The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-17
ALL ABOUT FUNERALS.
congressman are Superstitieus About
Attending Them.
Some Erroneous Impressions Corrected
Tho Arrangements Made by Congress
When the Death OF a Member of
Either House Is reported.
Especial Washington letter.

Especial Washington Letter.l
A great deal OF editorial chaff, con-
tanning more mis-statemen6S than
truths, can be found in the daily papers
OF this county concerning congress
s.onal funerals. The impression has
been created by writers who lack re-
liable information that congressional
funerals are undignified, unseeEaly and
disgraceful. This erroneous impression
prevails to such an extent that it might
better be corrected.
It is true that it costs from two thou
sand to five thousand dollars to pay the
expenses of the funeral of a senator or
representative in congress. That is, Of
course, very large sum OF money to
be expended for the purpose of convey
ing human being to the quiet of the
tomb; but it must be borne in mind al
the time that the statesman who dies in
the harness belongs to the nation, and
that the people of congressional dis
trict and of sovereign state expect all
honor to be paid to his memory. 1t has
been customary for well-nigh century,
out of respect not only to the deceased
but to his living friends, to have COM
mittee of both houses of congress ap-
pointed to attend the funeral. This
necessitates heavy travelling and Incl
dental expenses, to which I do not be-
lieve the people of this country object.
The expenses of the funeral of the
late Senator Plumb, of Kansas, were
unusually large because of the distance
of the home of the deceased statesman
from the national capital. But he was
a man not only honored but beloved by
the state which he was ably represent
ing in the upper house of congress; and.
out of respect to his living friends in
that state as well as out of respect to
his memory and in appreciation OF his
Invaluable services, the people of this
country would not have objected if the
expenses of that funeral had been twice
what they were. 1t has been said, and
there are some elements of truth and
logic in the statement, that distinctions
ourht to be made in the manifestations
of regret for the loss of our public men;
and that those unknown to fame should
not be entitled to congressional funer-
ais. This matter has been discussed
great deal in the national capital, and
the prevailing opinion seems to be that
no matter whether representative
shall have attained fame in national
sense or not the people whom he repre-
sents will insist upon having due re-
spect paid to his memory.
One Of the leading undertakers Of
this city says: s'My bill for the burial
of a congressman is from five hundred
to eight hundred dollars, according to
circumstances. This amount includes
the cost OF embalming and robing the
deceased, the price OF the caslSet, the
expenses of carriages and other profes-
sional ministrations and incidentals
The caskets are always expensive, and
every attention paid to the deceased
must be rendered by experienced men
whose services must be paid for; so you
will see that the actual cost of a con-
gressional funeral in this city is even
less than the amount expended often
times by private individuals. The re-
mains of deceased statesman, after
being taken care of by the undertaken,
are placed in charge of the sergeant-at-
arms of the house or of the senate.
That official attends to all the details of
the funeral, after having consulted with
the family and ascertained exactly what
they desire to have done; that is. how
many carriages are likely to be needed
for the accommodation of friends and
relatives, the date of the funeral, the
stvle and cost Of casket. and all other
matters of minor import. Sometimes
ten carriages will be sufficient for a
congressional funeral, but have known
instances where as many as sixty were
required. After the sergeant-at-arms
has made his plans, he gives an order to
the undertaken, whose business it is
10 perform his part precisely as in the
case of private individual. The fune-
raj may take place from the city resi-
dence of the deceased, or, if it is desired
by the family or friends, the funeral
arrangements may be made and obse-
ouies be held from the capitol. A coffin
which is made of polished red cedar
and officially known as state cas-
ket is generally ordered by the SER
ceant-at-arIns. This coffin is covered
with black cloths and has mountings,
plate and handles of silver, with bev-
eled plate glass top. 1t is not customary
now, as it used to be, to order iron,
steel or COPPER caslzets in which to en-
close the state caslret;' but orders for
the additional metallic casket are some
times given at the present time. No
funeral could be more simple than a
congressional funeral in this city, for
al the conclusion OF the services either
at TIE capitol OF at the residence the
body is urostentatiously escorted to the
railway station and put aboard Especial
train, on which it is conveyed to the
former home of the deceased. There
are usually til re cars in this special
train; ore for the deceased, one for the
fairly and another one for the commit
tee in charge
The duties Of she committee are vary
simple. Although they have general
authority and supervision over all ar
rangenerts for the funeral, they usual
" carry out tie plans which have been
snads by the scrgeant-at-arms, unless
something extraordinary or OF an IN
usual nature occurs, when the commit
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