San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-03-30

dropped into the office Of Mr.. VIM.
Hiener, the city sexton, and opened
up q conversation with him.
chow many people do you think
there is in San Antoniv?"
Mr.. Hiener-"Well,n not knowing,
could not say, but expect there are
somewhere near $4,000"
Reporter-"How many people die
here on an average every month? How
many die ny accident or by violence?"
Mr.. Heiner-"I do not know,
but YOU can finu that out
by examining DR.. Braunnageps
annual report. You see We have so
many buryirg places, about twenty,
l believe, that il is very hard 10 keep
trace of the number of deaths. My
trade is confined mostly to the city,
and I have no idea of the average
num- Der OF bodies shipped from here
per month
/ don't know of any law in this city
that says bodies must not remain
over SO hours.
Ought We TO have morgue?
Well, yes, 1 think it would be q
good thing, tut the city can
not afford, just yet, to build
one. No, dou't think private cor
peration could make any money
out of one, even if the city
would give them permission to erect
and run it.
No trouble at all sir, always willing
t. accommodate newspaper man, call
again; good bye"
The quill driver then dropped into
the establishment of Sheern & Bur-
nett, where he found Mr.. Burnett not
too busily engaged to talk few min
utes.
Reporter-Mr. Burnett, have you
any idea what the population of San
Antonio is?
Mr.. Burnett-At present, no; the
last census gave US about IS 600,
but we are not far from $4,000.
The average number of deaths in
San Antonio amount to, well shou Id
say about IS per month, You can find
out for certain by applying to DR..
Braunnagel. Last month there were
10l, twenty five of which were shipped
away. About one half of the deaths
here are strangers, who come here in
the last stages of their respective
diseases aud die. Consequently our
death rate is higher than some other
cities in Texas. But then, you find it
that way at every health resort.
Leave the strangers out and it will be
very small.
Yes, there is q law here which reads
that bodies shall MT be kept
out over SO hours, but it is
not regarded by the undertakers,
and the health officers know
that it is not regarded. Wecould not
possibly obey the law, as it often &C.
ours that we have to hold the body
for the arrival of relatives, which
takes, some times, from to 5days.
R-Does San Antonio need a
morgue?
No. the city is too small. A morgue
is only needed in large cities, where
in case of big accident, the bodies Of
the dead could be carried and KEEP,
for days and weeks to be viewed by
the public and, If possible, identified
You see In big cities like New
York, Boston, Chicago and Cincir
natl, it takes from to days for the
news of a big accident to spread
all over the city, while here
in San Antonio we would
know it in few hours. Suppose thu
Opera House would burn down some
night during play when there was 9
large crowd present: Why the people
would know it next morning aimosi
before they wake up. We have 6
morgue here in our place of business
which can accommodate about Il
bodies. No, / don't think we need &
public morgue.
Do think it would pay q private
corporation to erect, and run 8
morgue on the basis of so much ad
mission per body? No, emphatic
ally, no. Granting that the city
would allow them to do so, which
doubt very much, and suppOslnl
they had the building erected anC
all the appliances furnished, / doubt /
they could make enough money t,
pay an attendant. No, we don't neeC
one. Embalming has got down t,
such science now that could tax,
body after it had become decom
posed and in ten minutes render
odorless. and do it in such a manner
that it would keep from Is to 2
years.
A morgue would cost, I believe DR.
Brannnagel figured it out In 1857
ABOUT 5000. The best locatio
would be near the Santa Rosa hospi
tai, or some place, not in the bushes
part of the city, but located so tn,
public could visit it without mucl
Inconvenience"
The next person the reporter raj
across was Mr.. Leslie, one of Carter
Mullaly's obligipg men. He foun,
him in happy frame OF mind and
as usual, ready to oblige. The scrib
applied TO Mr.. Leslie pretty much tn
same questions he did to the othe
gentlemen, and in answer this i