The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-02
HOW CoRpsEs ARE Transported.
Some Facts Relating to the Shipment
Of Dead Bodies.

Denver Times
Every corpse that is shipped on the rail-
road is charged for as first-class passen-
ger. The full fare is charged whether the
man. During 1895 there were AS corpses
sent east from Denver. and all were ham
died at the Union depot baggage rooms.
OF this number 3S7 were bodies OF persons
who died in Denver and III of persons who
had died in other parts OF the State,
In addition to the bodies forwarded there
Denver. This means that the baggagemen
had cadaver for company daily, and
sometimes several day. In August there
were n1tyrtwo fUs r Desi of oor wnas
represents inconsiderable item in the
receipts Of the railroads, for in every case
must go along to take care Of it.. Such
person, OF course, also pays a full nrst-
class fare.
The railroads have adopted certain rules
governing the transportation OF corpses,
one Of which reads as follows: Zone full
regular first-class ticket. limited or unlim-
tied, will be honored for the transportation
Of the corpse Of person of any age in
baggage cars, when accompanied by. a pas
senger In charge on the same train. the
word corpse to be plainly written on the
face Of the ticket and of each coupon
One of the local ticket agents the other
day picked up the stubs of corpse"
ticket he had just sold, and called atten-
ton to the word, which in that case was
printed with rubber stamp in purple ink.
THAT seems brutal he said. lit doesn't
look so cold-blooded when corpse is writ
ten across the ticket. but it strikes one as
being peculiarly offensive to stamp it on
If that were the only requirement ship
ping corpses would be simple matter. The
friend Of the deceased presents a ply
sician's or coroners certificate giving the
name Of the deceased, age. date OF death,
cause of death, place of death, and, if the
deceased was minor, the parents names
must also be certified to.
There must also be certificate from the
undertaken stating that the body had been
prepared by him for transportation, and
that it has been incased In a cere-clotk, or
In an antiseptic interment sack, hermetical-
ly sealed, and that it has been placed IN
an air-tight cesket, or in tight wooden
boz. II the corpse is that of a person who
has died Of smallpox, cholera, leprosy, yell
low fever or typhus fever the railroads
cannot accept 1t. The laws of California,
Colorado. District Of Columbia, Florida,
Jersey. Ohio. Rhode Island, Tennessee.
Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wis
consin and province of Quebec do non allow
the passage Of bodies dead of .diphtheria
through or into the State. Such bodies
should be refused if destined to points to or
through above States.
The certificates mentioned must be made
out in duplicate one copy to be ere returned a p. by
other copy is taken up by the baggage
agent and forwarded to the general bag
gage office, with daily report
The train baggageman must way-bill the
corpse and ticket ii as baggage, giving
name and destination as marked on the
box.
The personal effects of the deceased. not
exceedings $50 pounds, may be checked free
upon the corpse ticket.
The majority of those who died In Colo.
RADIO originally came from the central and
corpse and caretaker. usually amount to
$50 to 500 for each shipment.