The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-14
VOICES FOR DEAD MEN.
ou,cAGO MAN HAS DEVISED An
am SHAFT WITH AUTOMATIC
WHISTLE.

.,.e,ncrt of Hand Sets 1t screech-
sua-l Flag Is HOisted Mechanical
aud Fresh Air Rushes Down the
r,hipr 10 the Grave BeIOw-OnIy
ueItoble signal i'm Case of Prema-
ture Burial.
Copyright, 1897.
r,sn,s which is the home of chemistry.
Germany Is the home OF bacteriology,
tnovleiges that it has obtained no ex-
a,t means of determining whether life is
a,an,t The keeping of the body until de-
-,,nosi,ion sets in is the only perfectly
s,rs way of being buried dead.
,,,er.ra. which is the home of genius,
,-s come to the rescue of the French
chemists and has completed, during the re-
.ort agitation on premature burial sew
or,t devices which insure rescue in case
ola living grave.
True Frances chemistry would be more
valuable as means of determining life.
tbsn a rescue after being consigned to
,be ground But as it is now settled that
II is innossible to detect the final germs
of life. il is the next best thing to know
that i'm case of being consigned to a grave
alive there are means by which a person
can communicate with the outside world;
and as Consciousness returns, be dug UP
and restored to home and friends.
The most recent of these devices is the
work Of Thomas French. of South Chic
ago. This man has conceived a simple ma
chine which could without much trouble
Or expense be attached TO any burial case
I'm a month, after reasonable time had
&c ba NIT 4 Il
mrbinc the coffin if the buried person did
not put it to use
II consists of buria: case to the head of
which is attached pipe that looks like a
smOke-stack. The pipe is an air tube which
rms from the coffin up to the surface of
IN ground Through this there is a con-
slant supply of fresh air, and if the sup
posed dead comes to life again he can
speedily resuscitate himself by taking long
draughtS of perfectly good surface air.
As air is the only restorative in case of
prolonged trance, and as quiet and rest are
Undoubtedly good, this burial case may be
pronounced an agent for restoring life"
As the revived man breathes his chest
expands and his hands move inVoluntarily.
His hand and chest movement releases a
rod which runs up inside the tube. This
rod as soon as released, flies up, carrying
with il a flag, which is speedily hoisted
from the ground to the top of the pole,
where i begins Tapping in the breezes, a
sure indication that something has moved
inside the coffin
As the flag goes up it strikes small
box at the head of the flagstaff. This con-
tains an automatic signal, which, on be-
ing touched by the flag, opens and begins
TO screeCh. With each Juggling of the flag
against the box the signal gives out a re-
ueWed screech. Meanwhile a constant sup
ply of fresh air comes through the tube.
1t is to be expected that any one who
Is sufficiently anxious about premature
burial to erect such continuance will
care enough for il to keep a watch-out up
mr. Ia "a fa1 mo IN in rfaa Of he
burial spot will notice the hosting of the
flag and will hear the signal screech at
me first moment that the machinery is set
IN motion. A speedy disinterment follows,
and there stands upon the earth another
person who can describe the horrors of
being buried alive
Undertakers scott al the idea of prema-
ture burial Though ever so much alive
when pronounced dead, it is an impossible
thing, they say. to remain alive, as the en-
balming fluids now so freely used contain
enough arsenic to kill the most robust per-
son inside and hour. In the embalming
process the veins are squirted full of pois-
onous fluid and the person must expire. if
not dead before This is not a comforting
thought either but it affords the greatest
relief to those haunted by fears of living
burial
There is in the shop of every funeral
director an apparatus TO prevent premature
burial or rather to afford a means of COM
munication in case of premature burial
II consists OF a wire signal which, on
HiON SHl''l VI the HdIluS, operates an eleC-
trlc bell in the office of the cemetery. The
most stony-heated official. hearing the bell
RUG m his office, and knowing it come
from the hand of an entombed man. will
haSten out with his graVe-diggers to effect
a rescue. This Geographic communication
IS meant by the Chicago man to be used
WITH the air-signal SO if by any rusting
OF the machinery the flag signal fails to
operate, the other will surely give the
alarm
All sorts of primitive things have been
designed by men to be used upon their
own bodies after supposed death. A New
Jersey man made an ingenious push-but-
ION to be fitted upon his chin after death.
X was in the form of a chin-cap The cap
70 the earth through a tin tube, On a move
Incht OF the chin the wire pulled a bell
ihuhg upon the top of the headstone. AS
long as the chin moved or tWitched the bell |
would ring. The keepers hearing the dole !
Iul tollng. would know that the bell-ring- |
or was waiting for his resurrection
doctors chemists, undertakers and all |
men or science agree that it is impossible |
70 pc buried alive. Doctors say that the /
hclon OF the blood when vein is cut is
sure indication, though they cannot tell /
eAdctly now. They declare that any doctor /
AN tell; and the others are as positive /
Vdch III ms own way. But when ii comes /
uoWn 10 the final matter it is fact that |
none VIII give one absolute test of death /
sons - -' Ps4
Sutlocation is feared by so many that |
,H,du's are Duilt above ground and kept /
H2nt and airy, while collins that can he /
'dSly broken open are now made by every |
.oHln concern. There is still a field here |
LOT tle inventive genius. aud doubtless he |
VIII be heard from in short time