that are borne
by loving friends to beautifully
adorned cemeteries, where they are
placed IN marble vaults or lowered in
the ground beneath costly monuments, |
All, in fact, is done WHICH love and
sollcltude can suggest; but in our
helplessness We are compelled to ac-
cept the only burial receptaele the
undertaken has heretofore been able
to provide, The peculiar relation he
to his bereaved patrons
makes his recommendation of any,
thing IN this line appear indelicate.
For these reasons the public has been
left In ignorance of the merits of our
caskets, and they are compelled from
sheer necessity to purchase the com
mon wood or iron one, in which to
place the sacred remains of the loved
one.
These facts have awakened much in
terest of late, and scientific societies.
the press as we'll as the public, are at I
present earnestly considering this
question, from, not only a sanitary. (
but human sentiment.
We instinctively shrink from tine
thought of having the remains of loved
lnes, consecrated by the tears of be- {
'eaved friends, placed in these CON-
non wood or iron reoeptacles, which I
will SO soon decay, admitting the '
objects which intest the j
yrave. These things, regarded either {
rom Christian or sanitary stand
'olnt, have created a demand for
omething better;- that
an be furnished at price that can
Ne placed within the reach of the :
ich and the poor alike; something /
hat IS not susceptible to the intiuen. /
es of the acids of decomposition or
he alkali of the earth; something in
act, which will preserve and pro-
ect the remains of our loved ones.
nd admit of their disinterment, with 1
ut, at any time, shocking the sensibil-
les of the living, L
Many attempts have been made to z
Onstruct burial cases from metal and
ther substances, but they have al II
'ays been found very defective. in =
nat they retain the fluids of the hu- !,
ian body, and soon corrode and de-
ay, permitting the escape of noxious IT
ases to pollute the atmosphere and 0
ldanger the health of the living. y
Some, III their despair, advocate the A
.tum to the ancient practice of Gre o.
latlon, but this to the Christian q
orld seems unsatisfactory, if not re- v
biting.
Many eminent prelates, scientists.
I'd others, at meeting lately held s,
the city of Buffalo, advocated the &C
tombEient OF our dead in imperish- in
Die cement, and this has awakened n:
le thoughtful consideration and the n n
Ventive genius of our people, which ns m
IS resulted In the plan proposed by
ese gentlemen, being adopted, and
casket embodying these, as well as
her important principles, is now be-
g manufactured, from a material
lown as artificial marble, that is made nc
om impaired cement. OF
The method of manufacturing r
ese caskets is as follows: dc
rst, a galvanized woven wire a
eel frame, which is strong re
ough in its self to carry a large an
'dy. This is formed over a core la
IMPOSITION cement is then run into
e mold, leaving the wire frame in
e center of the wall of the casket,
nding all the parts and giving it yo,
eat strength aud symmetry without Ia la
e clumsy unwieldiness of the an ve yp
mt Egyptian receptacles. A groove Nt
cast in the upper edge or flanges of GU
e body, which, curving outwardly. wi
ms bell-shaped fiange. dIu
For sealing the top to the body per- ma ma
lnently, prepared cement is run into Iil' III
grooves. For temporary sealing ne
round rubber tubing is used. The pc
'ket being jointless, makes it, when
0perly sealed, absolutely air-tight, Stt
Us arresting the decomposition of ,
body and preventing the escape of Ce
xious gases, and admitting of their W
rage IN vaults or their disinterment
&r-nr H. L. ~