Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-12-04
OLD WORLD FUNERALS.
Observations Of an American Un-
dertaker In Europe.
Countries Where Funerals Are in Charge
Of Government Ohcials-What 1t Costs
to Embalm Body in Russia
EnEland's Hired Mourners.

There are few people who have Travelled
throughout Europe with the special inten-
ton OF observing the customs prevailing
in each country at funerals. W. r.
Speare, the F street undertaken, has made
several trips across the water with this
special object, and it is probable that he
will make another visit there for the same
purpose next year. A Washington Post
reporter saw Mr.. Speare last evening.
''The American customs in conducting
funerals" said he, "are, in my opinion,
far in advance of those of Europe. They
are simpler, shorn of the many useless GUS
toms that are in vogue abroad, and, what is
especially desirable among Americans,
in the hands of the family of the dead, who
in Europe generally have but little to say
about what shall be done or what the style
or expense of the ceremony shall be.
"The most interesting of all the European
countries in this respect is France. There
the funeral, as is also the case in Italy, is
taken charge of by the government upon
the death of a person until he has been laid
away In the cemetery. Paris is the great
center In which these things are most
prominently seen. When death is re-
ported to the police they at once notify the
proper Government officials. There is
bureau IN Paris to which all such matters
are referred. 1t occupies the largest building
have ever seen, and employs q force of
clerks greater than are in our Post-Oh
Department.
'This bureau, having taken charge Of the
| matter, are al no loss in finding at once the
social relations and wealth of the deceased,
and according to the latter funeral is or
dered. These are divided into eleven
classes, the first costing over 5000, the
others graded down until they reach the
tenth class, for which S12 is charged, the
eleventh and last being the pauper's funeral,
and At Government expense.
''The house occupied by the corpse Is
draped inside and outside, the friends Of
the dead having no power to control in any
| particular these proceedings, except that the
embalminR Of the corpse is optional and
| costs $500.
''The friends Of the deceased may be rich
or poor, and may desire either to curtail the
| expense or give a more costly burial, but
| their power is Of no avail. Generally the
caskets of France may be said to be very
fimsy, usually being covered with drapery.
| The casket used for the poorest class Is
| about as strong as cigar box. The 50 paid
| for this ceremony gives the use of hearse,
| which has q compartment for the casket,
behind which there is room for about four
| persons to ride.
'"The undertakers are employed by the
| Government. and are military officers who
usually rank as Major or Captain, the rank,
| Of course, differing for the various grades
Of funerals. They are dressed In black
| velvet, wear cockades and swords and have
good deal of gold lace on their uniforms.
The funeral beng over, q bill is rendered
aud pa0 ment sought through Government
of1cer OF the particular place in which the
death occurred. It must be paid, or the
goods Of the deceased are attached. The
bureau is the source Of very considerable
| revenue to the French nation, and it is not
permissible for any one else to undertake to
engage IN the work Of burying the dead.
"In Italy the government also monopolizes
this business, dividing the business pro-
vlded into eleven classes. In the latter
country the decorations and every thing
used in the ceremony Is black. The custom
is varied in Italy only in the cases Of chill
dren, for whom white hearses are provided,
the corpse being followed by procession OF
little girls dressed in white, carrying can
dies and singing as they pass along the
streets. There are some very elegant
funerals at Rome, but those styled frst-cIass
cost about g, 900 or more.
1.-The country of hired mourners is En-
gland. There the heaviest drapery pre-
walls, while the funeral cars as they are
called, in which the csskets are carried, are
immense vehicles, exceeding in size our
omnibuses. Many Of them cost fully q, 600
The mourners that are hired follow the
hearse, and are very noisy in their pre-
tended grief. The hearse and the four
horses drawing IL are black. A lantern il
carried on each corner Of the funeral car
MANY of the caskets of Russia are the
finest that are made. They are Of metal
The hearse of Russia is even larger thar
that Of England, the floor ON which the cas-
kes rests being about seven feet from thl