Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-19
THE CREMATORY.
A Protest from Tsx-Payers Residing Near
the Site.

tuS chsos
RICHMOND, Va, July 10, 1891.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
In reading your report OF DR.. Open
bimer's remarks in regard to the proposed
crematory, which appeared IN your issue
of June 18th, one would misjudge the po-
sition Of the people opposing the site Sc
Iected, in that very careful assurances are
given that the crematory will offend nc
one. and that which We most fear Is spoken
very lightly Of. Under the circumstances
we feel compelled to ask that you give us
space TO show our position.
We have not denied that q crematory for
the purpose of incinerating the garbage,
etc, may be necessary, but We do deny
that it is necessary to build 1T IL that
place, nearly surrounded as 1T will be by
residences, both below and on the hills
above.
We are told that this crematory will in
no way DO offensive or deleterious TO any
one.
Then. in summing up we are asked to
except from the assurance such odors as
might arise from hauling street-sweepings.
decayed fish, crabs, night-soil, ETC., past
our doors.
Considering that this is the very thing
we anticipated with horror, and the very
part of the business we object to, why not
that which is the most horribly offensive.
1t may be that il Is expensive to haul this
garbage four miles. We will not dispute
that, but when there are places which
already have bad odors, what harm would
result in having such bad odors carried and
dumped or burned beside something that
is akin to it. and where no damage would
result to surrounding property
We leave it to the sense OF justice OF the
- d.. - 90 ,.fn ont
rage to select as rendezvous for all the
flth-carts in the city point surrounded
nearly by residences and eighty feet be-
low and AUDITING against a resort in sum-
mer evenings for hundreds of citizens who
come among us to breathe Gods pure air.
which it is now proposed to contaminate
with odors from such matter; to select
place that is healthy, and 30 little sickness
is there that il is fast becoming known, in
spite of land booms IN other directions, as
the very healthiest portion Of Rich
mond and suburbs. We have built homes
here on account of that purity which
it is proposed to spoil. Many sleeping
apartments are on level with this pro-
posed l00-foot stock, and ask in the name
of reason what is the need OF spelling this
place; where is the justice that would
cause homes TO be uselessly broken up
homes that have been by great self-denial
placed there, that children who have been
puny and sickly i'll different parts of the
city and have made the hearts of fond
parents glad by growing rugged and
strong up there, might continue 10 do so
without any anticipation OF 80 horrible a
change without the last idea that their
time and money was being wasted?
without warning to us this work was
commenced, and even the men working
there disliked to tell what it was for.
There is not person who Is capable of
reading this article who cannot imagine
what we have in store for us. even though
| the matter be burned as fast as hauled,
but if anything should happen so that the
furnace needed repairs, God help us. we
could not stay there with our little ones.
In spite of our protests, will this night.
mare prove O reality? Will these peaceful
taxpayers be deprived of that for which
they have toiled-many for years-and
which they have honestly paid for? No;
we cannot believe it, and will not give up
| to such thought until we see it finished.
W.. j. c., FOR MANY TAx-PAYKRs.