The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-22
MODERN BURIAL C.ISkE7.
Some Now Sold ~ Cheaply Ne Cofhns-Other
More Elaborate Than Ever.

Probably about one-,bird Of the people dying
fashioned collins, about two thirds being buried
in one sort or another OF the modern burial caskIt,
which is as different in appearance from III. old
style coffn "a II il poasible 10 make anything
designed for the same purpose. The percentage
ofthoss buried in coskets is all the time increasing.
The only thing that has prevented the casket
from practically, II not absolutely superseding
the conn, has been apparently its greater cost
The burial caSket, however, is now produced
al lower prices than ever before. A black cloth.
covered casket Of q kind tina, is very extensively
used, and vas sold five years ago At shout sos
is now sold nj $50, and II could now be made and
sold for less than that but for the advance in cost
within The past year or two Of the various materials
that enter into its construction. There Ia now
made a burial Casket OF the modern type. OF white.
wood finished in imitation Of rosewood, that il
sold as low as s35, or as cheaply as = cofin OF the
more rostly kind, collins being sold. according
e. ina terlnl and finish at $40 To $40 These prices
for collins are also rather less than the prices at
which they were formerly sold those now selling
a. $40 70 $50 having brought but a few years ago
Sis To SIS.
The lower prices have been brought about
by improved ana more economical methods Of
manufacture. i is a familiar fact that burial
Baskets ami collins nowadays are not made as
they were IN Old times, by cabinetmakeYs and
undertakots, but in factories devoted 10 their
production, many 81 these brinC big establish
ments. equipped with the most modern machinery
ana appliances Of all sorts for tina working Of
woods and metals. In old times the undertaken
might work away on 4 single cohin IN a back
room, on his shop. recently an American concern
manufacturing Baskets and eothns has put in
SJO,OOD worth OF new and improved machinery.
Not only are the less costly of The burial caskets
now produced Al lower prices than those at which
. . Ghlt1 n faT A.F AEn hint tkAvs .ra AlA
now made lower priced caskets nmong the finer
eraces. For example ~ 90 say five wars ago
the least costly Of the bIrial CaskelA Of the most
MODERN type. one with straight sides and square
straight ends, was II carved oak, ana was sold
=, s2c5 4 casket OF this style, handceTved,
and Of wood finished in imitation of oak, can now
ot this style. ~ oak, and in a handsome design,
can nov hs bought for sl3I This wound bs al
straight OAK 4 similar cask.t of quhrterad
OAK would cost more. Five years -go he lowest
priced % IN. carved mahogany cnske,s Of this
Kind cost $500, such a ChSkat would now cost
shout $3.50, this smaller proportionate reduction,
as compared with oak, beng dus 10 the present
increased cost II mahogany
BNt while grade Tor grade oil burial Caskets
ate now sold cheaper than formerly. and some
Of them have now ben hrough, down Ia tho prics
OF collins there are also made nowadays burial
csskeiS II = slll more costly and elaborate char
sct"r than ever, md Tor such caskets there il a
constant sac Among the Costlier v~aristies,
ChSksts covered with silk plush are sill III der-ud,
though not 50 many plush covered casksts are
sold now AS formerly, the larces, demand amOpr
the NOR. costly kinds bsing now for CaskstS NJ
wood Of oAk ana Of mahogany Many Of tless
cnsnsiS ar. most elaborate and III every way
b%saut!Gl, IN materiAl, IN style and IN fin >h
Among he Costller burial Baskets tue prices range
UP to 81 200 and upward.