Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-10
DEATHS SAD MARCH
TO the Grave and Its Effect Upon the
Travel and Business of
Pittsburg's Citizens.
STREET RAILROAD MEN OBJECT
To Long Delays, but Are Willing to Sacrifice
Something Out of Respect
to the Dead.
cLERGYMEN AND UNDERTAKERs TALK
About the Resolution introduced Into Councils by Mr.
Keating.

Councils have not yet unearthed more
lively subject of comment for some time
than Mr.. Keating's resolution to compel
funerals to move faster or get out of the way.
It was discussed on all hands yesterday.
The question of extravagant funerals has
also aroused those who are against this prac-
tice.
The Pleasant Valley Street Railway Com
pany is right in line with Mr.. Heating 6
move against funeral professions. Said
President d. f. Henry when interviewed
yesterday: "Our cars are being continually
stopped by funeral professions. Undertak-
ers seem to think they have the right of
eminent domain. They refuse to break the
line long enough to let the cars pass. Some
times the cars are delayed as much as 80
minutes. This will throw all the cars on
the whole road into one place. With such
delays we cannot properly carry people to
and from their business.
HAVE TO WAIT.
'We cannot 60 around procession. The
only thing we can do Is wait. With all due
respect to the dead l think there is no rea-
son why professions could not be broken.
Then they also refuse to get off to the side of
the street. On Smithfield street there is
plenty of room for the carriages at the side
of the tracks and vet they will refuse to
move aside. 1 think there should be an
ordinance prohibiting funeral professions
from interrupting business and travel
wherever il is possible. Mr.. keating's sug-
gestion is good one and should be carried
out"
The Pittsburg Traction Company is not
30 decided in its ideas, and have but few
complaints. In speaking of the matter,
Dispatcher John Stewart said they were
only troubled by few undertakers.
"Down town." he said, "cars are never
delayed more than a few moments by fu-
nerals. The interruptions are SO small they
don't count Out in Oakland and the East
End districts however. we frequently meet
funeral professions that refuse to get off the
track. The result is that seven or eight
cars will be
PILED UP TOGETHER.
"There is no necessity for it because there
are good roads and sufficient room outside
the tracks. Undertakers only do it because
they think they can. They ought to be
taught that street railways end business
men have some rights. think legislation
in that direction would be good move"
Among the express companies the feeling
in the matter is different. None of them
have any trouble with funeral professions
and in fact make allowance for any such
delays.
Said Major Glenn, of the Adams Ex-
press Company. Funerals do not inter-
fere with me In the least. We believe the
dead are entitled to the respect OF all classes
of business men. In sending wagons out
we always make allowance for the time
they may be delayed for any cause. Fune-
rails never hold our wagons back for more
than three minutes at a time. The only time
our business was stopped was during the
parade of the Allegheny County Centen-
nial. don't see there is any need for legis-
lation against funeral professions"
MAKES ALLOWANCE FOR DELAYS.
NJ. E. Valiant, of the American Express
Company, expressed himself similarly, and
said that out of respect for the dead there
should not be any such legislation.
Wells, Fargo & Co.'s wagons have never
been delayed by funerals, said Superintend-
ent Thompson yesterday. All express COM
panies start wagons out in sufficient time so
that any ordinary delays will not hinder the
transaction of business. We have sufficient
respect for the dead to wait long enough for
q funeral procession to pass.
An official of the United States Express
Company said they had no complaint
against funerals. 1.-THE DELAYS caused by
Them" he said, "were not enough to cause
any trouble, and they do not think any leg
lslation is necessary"