The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-08
FUNERAL FASHIONS.
The Latest Styles In Collins and
Robes for tho Dead.
An Estimate of tho Expense Attendant
Upon Fashionable Funeral
Modern improvements
I'm Undertaking.

81 do not know of any other business
in which such marvellous changes have
taken place in comparatively few years
rs in that of undertaking" said one Of
the leading men in the business to re-
porter for tho Minneapolis Tribune.
Ten or dozen years ago undcrtallcrs
made all their own collins. They were
usually practical cabinct-makers, and
in addition to burying manufactured
woodwork of all the finer kinds, as
well as collins. Now the business OF
manufacturing collins has got into the
hands of few big concerns, which
have practical monopoly. They have
their factories in the lumber districts,
and if necessary could easily undcrsell
any man who would undertake to man.
ufacture on Il small scale. Undcrtallcrs
buy from them at wholesale rates, and
the arrangement is profitable one for
both sides. Many of these firms carry
n stock of collins worth fifty thousand
dollars. They arc represented by drum
mcrs who, instead Of carrying samples,
have books, claborately illustrated with
cuts of the different styles"
Has this new arrangement reduced
the cost of burial?" the reporter asked.
mo. On the other hand funeral
costs more now than ut any time within
q half century, at least" was the reply.
"As long as people insist on using
wooden collins funeral will increase
rather than decrease in cost. This is
due to the fact that fine timber be-
comes scarcer every year. Now, if peo-
pie could be induced to use the earth
to Garth casl1et this would be different.
This casket is made of rough rattan,
through the open meshes of which the
air has free access to the remains,
causing speedy dissolution. But the
very fact that the body quickly as
Stimulates with the earth is sufficient to
make this style of coffin unpopular.
"a man while living may prefer Gre
lmation after death, but there is some
thing offensive in the thought of re-
ducing the remains of a dead person to
ashes, which causes living friends to
shrink from this method of disposing of
the dead. ] suppose it Is a somewhat
similar feeling which prevents them
from using the earth to earth caskct.
This style of coffin costs from fifty dol
lars up, according to the trimming
used. While it disappears quickly,
after being put under the ground. it is
strong and answers every practical pur-
pose.
"Embalming is also rapidly taking
the place of the old-fashioncd ice-box.
The modern process is great improve
ment over the old-fashioncd way of
keeping the dead, and costs but very
little more. Shortly after death a
| quantity of colorlcss liquid is injected
into tho ,.tor x~fx Is.
q corpse look more ghastly, as ice did,
it improves the appearance by prcscrv-
ing the natural expression and color
and by filling out the features in cases
of cmaciatiOn."
'Do you have much trouble in col
lccting bills?" was the reporters next
query.
'Wcll, we have some trouble. You
see, it is just this way: People are op-
posed to any thing like economy, or,
more properly speaking, 'stinginess, in
providing burial for II dead relative or
friend. Some member of the family
| goes to an undertaken and makes prepa-
rations for the funeral, promising to
pay the bill afterward. The under
talSer is told to do every thing in the best
style, and the bercaved family is
surprised Mt the size of the bill. They
believe that the undertaken is trying to
I swindle them, thinking they will not
dispute the charge; and thus they fire.
| quently refuse to pay. AS n general
thing, people who pay promptly have
On understanding rs to the exact cost of
every thing before completing the ar
engagements. In some cases the under
tal1er is able to collect from a mans es-
tate, but in many the bill is n loss to
him.
"Thc cheapest funeral, that of an in
FAINT, will cost nine dollars, while you
can cXpend almost any sum you want,
one funeral, for instance, that of Gen
eral Grant, costing over fourteen thou
sand dollars. One of the most cXpcn-
sive features of funeral is the music, Il
poor quartette costing at least one hun
hrcd dollars. Very frequently the cost
is added to by giving the minister fee.
If man possessed Of any property dies
without friends or relatives In this city
the public administrator gives him u
funeral in accordance with his means
"Thc handle Of coffin has much to
! do with its appearance. OF these there
arc at least five thousand different va
rietics, the latest style being covered
with plush or cloth similar to that used
on the caskct. Funerals with long lines
of carriages are not SO much in vogue
now, the money being expended on the
coffin and the hcarsc, where it will
show to more advantage. Day funerals
are becoming more rare all the time,
the evening being preferred, because
| business men can attend
"Cloth-covcrcd caskets are now moro