The San Francisco call., 1896-08-30
Living, but Ready
for Death
Many Healthy People
Have Already AR
ranged Their
Funerals

There are at least 200 people walking the
streets of San Francisco in good health
and likely to live many years, who have
already arranged the details of their
funerals. They have selected the coffins
in which they will be buried and paid
cash for the same, as we'll as for the
burial plat, hearse, etc.
Nearly every undertaken in the CITY has
several contracts of this kind, and all of
them are made by people who are sup
posed to be in rational frames of mind.
Age seems to cut no figure, for some of the
contracts are signed by men in the prime
of life, who are noted for their cheerful
ness and good dispositions. They have
simply provided for their funerals to as.
sure themselves that they will have decent
interment. The undertakers think il
nothing out of the way, but look upon it
as sensible forethought. And according
to stories told it has proved so in many
cases. Men without families have dropped
dead on the street, ana had it not been for
their arrangements with the undertaken
they would have been buried in the NOT
ter's field.
Some people have made arrangements
for the minutest details of their funerals
even to the advertisements in the news
papers. There are few people who have
not been content with selecting their
coftins but have had them sent to their
homes. Such cases are rare, however.
eyes; l have good many contracts of
that Kind, said Undertaken Metzler when
speaking of the matter. land in a great
many cases they have proved to be good
things. 1t is a sensible thing for anybody
to do who has not family to look after
them when they are gone.
81 have collins in those cases there. said
he, pointing, "that were contracted for at
least SIX years ago and paid for at the
time. 1t may be six years or sixteen years
before they are wanted, but when the
owner needs them they will be ready, and
l will fulfill every part of the contract.
ut is not so long ago since 1 fulfilled
contract Of this kind after had had the
contract several years. When the man
made it he looked ready to die, and no
doubt thought he would live only few
months
"In this case the casket was fine one
and he paid cash for it. He also made
arrangements for the grave, hesrse, car
r1ages, shroud and every little detail.
he left letters saying that would be his
undertaken, and of course was notified
at once and did all agreed TO.
But there are cases where I hsve to
hnd out about the persons death myself.
always keep watch OF those events, of
course, and as soon as I know Of 3 case
| have been paid for 80 st once and
attend to it. In more than one case 1
came as surprise to peer relatives who
were almost crazy wondering how they
were going to bury their dead.
"All kinds of peopss sssxs these con-
tracts-rich and poog, seS sad we'll.
Some think they are zei2s2 ee die soon
and some are preparing s1s sAsas long
way off. Sometimes AeaA eEs Fsgat and
sometimes Just the reverse lsssfifeas, You
cannot tell anything sSStii Is m man
is going to die on a eeeaiih cay he is
going to die. and if he ism say be won't.
That 1 think, is the resseR slaa many
people want to be prepared foa2eahA when
it does come