The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-12
TIE CITY CREMATORY.
The Board Of Health Say There VIII be 10th
ing offensive About 1t.


Ouite n number # residents on Buchanan
street and some of the neighbOring streets
have raised serious objection to the erection
of a crematOry for the city IN that locality.
On Monday last the work on the building was
begun. and it is expected that the cremat0ry
will be completed in about SIX weeks. The
principal object for which 1t IS being erected
is for the cremation Of garbage which cannot
be disposed of in any other way without detri-
ment to the city.
Before any steps had been taken for the
construction of the building committee was
appointed by the City Council u look INTO the
matter. That committee visited several
Northern cities % become familiar with SINH
lar institutions. In New York a crematOry
was inspected in the yard OF Bellevue Hos
pital. and in Wheeling. West Virginia, one
was found TO be located in the corporate
limits and another was being erected IN the
very heart of the city not over one hundred
yards from the City Hall There was no COM
plant in any OF these places for nothing dis
agreeable was 10 be noticed In the nelghbor-
hood of the furnaces.
Tho furnace for the cremation Of garbage
and night soil is being erected on piece OF
property at the head Of Buchanan street,
which had been purchased from Mr.. l.. l..
Christian. The City Council appropriated IN
this years budget the sum Of $4,000 for the
crematory. and tho Committee on Health
selected site which they thought would DO
Inobjectonable.
Mr.. l.. T. Christian, the chairman of the
Committee on Health. who Is at present out
Of town could not be seen yesterday when
representative of TIE TINES called at his
Office
Mr.. John r. Grimes, another member of
the committee who had also been on the com
mittee who inspected cremation IN other
cities thinks that the residents near the site
Of ha erarnotQru have u-rQuO lnlpraSQlOu In
regard 10 the operation Of the furnace. lie Is
fully convinced that there will not be the
least bad odor from the furnace, and the
smOke-stack TO the crematOry Will be seventy
five or one hundred feet high, and will reach
some distance above the top of the tallest
house ia that vicinity
No dead horses or other animals Will be Gre
mated there. for a contractor pays the city go
per month for the privilege of taking the dead
animals TO a distant place where they are
transformed into soap.
DR.. W. f. Oppenhimer. the president of
the Board OF Health also is Of the opinion
that the citizens on Buchanan street will have
no Just cause for complaint. He firmly be-
lieves that the crematory will not be null
sance. In consuming the matter thrown into
the furnace two flames will be made use OF,
one from the front and the other from the
rear. They meet in such way that every
thing, including the smoke. will be consumed
ana tlele Will ne uoLulug oucublNc " t4O
smell while the garbage is being destroyed.
For long time Dr.. Oppenhlmer has adVo-
Gated crematory as the most successful
means for the destruction Of garbage, and he
is fully confident that if the citizens will with
hold their objections until the furnace Is
started. they will be satisfied that their fears
have been grOundless He believes that the
crematory will prove to besuch success that
another one viii in the near future be erected
in the West-End.
Several directors have waited upon the
president of the Board of Health, and most Of
them have become satisfied. after the matter
had been fully expalnedto them, that at least
a fair trial should be given the new enterprise.
Other residents Of that locality have secured
the services of Mr.. d. G. Richardson TO look
into the matter. and see if the work could not
be stopped. and the city compelled 10 so else
where for site for the crematory.
Alderman Turpin. of Jefferson ward, stated
yesterday that he heard of the protests of
residents on Buchanan street against the
erection of the crematory in that vicinity.
While tho site is in Jackson ward, Mr.. Iurpin
says that be is ready 10 do what he can 10
have the cremat0rY removed to some other
locality. if the citizens in that section serious
ly object to the location of the furnace IN
their midst
He thinks that there is no reason why the
crematory could not be erected on the farm
in Henrico county which the city bought TOR
a small hospital or on some other site II the
county distant from any residences.