Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-26
ASKING FOR A M0RGUE
For the Third Time the Legislature
Will Be Petitioned.
THE PROSPECTS ARE VERY BRIGHT
Figures Which Tell of the Need of Such an
Institution.
SENATOR NEEB TO PRESENT TIE BILL

Senator John n. Neeb will, as soon as
the State Senate meets, introduce bill to
provide for the erection Of morgue in
Allegheny county This is the third ven
ture in this line, and it is thought this
proverbiaf time will be a success.
Soon after Coroner Mcdowell took charge
of his present Office he saw the necessity of
of public morgue and now at
the beginning of his third term
the need is more apparent than
five and half years ago, when he estab-
lished q temporary institution. 1t has been
made to answer the purpose ever since, but
is fast proving inadequate. In 1889 Coro-
ner Mcdowell first tried to get bill through
the Legislature. By some misunderstand-
ing it failed. In 1891 the task was again
undertaken, but for Some political and other
reasons it was a failure. Now the need has
fully been established and the prospects are
very rosy. The best people have promised
their support
'Tn the six years have served as
Coroner" said MI. Mcdowell yesterday,
$50, 400 cases have passed through my hands.
| OF this number fully $500 have found a
temporary resting-place in the morgue.
We have had as high as Is bodies in this
place we use as a morgue. The daily aver
age is at the least 8.
Over 500 Unknown Bodies.
| sThere have been over 500 persons
brought to us unknown, but by keeping
them long enough we have been able to
turn nearly all of these unfortunates over
to their friends 1t is hard for US to
keep q body any len 9Th of time
as our small quarters will not permit 1t.
Many places, where there are fewer cases
than there are in Allegheny county, have
public morgues. The idea of city morgue
has been suggested, but do not favor such
an institution. Only residents of Pittsburg
could be taken there, while much OF our
business comes from places outside the city
| limits.
MANY of the bodies which come to our
| temporary morgue, are those of persons
who do not belong to Allegheny
county. They often have to be kept
several days before thetriends are found,
and often no one turns up to claim
| them Sometimes the dead have
some personal property, and this we have to
store away. This stuff accumulates fast and
takes up considerable room.
1.-THE county could construct morgue at
small cost. 1t owns the old Criminal
| Court building on Diamond street, and it
could be remodeled for small sum. The
place is centrally located and close to the
Court House. 1t stands out by itself, and
in every respect well fitted for such an in
| stitution."
The bill Senator Neeb will present is
] given below in full, and is as follows:
Each County to Maintain It's Own.
The County Commissioners of eaeh and
every county in the Commonwealth shall be
and are hereby authorized upon present
ment by two success sive grand juries of the
| county to buy or rent real estate and erect
| and maintain a morgue thereon ut the ex-
| pense of the county for the reception and
| care of the bodies of all deceased persons
| upon whom it may be necessary to hold
Coroner's inquest and such other bodies as
may be received by permit or the coroner
OF the county; the location of the morgue to
| be approved by the County Commissioners
| and the Coroner OF the county.
| Whenever a dead body may be found in
any public place, or the body OF any de-
| ceased person who is unknown or having
| found the same shall be removed to the
| morgue, unless the Coroner or his deputy
| shall direct its removal to some other place.
| The Coroner of any county in which
| morgue has been or shall be established,
| shall make general rules and regulations for
| its government and control, and shall ap-
| charge OF the same. who shall be removable
| at the pleasure of the Coroner, and he shall
| receive a salary to be fixed by the County
| Commissioners Tor Salary Board, If such
existl, and payable out of the general funds
| OF the county, as other county officers
| are by law payable. Provided, that no
! more than one person shall be SO appointed,
! except by the approval of the County Com
| missioners.
Left to the Coroner's Discretion.
All bodies received at the morgue shall,
| If the Coroner deem it necessary, be prop
erIy emDalmed or prepared for preserva-
| tion for such length of time as he may think
proper (and shall be subjected to examine
tion and insuection by such persons as he
| may in writing authorize to view the same,
or who may be admitted in his presence),
| and the body or bodies shall be removed for
burial only upon his certificate.
| The Coroner shall be authorized to estab-
| lish a bill of fees for all services performed
| in the morgue, subject to the approval of
| the County Commissioners and the Judges
OF the Court of Common Pleas of the county,
| which shall. in case the deceased is pos
| sessed of sufficient estate, be payable out of
| the same by the legal representative thereof,
| as other debts of the estate of the first class
| of preferred claims, ana in all other cases be
| collected from the county or other district
| cnargable Herewith.
The County Commissioners where any
| such morgue shall have been established
| shall purchase and maintain an ambulance
with one or more horses, for the removal of
bodies to and from the morgue and for tho
| burial of unknown or unclaimed bodies, the
cost OF maintaining which shall be paid out
| OF the funds OF the county.
Personal Property to Be Sold.
All clothing and personal property of de-
ceased persons received in such morgue who
are unknown or unclaimed shall be re-
tanned at the morgue under charge of the
Coroner for the period of one year, unless
sooner claimed by the legal representatives
of the deceased, and at the end of one year
may be sold at public sale, after advertise
ment by publication in one or more news
papers of the county once q week for three
weeks and by not less than six handbills
posted in the neighborhood OF the morgue.
All fees received for services or con-
nected with the morgue, and the proceeds
OF all sales of personal property, as provided
in this act, shall be paid into the county
treasury of the proper county upon the first
day of each month, OF which the Coroner of
the county shall make report in writing
under oath atsthe time of the payment.