Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-02-17
NEW BURIAL SCHEME.
Our Bodies to Be Dried and Put
Away in Vaults.
Desiccation the Latest Fad of Enthusiasts
Some Respects in Which It Excels
Cremation - Provisions Against
Premature Interment.

Some Respects in Which It Excels
| Cremation - Provisions Against
| Premature Interment.
A new disposition of the dead as pro-
posed may be called the --latest thing in
life.' Ground for ''new mausoleum"
is to be broken, it is said by the New
York Sun, in the spring. The idea
underlying the new mausoleum is based
on the fact that current of dry air will
preserve body from decomposition,
and change it into a~condition resem-
bling life, in which it will remain for an
Indefinite time. This process is applied
by nature to the unfortunate traveller
and his beast who succumA upon the
great deserts. In the Smithsonian In
stltutlon are many bodies thus desic ated
by nature which have been brought
from the battlefields' of Mexico and
Peru, from Southern plains and Indian
districts of the far West The ancient
Colchlans and Tartars suspended their
dead from branches of trees to be dried
by air and sun. The Peruvians first
dried their deceased friends and
then buried them in sitting posture
Savages of South Australia place the
dead body on the top of the hut till per-
fectly dried, when it is bandaged and
hidden among the branches of the trees
Inc body retains its form in the proc
ess, and the skin, though it becomes
hard and dry like leather, remains
white, while the face, though more or
less emaciated, remains life-like and
recognizable.
Modern science and skill are to be ap-
Piled to the original preventative power
of the atmosphere. Experiments have
recently been made by specialists, first
on animals and later on human bodies.
In the course of one recent experiment.
conducted by sanitary engineer in
Washington, in ninc weeks a pig was
reduced in weight from % to ~ pounds
and remained just as plump and round
as in life. In q laboratory in this CITY
the body of man weighing 1854 pounds
was subjected to the process in 1888, and
the effect was marvellous.
The arrangement for the interment of
desiccated bodies in the new mausoleum
will be similar to that of tho draw ers in
safety deposit vaults, while the interior
plan of the building will resemble that
of well-appointed public library, with
main corridor and diverging halls lead
ing to different sections. These draw
ers or scpulchers will be of solid con-
crete four inches thick without Joint or
seam, of certain sizes, and arranged in
tiers of six on either side of the hall
way. The opening into each sepulcher
will be provided with two doors, tho
inner one of glass Theoretically sealed
as soon as occupied, through which the
body may be viewed by those holding
the keys; the outside of iron, wrought
gold, silver or bronze, decorated and
adorned according to the ability and
taste of relatives.
For family use there will be separate
and distinct compartments of various
sizes, with sets or suites of sepulchers
adorned as desired and having but a sim
gle entrance.
The space that holds the casket will
be cell of concrete permitting neither
the escape nor admission of moisture. |
IN the erection of the walls hollow pipes |
or conduits will be formed over molds, |
SO that no destructible material, as iron |
or metal, will be needed.
Through these conduits will be made |
to pour into the rmetically-sealed Sc
butchers currents of dry air, which, |
passing rapidly and repeatedly around |
the body, will extract therefrom every
trace OF moisture, vapor or fluid and con-
Ney 1T to huge furnace, where, without |
possibility of escape, all noXious matter |
Will be destroyed. Gradually the body |
becomes hard, smooth and dry, with lit |
tie or no change of appearance, and once |
done preservation is secured forever.
Provision is to be made against pre-
mature interment by the adjustment of |
electrical applianceS to tho hodv CO
that the faintest motion will be instan- |
taneously conveyed to the guard by |
means of alarm signals.
The mausoleum will occupy compaya-
lively little space. A building covering |
100 feet square could inclose 1O, 1000 |
scpulchers, and one that occupied an
acre would provide as many resting
places as cemetery Of thirty-five acres.
t is intended that ample and suitable
grounds shall surround the building,
and that adornment inside and out will
be made as perfect as taste and wealth
can dictate.
The sepulchers will be numbered and
registered as lots in q cemetery, and a
fund will be provided for the perpetual
care of all treasures of art or nature
that may be provided. All records of
lnterment will be kept in the mauso-
eum. A chapel will be provided for the
discharge of the last rites.
The cost of single sepulchers will prob
sbly range from $40 to 5000, while family
will vary from 5000 to
100000. Burial lots in cities range from
800 to $4,000 for space to allow six
graves, tc which must be added the cost
u headstone, monument, statuary, in