The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-05-09

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bear upon public opinion have done In
estimable service toward establishing
this desirable and timely reformation
in the ceremonies Of death, too long left
a prey to montrous vulgarisms.
MISS WILLARD's VIEWS
Believed in Cremation "a Method to Help
the Health of the Living.
Apropos to DR.. Cranes editorial on
cremation the following is CLEANED from
a recent article in the Chicago Tribune:
Holding these opinions says Miss
willard in her writings, Il have the
purpose to help forward progressive
movements even in my latest hours,
and hence hereby decree that the earth
ly mantle which 1 shall drop ere long,
when my real self passes onward into
the world unseen, shall be swiftly en-
folded in flames and rendered power
less harmfully to affect the health or
the living Let no friend of mine say |
aught to prevent the cremation OF my |
cast-off body. The fact that the pop |
ular mind has not come to this deci- |
! sion renders 1t all the more my duty, |
/ who have seen the light, to stand Tor |
1t in death, as 1 have sincerely meant
in life to stand for the great cause OF
| poor, oppressed humanity. There must
| be explorers along all pathways, scouts
in all armies. This has been my call
from the beginning, by nature and by
nurture let me be true to its inspirit-
ing and CHEEKY mandate, even unto this
last"
O. c. Simons, superintendent Of Grace
land cemetery and crematory, who had
charge of the final arrangements by
which Miss Wizards remains were con-
verted to ashes, and who has personal
conduct Of nearly all Of the cremations
performed in Chicago, spoke enthus-
iastically Of the process. Said Mr.. 81
mons:
"Since the Graceland crematory has
been in operation, period OF little over
five years, we have reduced to ashes
the bodies of 291 persons. The crema-
tory was established to supply de-
mand for the process in Chicago. There
were several considerations for its
adoption, chief of which was, perhaps,
the requirements Of those who desired
to avoid expensive funerals and inter-
ments and next to this safe and eff
l cacious manner of disposing of the bod
t les of those who were victims of conta-
, eious diseases The superior healthful-
I ness of this manner of disposing OF the
, dead has been recognized for centuries.
3 Some of the older civilizations prac-
9 ticed cremation purely as sanitary
. nrinciple. but in the course of time the
e principle became subordinated to rites
r and ceremonies which exceeded in pomp
e and display even the somber circum-
e stances of an ordinary burial. In all OF
}, my experience with the Graceland Gre
!, matory do not know Of single case
: where morbid sentimentality or sensa-
II tionalism directed the operation OF GRE
nation.
" "Seyen or eight years ago there were
IS no crematories in this country. NOW
: each large city has one or more. The
q New York crematory, situated In the
It borough of Manhattan, is the most usee
20 of them all, although there are two ere
: matories in New York. The furnaces
u in Philadelphia, Boston, washington
& Pittsburg, Buffalo, Detroit, Cincinnati
II st. Louis, Milwaukee and San FRANCIS
" co have all been successful In meeting
ID the growing demand for the most sensi
~ BILE and scientific manner or disposlni
lie of the dead known in the world NOR
ir tuarv annals. The San Francisco ere
matorv. situated in the Odd Fellows
cemetery in that city, has disposed
ne mace at Graceland. This fact show
r. that the process has taken firm hol
in on the Pacific coast. Compared VIII
re, the work of the New York crematorie'
IS tho number of bodies thus disposed G
in an the San Francisco furnaces Is TN
ar more surprising when the greater poI
&c. uIation tributary to New York Is cor
ay sidered.
ais "The cremations at Graceland show
he steadv increase year by year, and TN
ol- wear will be more than double those
Ii env preyious year. In 1894 the creme
of t,ona at Graceland numbered AZ; "
he fo,Iowing year they increased to "a. ]
I'll 1890 there was a falling off owing to II
ng establishment of the Milwaukee crem'
he torv. still we disposed Of 81 bodies tn
rho wear and n last year, while during u
US first three months Of the present ye'
ng there were Al bodies cremated at Grac
it'll land. Our rules are simple ana the e
pense is nominal. We require that e
ery incineration shall be attended
be some relative Of the deceased or repr
lay sentative OF the family. In addition
ICY the usual permit admitting the pooy
But the cemetery, when incineration Is
ia sired a certificate to that erect n.u
,es. be secured and signed by the reiau
m or one having tne pooy III -.
tn, These certificates the cemetery ASST
owe alton preserves as maj eVioenoo
i'm death. We require that every in.ih.'
ore ton shall be conducted In as prVs'e
mi manner as possible. and not ser'e
WY crafty morbid curiosity.
d. Among the titled personages VINO "a
await the day of judgment In urns
we stead of in ordinary collins are the s.
urn enth Duke Of Manchester. grandfati
ans Of the present peer of that name,
, to Marouis OF Sligo, the Duchesses OF
de- Adams and OF beoIoro' tne
sur Northesk, Admiral Sir Geoffry Horn
ans fhe Duke of Bedford, Lord Bramw
rise T,adv Catherine Northcote, Baron h'