The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-12-09
CREMATORY FOR DOGS.
Women Ask to Have Their Pets Gre
mated.

Women Ask to Have Their Pets Gre
Women have want which there is at
present no satisfactory means of supply
ing. That is unusual. There are so
many things in the world that there is
no earthly reason for wanting, and for
which the want has to be created, that
to find real need of something that is
not, and yet might be, is phenomenal.
This present need is crematory for pets,
place where their remains can be de-
Gently reduced to clean ashes which can
remain perpetual reminder to loving
friends.
There is surprisingly large number
of people. prominent people whom all the
world knows, who believe in cremation
for human beings. and there are a good
many. not so prominent. perhaps, who
believe in cremation for their pets if for
no one else: but no place has ever been
arranged where this could be satisfactor-
lily done.
Perhaps the only dog who ever had the
honor to be cremated in a regular crema-
tory was much-loved pug by the name
of Pompey: this was in England. Pom
pey was one of the many faithful four
footed friends and belonged to an Eng
fish clergyman. One day. obeying the
common law which human and canine
must follow. he departed this life much
to the sorrow and regret Of his master.
"For cremation we ought all to be de-
voutly thankful" soliloquized the rever-
end gentleman with whom Pompey had
lived so long. philosophically. 1.-The sen
timent as we'll as the sanity of crema-
ton is much finer than that of burial.
Think of it. No more long terrible
months with the wind and snow and
rain above and the lonely dark prison
house of unimaginably loathsome decay
Notwithstanding but fair, golden fire for
a symbol of earthly life and heavenly
purity..
These sentiments did not apply partic
ularly to PomDey. but 40 Pompey had
died about the time his master was PLAN
ming visit to Woking cemetery, he de-
cided to take the remains of Pompey
along.
being crcmated,'' said Pompey's master
The was so much more sensible than
most people. and | am sure he would
have scorned to be buried like common
dog"
So. after question of the man in
charge, Pompey. in the box in which he
had Travelled. was placed on raised,
sliding railway, at the entrance to the
closed furnace door. At sign the door
ol'Sueu anu tue DOA STU quickly lulO
chamber which was at white heat, the
door was quickly closed again. and in
about forty minutes all that was left of
poor POmpey was Il coffee cuDful of
ashes What became of them the mas
ter does not tell. but it is implied that
they did not go into one of the pictur-
esquc urns which are reserved for human
ashes.
Not to anyene's knowledge has a dog
ever been regularly cremated in Ameri-
ca. Letters are received by the people
ut the head of the crematory companies
every once in il while and also kilograms
and even personal visits from owners of
much-loved animals, who would like to
have them decently cremated but their
requests are never granted
Il will not listen to it." says one of
the heaa men OF crematory company.
"Ihe place for human body is not the
place for dogs. and l will not allow them
to be brought there, though l am fond
of dogs myself
There are not many people who, have
asked for this neutrality-suspicious. not
more on an average than one or two per-
sons year-but if regular crematory
for pets should be started, there is no
doubt that it would be well Datronized.
and i'll some families there would be no
end of little urns containing the ashes of
faithful Pompeys and Fidos and Trays.
and even of Tabbys and Toms Every
horrlshlng dog and cat show makes it evil
dent that America needs pet crema
tory.