Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-08
RETURN DUST TO DUST.
Cremation Growing In Favor rs shown by
the Statistics for Eleven Years.

Cremation Growing In Favor rs shown by
the Statistics for Eleven Years.
From the Pittsbure Dispatch.
The advocates of cremation have in their
favor some strong arguments They say the
mandate that ''Dust shall return to dust" is
irrevocsble and its fulfilln,ent is inevitable:
that we can in no way prevent it; we may OBJ
struct or we may assist, and reason dictates the
lattcr course. Since the longer the process is
delayed the greater is the danger to the health
OF the living, cremation is q beneficial institu-
ton. Its growth in Europe has been surpris-
ing and in Italy there are large numbers of
crematories, and in this country the prejudice
against the movement is decreasing.
1t is only eleven years since the formation Of
the New York Cremation Society, the first insti-
tuition Of the kind in the United States and not
until the year 1885 was the first operative Gre
matory established, vet there are now in vari-
GUS parts OF the states nearly a score Of these
incinerators in more or less continuous service
The number OF cremations which have been
conducted each year in one of these temples in
Buffalo gives fair idea of the progress which
the sentiment in favor of this method is making.
During 1856 elSh. bodies were incinerated. and
in each successive year to the end of 1891 the
numbers were. respectively, II, 16, %. 80 and
81. In this temple everything possible has been
done to mitigate the sadness Of the last ritual
Inc temple Is built OF dark brown sandstone
and its square tower and deep, santiny root are
covered with ivy and surrounded by sloping
lawns. The chancel and nave are artistically
carved and decorated and the windows are of
rich stained glass. The Incarceration takes place
privately after the funeral service, and the
ashes are delivered TO the undertaken to be dis
posed of as the family NAV direct, or they NAV
be left at the crenatory.
A society formed after the organization of
the pioneer society has reduced to ashes since
the year 1885 upward of 80 bodies. The
process as carried out at one of their principal
temples is as follows: The furnace is of fire.
brick throughout and separated into two dis
tinct but similar compartments. The body is
placed in chamber directly above that in
which the fuel is consumed. The bottoms of
the retorts are solid. but the sides and ends are
pierced with holes, through with the heated
air of the furnace has direct access 70 The body.
while the flames are not permitted to approach
1t. The heat of the retort soon lDerates every
thing volatile in the body. and these emaua-
lions are conducted through another highly
heated chamber, and thus rendered odorless
and absolutely innocuous before they pass to
the chimney which forms their means of cgress
to the air The time taken up in reducing the
body to ashes depends somewhat upon the size
and condition of the person when alive. in
this furnace it is about two hours: in many
others it is little over an hour The fuel
used is coal. and in five six hours from the
starting of the fires temperature of from
1000 to $4,000 degrees Fahrenheit can be OBJ
tanned