The Washington herald., 1907-10-18
PAIL BEARERS ROMP
Union FOrsakes Gloomy Jobs
for Merrymaking.
CARRY DEAD WITHOUT CHARGE
PhiIantbroDic Members of Odd Or
ganizatiOn Have Made Record in
AIexandria-Sevenfeen Lusty Men
Ever Ready for Cali from Bereaved
FAmiIies-Address by Undertaken.

Laying aside. as It were, their funeral
faces, the seventeen members of Pail
bearers Union. No, l, of Alexandra,
gathered in the eolored Odd Fellows Hall
last night and made merry with their
( friends. Though the organization is less
than year old, it has made a record in
its own peculiar field. and it was thought
proper in the eternal fitness of things.
to celebrate achievements as well as TO
lay plans for further operations.
Also, the members We're restless with
the desire to put to an open and public
test their standing as an association.
The result. it was asserted. was ali that
the little band of body-bearers could have
wished.
In the language Of one OF the chief
satraps of the tribe, whose modesty re-
strained him from bestowing higher
praise the organization is a coed thing.
nice thing, grand thIng-even the best
thing that was ever got up in Alexan-
dria." Hearing these few, weu-chosen
words. uttered In a loud and emphatic
tone. other members gathered themselves
together in that corner Of the hall, and
declared that the poverty of speech ex-
hibited by the brothep who mad just
spoken failed utterly TO do justice to the
exalted, benefcent services rendered by
the association to humanity.
Science in Lonesome Work.
Since this philanthropic voluntary or
ganizauon was started" one asserted.
I'VE have oficiated in thirty or forty
funerals. We are working men, but We
always get off to so 20 funerals. There
never is a cent of money paid for carry
ing the corpse. No; We wouldn't take
pay for that work.
At that moment one stalwart pail
bearer furnished the information that
the band had become expert in the busi-
ness.
since we started TO carry cOrpses as
| regular thing" he said, I'VE have got
/ into some close quarters, and now we
are equal to ali emergencies" With an
/ air of pride. he added that the job could
not be done better by paid professionals.
much less by awkward and inexperienced
amateurs.
When asked to explain the origin OF
the association. one of the members
/ stated that a colored woman died in Oro-
noco street by the name of Lizzie White,
and that there was no one 10 bear the
body The circumstances becoming known
on February 3, 1907. the Alexandria Pail
bearers Union was formed, Ito help all
bereaved families by being body bearers. 80
No Charge for Services.
It was explained that the association
does not conhne itself to members OF
the negro race for burial.
mo matter Of what color. kind, or sta
ton in life the dead may be. We are
ready to take the corpse 10 the last
resting place in frst-class style. and
free gratis-that is, with no money
charge" one of the pallbearers declared.
In case of death where the services of
the union are desired, it was explained.
the president Of the association, Scott
Butler, residing at SIS North Royal street,
is communicated with. and he in turn
/ lays the matter before the general man
ager, who speaks to the individual mem
bers Of the order, and the thing is done
The general manager" a pallbearer
stated, picks out six men to serve. II
there are three funerals in day he calls
out the first six. then the second six
That's twelve Then, as there Sre only
seventeen members, 10 make up the third
six, he calls out one from the first x %
Address by Undertaken.
A feature of the programme ttts even
ing was an address by Undertaken Brown.
who asserted that the union is an or
ganization which should receive the ad-
miration at least of a generous public"
The following are the officers of the
union; Scott Butler, president; William
Payne, financial secretary; Charles Car
ter, treasurer; Ellis Day, vice president;
George Darlington, assistant secretary;
Albert Green, general manager, and Fred
Jones, sergeant-aI-arms. These, with Rob
ert Lee. James Banks, Lewis Jackson, Jo-
sePh Howell, Benjamin Henderson, VIII
liam Jackson, William Washington, John
Toliver, Abram Gibson, and Walter Gas
kins, constitute the local band of pioneers
in the professional work performing
the last sad service for the dead"