davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20

than so years the body secreted beneath
the sod will decompose into its elements
as surely as the corpse exposed on the
funeral pyre. But the custom of 100
years is not easily overcome and the
medieval prejudice against cremation
still remains.
Ii was not until the latter half of the
present century that the agitation in ia
Vor of consigning the corpse to the
flames began. Jacob Moleschott, the
Dutch-Italian scientist, was the apostle
of the movement. Progressive men in
Italy took up his cause and in 1876 the
first crematory of modern times, i. e., in
Christian countries, was put into opera
ton at Milan. Later in the same year
a crcmatory was built at Washington,
Pa, and a third at Gotha, Germany, in
1878.
Since then the movement has grown
rapidly. The United States is the fore
most champion, with Italy close sec
ond. Cremation societies have been
founded in nearly every country of the
globe. In the United States there are
over 20 such societies, and a class paper
published in Chicago, Park and Gene
terry, devOtes portion of each issue to
the subject.
A cremation is no such hideous spec
taclc as one might imagine; in fact, it's
associations are not near as gloomy as
those of the earth burial. When the fu-
neral procession arrives at the crema-
tory, the coffin is first taken into the
chapel and placed upon a bier. If so
desired, a final ceremony to correspond
to that at the grave is performed. and
then the bier bearing the coffin is
lowered by hydraulic system to the
floor below.
Sometimes the corpse is taken out of
the coffin and wrapped in asbestos, but
usually coffin and all are burned to-
gcther. Only the chief mourners are al
lowed at the scene of cremation. The
coffin with its contents is placed upon
q sliding frame and showed up to the
doors of the retort, which are then
opened. No fire is visible. But the air
is so intensely heated, from 1000 to
2,700 degrees Fahrenheit, that a beauti-
full rosy light bathes the interior of the
furnace. The retort has average di-
mansions Of ten by five by five feet. 1t
is lined with fire clay and has an outer
wall of fire brick.
1t takes about two hours to complete
the cremation. The process may be
witnessed through a window of mica.
In many furnaces no fire touches the
body: the superheated air alone does
the work. There are two fires, one be-
low and one behind and above the
corpse. Coal oil is the usual fuel. The
year fire is fed by air obtained through
ioopho!es in the rear OF the furnace
II shoots its flames to the front and
carries the gases from the body with
It. These are driven down into the open
ing in front, which leads through the
under fire back to the chimney in the
rear of the retort. So perfect and so
powerful is the ventilation that not a
particle of gas can escape without pass
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20

elaborate decorations IN precious met
ais. China and bronze are common ma-
terial, and silver is frequently used.
In New York a columbarium has been
Duilt-the cremation cemetery. Inc
columbariuIn is a large stone building
| whose inner walls are indented with
GEO inches in which, the urns may be
kept. Thus the sentiment which de-
mands some token of remembrance OF
the deceased is satisfied by the return
TO an ancient and poetic custom.
With few notable exceptions, the
church mas shown itself apathetic to-
ward the growing practice of crema-
ton. But there are prominent minis
tcrs of all denominations who have
spoken in favor of it. The pope has de-
clared against cremation, but as it is
question of practice rather than OF
doctrine, the Catholic church may at
any time change it's attitude. Strange
to say, one of the most enlightened
governments of the world, that of Prus-
STA, will permit no cremations in its
territories. There is a columbarium IN
Berlin, but the incinerations take place
ut Hamburg, Gotha or Heidelburg.
The better educated people of all
countries are to large extent in favor
of the reform, but its more rapid spread
is hndered by the fact that in ninety
nine cases out of a hundred in which
the deceased preferred cremation with
out directly ordering it, the execution OF
his wish is prevented by the opposition
of some more or less distant relative.
In this country the practice of crema-
ton has grown more rapidly than any
where else with the exception, perhaps,
of Italy. From 1876 to 1884 there was
but one crematory in the United States,
then a second was built at Lancaster,
twenty-second has just been completed
at Milwaukee. Nine hundred and fifty
four voluntary cremations took place
in 1895, as against 25 in the nine years
from 1876 to 1885. Forty-siX hundred
and forty-seven cremations, of which
1875 fell to New York, is the total to
January Of this year. The TWENTY-FIVE
American crematories are located at
Washington, Pa, Philadelphia, Pitts
burgh, Pa, Lancaster, Pa, New York
city (at Fresh Pond, L. L., Buffalo, N.
Y, Troy, n. Y, Swinburne Island, n. Y,
Waserville, n. Y, Los Angeles and Pasa-
dena, Cal, and two at San Francisco,
st. Louis, Boston, Cincinnati, Chicago,
Detroit, Baltimore, Davenport, Ia, Ft-
Wayne, Ind, Milwaukee. There are three
crematories in Germany, and about IS
in Italy, with a total number of crema-
tions almost equal to those of the
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20
FURNACE IN CHICAGO CREMAToRY

ing through both fires and being entire
~ neutralized by oxidation.
When all the combustible material
has been driven off, the furnace is
cooled Off and the ashes are gathered.
The ashes of the corpse are white, those
of the clothes and coffin black. The
white ashes weight form five to eight
pounds. They are picked out with
metal tongues and returned to the rel
ativcs in metal receptacles.
The remains are variously disposed
OF. They may be buried i'll Il grave with
pnother member of the family or in a
space set apart for this purpose by
cemetery companies. The ancient Gus
tom of preserving the. ashes in urns has
however, the greatest favor. The price
of urns ranges from one dollar to fabu
lous sums. They are to the crema
tory what marble monuments are tc
the cemetery, and MS many people can
no. be content without sacrifice o.
wealth for the deceased ingenious de
vices have beer found to make the urn:
II not more beautiful, at least more
exp asi0e.. Some, ala made of the mos'
sxquis'fe'serpentme stoEs. covered witt
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20

United States. Other crematorics are
located at London, Glasgow, Paris,
Copenhagen and Stockholm.
In reality it is the old country that
most needs the reform. The tilthiness
and infectious character of cemeteries
increases with the thickness of popula-
ton.
About 5000 cubic feet of gas are given
off by decaying human body and must
find an outlet somewhere. Some of il
rises out of the ground and pollutes the
air above and about the burial ground,
while a part presses laterally until it
finds an opening generally through a
spring or we'll through which it es-
capes. The danger from such drinking
water is extreme. Very frequently the
peculiar sulphurous taste of polluted
well water is mistaken for health-giv-
ing mineral. So we'll known is this
danger that all over crowded Europe
we find regulations prohibiting ceme-
teries within 300, 500 or even 5000 feet
of private dwellings. One hundred and
fifty years after the great plague of Lon
don, the cemetery was dug up and every
workman employed on the job died of
the disease. The miasmatic atmosphere
that hovers above cemetery is swept
along by the wind, and infectious dis
eases are almost certoin to reappcar
| where victims are buried.
The problem of economy in land is
intimately connected with that Of
hygiene. In the old ard densely popu-
lated districts of Europe it has led to
the most outrageous abuses. 1t is but
Il few years ago that the English govern
ment found large district in LONDON
cemetery filled with "A layers of cof-
fins, packed side by side, one genera lion
directly on top of the other, with Just
enough soil to intervene so that the rcla-
tivcs of the last arrival could not detect
| the fraud.
1t has been estimated that 1000, GOO
people die annually, and that it takes Fl
square miles to bury them. Twenty
one square miles year are thus taken
from the living, and tie country with
in radius of half a mile is made prac-
tically uninhabitable.
| f IT GITNDI,ACK.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20
The Use of Conscience.

Conscience is the guide in matters
of right and wrong with which the
Lord has provided all free moral agents.
But that this guide may be available
and reliable, reason and judgment must
be exercised, and in every question in
volving right and wrong a careful,
honest discrimination must be made.
AS lantern will avail it's owner moth
ing when travelling in the dark unless
he uses it, no more will conscience be a
guide unless it is properly used. And
as the lantern may be broken by inl-
proper use, or its light die for want OF
oil, SO conscience, unless exercised and
taken care Of by proper use, may be-
come deprived, scared as with hot
iron," and useless. Man is accountable
for the manner in which he cultivatcs
and uses all his physical faculties and
powers; much more is he responsible
for the manner in which he cultivates
and uses his conscience.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20

along without the help of the white
folks. / was punished sometimes, but
generally when did something to de-
serve it. Mistress Eaton once got after
ne when Iinterfered in the punishment
of one of the children, and went and
had myself locked up in Jail. That
was a sure way for any intelligent col
ored person to call attention to his or
her rights.
81 knew Gen. Jackson very well. Mr..
O'Neill had fine farm way out in the
country. 1t is now covered with the
finest residences in Washington, and
Connecticut avenue. the fashionabl
street of the northwest, runs through
The old farm. There is Dupont circle,
the British embassy, the Stewart cas-
tie, Blaine's mansion, the home of SEN
ator Sawyer, and the palaces of Letter
and others who have come here with
their millions. The old farmhouse is
gone; but l remember it very well.
There was a splendid well near the
house, with an old-fashioned pump.
Gen. Jackson used to ride out there
on horseback. take q drink from the
pump, and then sit on the veranda by
the hour talking about everything that
was going on.
president Van Buren, was peculiar
man. He was always very solemn. and
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20
BE KINDLY.
Speak the Appreciative Word to the
Living.

Living.
If only men would give to the living
some of that which they bestow so Law
ishly upon them when they are dead,
what different world this would be!
tured on the cold marble would, if
breathed from the warm lip, have made
many one happy for life. One of the
superStitions of the Seneca Indians is
that they can send their love by Il bird
to their dead ones. When maiden
dies, they imprison young bird until
it first begins to sing. They then load
it with kisses and caresses, and set it
at liberty over the grave of the maiden
who had died, believing that it will not
fold its wings nor close it's eyes, until
it has flown to the spirit land, and de-
livered it's precious burden of affection
to the loved and lost; and it is not I'M
common for &c or so birds to be looscd
over the same grave. Many and many
husband and wife, many a brother
and sister, would give all they have if
cnly they could send to their dead ones
Tn expression of love which might
have been so easily made in life. And
how many sons and daughters would
now send messages unsaying many
things which should never have been
said, and saying many things which
were, alas! left unSaid. Let the song
birds of soft looks, of soft words, fly
now. Now we know that they can
reach, and we shall have this great adj
vantage-the song-birds will fly back
TO us again.-Churchma
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20
SUGGESTIVE BITS.
Wisdom from the Columns of the United
Presbyterian.

Presbyterian.
Your destination is in the direction
in which your face is set. You cannot
60 TO Heaven backward.
The present hour is the resultant of
the past, BUTT becomes an active force
and affects all the future.
We are always praying for better
things. Do we always try to render
better service? That would be to pay
as we pray.
There are limitations on knowledge
here which we cannot remove, but in
Gods presence, II shall know even az
also 1 am known"
All truth is divine, but there is truth
which more Immediately bears upon
the heart and life, to which must be
given the precedence.
The Psalmist found great comfort
in turning his thoughts from his own
frailty to the unchangeableness of God.
"Thy years shall have no end"
The Christian should always be in
the attitude of expectation for the word
of the Lord to him. Il will hear what
God the Lord will speak"
To deliberately reject the evidence of
any truth or fact is to do such violence
to the mind that if continued in will
destroy the power to perceive the truth.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20
SUCCESS,

What is success? 1t is not to be de-
termined by any commercial standard.
Success is not to be measured in terms
of wealth or of fame, or of social posi-
ton even. What, then, is success?
The realization of divinely appointed
destiny. Full orbed manhood, which is
obtainable by striving lawfully and
which receives it's ultimate coronation,
is held before us as an ideal to which ws
arc To attain.-Rev. a. z. Conrad.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20
LATTER-DAY CREMATION.
Complete Description Of the
Process of Incineration.
The Method Much More Popular Than II
Was Five Years AEo.-Number of
Crematories Now in Active
Operation.
Especial Chicago letter.

With the rise of Christianity and the
belief in the doctrine of resurrection,
the ancient custom of burning the dead
fell into disuse. Illumination took the
place of incineration. The modern world
has. however, discarded their crude con-
ception of the meaning of resurrection
and also knows full we'll that in less
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20
In the Orchard.

He-How the trees are moaning and
signing to-day,
She-So would you if you were as
full of green apples as they are. bay
City CHAT,
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20
TNDT,ACK.
Good Advice,

They hadn't met for some time.
"HuIlo! How are you?" asked the
creditor.
"Oh. SOS to be round" replied the
debtor.
Too bad returned the creditor.
"Do you ever hope to get square again ?"
They won't meet again for some time,
if the debtor can help it.-Chicago Post.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20
As 1t Looked,

1t was the little four-year-old's first
view of dog with a muzzle on.
20, auntie," she said, isn't he cute
little doggie? He's going to play base
ball."--Chicago Tribune.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20
Character.

All true independence of character ia
born of an inner life that feeds upon
noble thoughts and conservation to
higher ideals. All other is artificial and
narrow. 1t is most important to keep
clearly in mind the difference between
narrowness and love Of truth,---Rev. DR..
Slocum. 2. vs.
Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-20

The Zend language is che of the
most ancient known to antiquaries or
philologists. 1t is said to bear Gloss
resemblance to the Welsh.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-01-17

News comes from Nemi. near Al
bano, that by private enterprise two
divers are exploring the bottom OF the
Lake OF Nemi, where lies the pleasure
galley which served as a retreat for
the Emperor Tiberius during his Or
gies. Our Roman correspondent says: {:
In the fifteenth century Cardinal Co.
lonna, owner of the Castle OF Nemi,
now the property of Orsini, tried to re-
cover the galley, but without success.
At the beginning of our century, the
effort was again made and some large
bronze nails were brought up from the
lake. The present explorers have
seen the galley, called the Palace OF
Tiberius, at about eighty feet from the
bank, and, although damaged by age,
it still appears, much decorated with
bronze and mosaics. Heads of bronze,
a wolf and lion, targets adorned with
inscriptions, rings for docks, and other
objects Of immense archaeological value,
have already come to light.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-01-17

was commented on freely by the
press. The publicity thus given tc
the affair happened to arrest the no
tice OF firm OF solicitors in Sydney
who had been appointed trustees ol
some properly which had been left to
the man by a distant relative 90 years
before. They had failed to trace the
heir, but when his name appeared in
the papers in connection with the
case of assault they communicated
with him, and he was able to estab.
lish his identity.
A certain Senor Talca of Valparaiso
however, had very different expert
ence and paid heavily for his momen-
tary freak of kissing lady on the
plaza without her permission. She
prosecuted him, and the Magistrate,
as indignant as the lady, sentenced
him to GO days imprisonment. This
severe penalty Senior Talca considered
himself justified in appealing against,
but the higher court, so far from be-
slowing any sympathy on the offender
sentenced him to an additional 80 days
imprisonment. The amusing part of
the affair is that the higher court took
200 days to consider the appeal, and
during the whole OF that time the
senior had to remain in Jail.
Even this, however, is outdone by
the series of tribulations undergone by
a man who had stolen a kiss from
pretty girl. To begin with, he was
brought before a magistrate and fined.
Then he was horse-whipped by the
girls brother and harried into brain
fever by his wife. The clergyman of
the district referred to the affair in
a sermon and reviewed the case in
print, and, finally, the caterpillars ate
up every blade of the malefactor's
wheat crop.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-01-17
PRIVATE TELEPHONES.
bers Are Not Public Properly.
New York World.

DerS Are NOT Public Properly
New York World.
There are some very aristocratic tel
ephone owners in the city, but study
of the telephone directory supplied for
the use of the general public does not
reveal this fact. This is done pur-
posely. 1t is no use getting mad if.
when you ask for Mr.. Cresus Wander
bilt's telephone number the girl at the
other ends asks if you don't know it..
When you say that you don't know it
or try to fool her and say you did have
it, but lost the memorandum, she will
answer back, ave cannot give you
Mr.. Cr9.us Vanderbilt's house unless
you know the number"
The fact of it is the girl would be
breaking strict rules of the company if
she gave this information. There are
a good many millionaires and promi-
nent society families who have tele-
phones in their residences, but they
are for private use. Only the friends
of the head OF the house and . few
other persons know the number. The
mistress of the mansion leaves the
number with her friends, and in ex-
change receives their numbers. She
also leaves her number with the head
of the hospital where she happens to
be on the managing committee.
This exclusive system is adopted in
order that outsiders cannot annoy Mr..
Millionaire by ringing him up on the
telephone. The men who have tele.
phones put into their palaces do so
with the proviso that their namee and
telephone numbers shall not appear in
the directory.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-01-17
Prepare Your Ascension Robes.
WhatcOm Reyeille,

Rev. Donald Ross delivered his lee.
ture on "The Great Pyramid, a sign
and witness unto Jehovah in the land
of Egypt" to q deeply interested audi.
ence at the pleasant rooms of the Ii
brary association last evening. Not
withstanding the bad weather, the
hall was fairly we'll filled, and the
speaker commanded close attention
from start to finish. His contention
was that the Pyramid, radically diff
ferent from all the rest, situated at the
astronomical, geographical and geo.
metric center OF the earth, and of
Egypt also, standing on a meridian OF
longitude which divides the land and
water of this earth in two equal parts,
was the work Of Melchizdek, King OF
Salem, afterwards called Jesus. This
claim he based on Bible declarations,
and also on the construction OF the
work itself, and because this parsonage
is recorded as appearing to Abraham
about 2l70 B. c.. that being the sup
posed date OF its construction. From
a comparison of its dimensions of va
rious parts the lecturer argued that
the millennium may be expected in
March 1895, or allowing for differ
ence of four years in the initial point
of computation, that it would arrive
in 1899, reckoning from the time OF
the flood. Each inch in the passages
typifies one year; the descent repre-
sents 9S5 yeass from the food to
Moses; the first ascent, represents
1912 years from Moses to Christ from
it 33t inches, representing the age OF
the Saviour, to we'll or pit, represent
ing hades, making a total floor line OF
1881 inches, each representing one
year, and which added to previous
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-01-17
WHOLE NUMBER 1873.

are built of the same material as the
walls-chrome steel plates. The doors
are mounted on hinges provided with
ball bearings, and although each door
weighs eight tons, they can be swung
open with very slight effort. A spe-
cial arrangement of the bolts was nec-
essary in order that they may be shot
without any undue exertion or the aid
of machinery. The looking bolts are
all attached in such q manner as to
balance one another, as sash weight
balances window, so that they can
be turned as easily as an ordinary
door knob.
On the outside doors there is a
timelock combination which can be
set so as to open at any time. There
are three separate movements on each
door, any one of which will operate
the lock. This is to guard against the
stopping of one clock, and the conse.
quent closing of the safe. 1t is almost
inconceivable that three clocks should
all 60 wrong together. These clocks
will run for seventy-eight hours.
There are no time-locks on the inner
doors, which open merely with COM
binatior.
The recesses into which the doors
fit are all lined with composition
called asbestos rubber, which is
squeezed out by the heavy door and
makes an air-tight joint. This prevents
the introduction OF nitro. glycerine into
the cracks and the subsequent strip
ping of the plates by the force OF the
explosion.
Mob violence is the only thing
which a safe OF this kind has to fear.
Any number of safe cracksmen could
not force an entrance by ordinary
means in less than a month, and a
safe-cracking job is considered by the
burglars to be risky if it takes more
than six or eight hours.
The construction OF the safe has
been carried out with the idea of its
protecting the vast treasures con-
tanned inside in the event of q mob
capturing the city. A shot from q six
inch gun would, of course, break open
the safe, but no ordnance which it
would be possible for mob to bring
to bear on it would affect it. Drilling
or hammering is out of the question,
and the quantity of dynamite which
would be required to break open the
safe would bring down the building
and all the others for block around
it.
Besides the inherent strength OF the
vault itself, . most elaborate set of
precautions will be taken to guard
against robbery by collusion. Two
separate sets of officials from the clear.
ing house and the bank committee
must be present before the doors of
the inner vault, where the bulk OF the
gold is kept, can be opened. Armed
watchmen will patrol the storehouse
day and night, and an elaborate sys.
tenn OF electric alarms will be fitted
up.
The cost OF the big safe will be in
the neighborhood of $4,000. Another
big safe is being put up in the New
York Life building, in which the doors
are even heavier than in the clearing
house safe, but the body of the strong
room ia not so heavy.