The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-11
FRESH PONDS CREMATORY.
THE NAN VINO MAKES THE FIRES
FOR THE INCINERA7IONS.
He Used to Be n Teacher but Is Satisfied
with His Job-He Has Ohciated at 1000
Cremations-The Crypts and Jars of

He Used to Be Teacher but Is Satisfied
with His Job-He Has Ohiciated at 1000
Cremations-The Crypts and Jars of
Ashcs-The Firemnn's Spare Moments.
The most remarkable fireman in Greater
New York il named Kuehne. His furnace Ia
a white crypt In building set upon a hill. His
hours are short aud he spends d good deal OF
time PLAYING weird melodies on an organ in
the hail above the crypt. He burns tons on
tons of coal dun ing the year. yet not u wheel
turns nor piston strs because CT it, He has
never been asked to join flremen's union.
There is no competition in his line. for he Is
the fireman at the Fresh Pond Crematory.
Over there they call him the engineer. He
does not seem to have an engine. unless one is
to count the three great retorts which are
engines OF destruction. Over 5000 human
bodies have been consumed in them. Eng.
neer Kuehne himself has fired up-no irrever-
ence is intendsd-for over 1000 cremations.
This is his record for the six years during
which he has been the incumbent at the crem-
atory. II strikes the outsider a. a gruesoms
Job. II struck kuehnesthe same way at first.
He hadn't leen used to anything more CHASTITY
than Il rencontre with n Jack-o- lantern or the
antics Of boys parading in sheets and pillow
cases. He had been n sch pol SUPERINTENDENT.
At first he scarcely liked his change OF occupa-
ton. but he feels differently now. TWO thou
sand dead men cannot give as much trouble
as two enterprising small boys can arrange.
1t was a hot afternoon last week when the
reporter went down into Engineer kuehne's
furnace room and gossiped with him there.
The walk W the ugly dusty hill in the broil-
ing sunshine had been enough to give one a
good start toward combustion. or at least
melting. Two incinerations were scheduled
for the afternoon up at the erematOry. stand
Ing on top Of the bare ugly hill. Whew. How
hot 1t must he there with the furnaces raging
inside and the sun beating down without!
There should be lot Of smoke from the
chimney Where was the chimney. anyway?
Neither smoke nor chimney was visible to
the uninitiated eye and that was a distinct
comfort on warm day But 1t was also
distinct source Of anxiety lest tho fireman
had forgotten the impending incinerations.
That might be 4 comfort a cold comfort. to
the friends Of the:dead: bur it was so ilI-reGu-
lated in the fireman. Maybe he had his own
troubles. Everybody knows there are DAYS
when fire simply won't draw. Wel-the
front doors were closed but the knob turned
freely and there was a cool breath Of air from
the vaulted columbarum. Not soul was
there. At least. nobody was there.
There was corridor opposite the entrance
and two flights NJ steps led down to doors on
either hand doors bearing that most allur.
ing Of inscriptions:
40 ADMGTTANCE"
middle-aged man. not especially noticeable for
ANYTHING except his shirt sleeves and his eyes.
lie had such Kind eyes. All Mndertakers. sex
drivers and 'lremen al crematoriss should Ice
required to have kind eyes;