The morning times., 1896-03-30
BUT | HANDFUL OF ASHES
Body of Mrs. Ida {. Merritt Gre
mated at Lees.
SECOND INCINERATION HERE
Under 8 900 Degrees OF Heat the
Furnace Did It's work In an Hour
and Half-COroner and Other City
Officials, Besides Large Crowd
of Spectators, Present

Fire, the purifier, consumed all that
was mortal yesterday of Mrs. Ida L.
Merritt, wife of Percy Merritt
The second cremation of human body
that has ever taken place in Washington
occurred at the mderta king establish
ment OF j. W. Lee, OH Pennsylvania ave
nue., yesterday evening, at 2 O'Clock. II
was the first incarceration of a womans
body and the first public obseques of this
nature ever held al the Capital.
The idea Of cremation, which prevailed
among the ancients, has had so recent IA
revival among civilized people that the
details of it are fraught with interest to
every person, intelligent or otherwise.
Consequently the handsome little chapel
at Mr.. Lees establishment was thronged
at an early hour and every seat was soon
filled and all the space at the rear OF
the apartment was crowded with spec
tators. who stood patiently awaiting the
progress of the ceremony.
The body of the deceased lady was laid
out upon q bier which was covered with
heavy black cloth, looped with cords Of
ebon silk. 1t was placed Immediately he
fore pulpit desk OF oak. The body was
robed in a handsome shroud and over 1t
was spread coveriet or rich lace. Purple
yioiets and virgin lilies were arranged
love from the bereaved.
The few moments OF waiting were i'm
pressiye ones. This body, familiar To
those gathered near 1t. was soon to be abso-
Iutely, Immediately and forever reduced
to handful of ashes. Strangers pOndered
on the great problem OF Immortality and
the resurrection OF the body. Here and
there people were heard murmuring to each
other Oh the nature OF the doctrine OF
resurrection, and more then once the ar
firmation was made that IL an Infinite
Creator could bring forth the body again
from the mold beneath the sod. He could
certainly gather together the ashes and ami
mate them.
DR.. RADCLIFFE OBLIGATED.
The Rev. DR.. Radcliffe, OF the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church, took his place
behind the pulpit shortly after O'Clock, and
read from the impressive 10th shapter of
Corinthians. Solemnly, clearly, and in-
prcssively the words were spoken
For this corruptble must put on incor-
ruption, and this mortal must put on inn
mortality. SO when this corrupt ible shall
have put on interruption, and this mortal
shan have put on immortality, then shall
be brought TO pass the sa ying that is written,
death is swallowed up In victory
A brief and eloquent pra yer followed, and
after it came the solemn words oil" Dust TO
dust, ashes toas She's Immediately yane electric
bell sounded i'll the 4 pal artiDen the rear, and
the gentlemen in charge eutered, and lifted
the body from the bier on the shallow
receptacle OF metal which held it, and bore
it from the room.
The crematory is in the next apartment.
1t is structure OF fired brick about nine
feet high, with large iron doors across the
front. The COverlet OF lace was removed
from the body, and in its place winding
sheet, which had been saturated with a
solution OF alum, was wrapped over the
shroud.
The doors TO the sepulchra ChambeT were
then thrown open and the body on the
metal slab was consigned 10 the purifying
heat. There was no sign OF fire here, but
the intense heat or 5000 degrees i'm
mediately enveloped the form. and pure
flames leaped into life, wreathing and
ent wining il in aihalor and glory or fire.
The corruptible was given over TO the god
OF elements TO he transmitted ana the soul
had fled 10 the bosom OF its Maker.
TINE OF COMBUSTION.
The absolute combustion and reduction
TO ashes requires about an hour and thirty
minutes. and some fivp minutes were al
lowed 10 pass before the friends passed
into the furnace chambef to vie W the trans sla-
ton. The outer doors or the furnace were
left open and through ian aperture in the
inner doors The W ork of the elements could
be viewed.
All sembIance OF the personality OF the
body was gone when human eyes fiTst gaZed
upon il and only the hGman outline could
be traced. AS the minutes went by the
frame work Of the flesh alone was visible
and this gradually dissolved also.
The public pressed upon the friends, and
it was difficult matter to keep the
curious from unseenly crowding. There
were silk hated gentlemen and finely
dressed women in The company of stranger
and there were also men and women from
every rank in life. After a few minutes
the thrOng was Strengthened out into an
entering and departing file, and for nearly
an hour they came and went.
This curiosity is pardonabie, no doubt, as
the subject of cremation is OF suCh great
importance TO all who consider their in
evitable end. And yet the public means
so much. 1t cannot be stfted of objection
able people and so the spectacle of a
throng made up OF all the elements of the
street, passing III and out, Was presented.
HEALTH OFFICIALS PRESENT
Among those who witnessed the obsequicS
were DR.. Hammett, the coroner, and Mr..
Parsons, representing the health officer, DR..
Woodward.
The furnace is one of the Brown Gre
matory Company, which has built he most
perfect incinerating furna CeS in the country
The firing Is done from an outside room.
There are two combustion chambers. IN
the first the heat OF the furnace is generated.
An electric fan conducts the gases TO the
second fire, which consumes them before
| the yapor passes to the heavens.
A very small quantity Of ashes remains
from the body aud these are gathered Hp
aud placed in a small metal box and re-
| turned to the friends for what disposal
they regard fitting.
The cost of cremation is $40. This
may be amplified by those who wish TO
| have the body enclosed i'll a casket. To
| that method the objection might be raised
| that the ashes OF the deceased would be
! mingled with that OF the eneasement, but
the undertaken stated that no ashes re-
nained from a large box which was con-
! sumed for test. The ashes OF the bones
are all that is left in any case.
The ceremony revealed the fact that
cremation may be conducted as impTessiyely
| and as beautifully as an interment in the
| earth, aud 10 many the ceremony seems
| even more beautiful. The thought OF an
| immediate dissolution appears to he con-
soling one and this revived idea from
| ancient civilization has received many
| new advocates,