The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-31
THAT AWFUL CREMATORY.
Il Is Without q Home and the People viii
Not Have II.
TIE MAYOR VETOED THE RESOLUTION.
.r.rce Number of Prominent Business Men
protested Against It's Erection on tho
Almshouse Lot.

Vsvor Ellyson returned to the city yester-
Cav from attendance upon the Dan River
ASSOCIATION. Yesterday was the day selected
Onon vhichto finally consider the question OF
che establishment Of the crematory for the
consumption of the city's garbage.
Promptly at 10 o'clock the Mayor's Office
- Allied with committees and petitioners
,rainst the establishment of the crematory
-, the rear Of the almshouse lot.
the site selected by the City Council
for that purpose. Tho session lasted
.o.o hours and His Honor listened patiently
- the arguments for and against such an
,.tqlhshment Among the gentlemen who
,.reared IN opposition 20 the crematOry were
Intn = Elicit president OF the State Bank.
a. IA Nqyo Thomas n Carter. chairman OF
&C. Chamber of Commerce Committee on
Healtb and Sanitation; Senator William
Icverstein. who represented the interests Of
do Hebrew cemetery adjoining the aims
Irrse lot james II. Barton, representing the
citizens Of Barton Heights; James \. Four
er-esn president of the North Side Land
company. T.. A. Lamb George A. Minor and
Il J.. Lorraine.
N FAVOR OF 1T.
Dr. W. T. Oppenhimer, president o the
Is ard OF Health, and Captain l.. !. Chr tan.
chairman Of the Council Committee on
Health. appeared in favor Of the plant.
Nesry every gentleman present is spe.
ciouv interested IN the matter by reason of
property owned in proximity 10 the proposed
site and each had something TO say upon the
sub oct
Mr j. 5. Elicit took the ground that the
reope living at Barton Heights ana III the
section surrounding tho almshouse had large
vested interests at stake, and while they were
w fr he pff ~
business IN the city and were entitled to con-
sideratOn in the matter.
Nj Mayo said he had no property interest
iu the vicinity, but he did not think II a pro
ler place for a crematOry, and As citizen lie
came 10 protest against its location on the site
named.
Mr. Barton. who is well-known, was the
founder of the hOurshlng environment OF
Richmond known as Barton Heights, said
that he had invested largely there aud felt
that the city would be doing him "A great in
Justice rs well as injury 80 bis property in
placingthe crematory az the almshouse. Otner
gentlemen talked on the same line and all
Joined in making formal protest against It's
establishment on the spot selected
Oh. oPPENHIurRs VIEWS
After patiently hearing the speeches Of the
gentlemen named and listening -careiully t.
everything that was SAID His Honor called
on lr Oppenhimer, IA q representative OF
the city. for his views upon the subject. Jr.
Oppenhimer said that the Board of Health
had given the matter careful consideration
and had thoroughly Investigated the ques-
ton from every standpoint and that
lie thought the people were laying
too much STRESS On the disagTeeableDess OF d
crematory % the neghborhOod in which it
might be located. that experience in other
cities had been that there were no offensive
doors emitted from the cromatores. and that
II one were not Informed what was the char
acter OF the plant he could not tell by any
smell that it was for the purpose Of burning
garbage.
Captain Christian chairman of the Council
Committee on Health who has probably had
more intimate connection with the iuvestga-
t01 o the matter than any one else. stated
that il his visits TO Wheeling and other cities
where crematories were IN operation be md
them entirely free from the objections uged
p. The gentlemen who spoke IN opposition 10
its s-ection on the almsLouse lot that the
authorities of Wheeling. after having thor
0U-l.y tested one crem0tory, had recently
decided % erect another. and that they We're
81 satisfied that they were not objectionable
81 q city that they had decided TO locate the
lew one within a few hundred yards Of the
city hall.
TIKI PETITIONS
In addition to the committees whoappearel
az this meeting several petitions were pre-
sonted ia opposition 20 10 one was signed
by the owners and employees of the Richmond !
Locomotive and Machine Works. Another
contained the names Cf well-kn0wn business
men almost solely, and among others was
signed by j. b. Pace G. l.. Todd. y. W.
Bowe J.. G. Younger, J. ID. Patton, Thomas
Potts Co, Shield 4 Sheburn h. J. Brown,
Thomas Branch a Co. j. " Iaube Simon
Sycle and Simon Cohen a third WAS signed
b. q large number of residents in the vicinity
of Che proposed site.
TIKI VETO.
40 the close of the conference His Honor
assured his visitors that in the few hours left
lm finally make his decision IN the matter
De would give it his most earnest cousdeia-
son.
Atn4j P 81. he returned to City-Clerk Au- /
gust the joint resolution adopted by the /
Council providing for the erection of the Gro /
uat0rg on the site referred TO- he resolution /
VS. accompanied by a message from His /
Honor wherein be gave his reason for disap- |
proving the resolution.
The message was under seal and will not be /
maze known until the meeting Of the Com /
"a Council next Monday
it Is sun possible 1QT the site az the aims
house 20 be retained Tor the purpose. as two
Thirds vote Of the Council would carry the !
resolution over the Mayors veto.
When 1t is taken into consideration, how
ever that the measure met with determined
opposition ia that body when 1t first came up
MAKES II appear hardly possible for this
Bite 20 he selected. While the crema;ory is
generally acknowledged TO be q good thing for
The city. It has had few friends wherever
site Was advocated for IT'S location, and tho
huccess OF It's opponents IN removing the lOca-
u0u from the allnshOuse. if accomplished
wi make il still more difficult 20 find site
within the city limits that would be unre-
sisted
Mr.. cHArTIN's OFFER.
Numerous sites Oh the river had been dis
cussed Y the City Council and discarded for
various reasons. AMI also one on Buchanan
street near Christian The site in rear Of the
hushouse now in question is located so
ier' ln rear of the street on which that inst
tuition Is located aud WAS settled on by
Tie committee after long consideration.
The question Of transferring the crematory
outside of the city limits has already been a
Aoect of discussion. and IN this view the
GLOWING letter. written by Mr.. r. Is.
C.a.in and addressed to Mayor Ellyson is
I.Tflrpuf In Ia biast Mr. Iha ~ "a g