Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-02-07
BURNING DEAD NOW COMMON.
Freak Practices With Ashes of Depart.
ed Ones

Freak Practices With Ashes of Depart
ed Ones.
There are many queer phases in con-
nection with cremation. This week
well known physician of Washington
made arrangements for the incineration
of his remains, paying the bill in ad-
vance. and stipulatmg the ashes be
placed in a glass jar and scattered to
the winds from the top Of the WASH
ingtOn monument
The physician gave positive .instruc-
tions that no ceremonies whatever be
held over his remains: that the crema-
ton be private, and that the scatter
ing of the ashes be at noon the day
following the incineration.
Cremation has become SO common
that but little attention is paid to it by
the general public, and half Of the Gre
nations are never heard of. Generally
in recent years whenever a cremation
lis given publicly through the press 1t
is that of some person of note or where
there are freak" requests made as to
the disposition Of the ashes or the style
OF the urn.
The first crematory in the United
States was at Washington, Pa. 1t was
put up by DR.. julius LeMoyne about
twenty years ago, and for about two
years the incinerations conducted there
attracted widespread attention. Gre
nation progressed so rapidly that fur
naces were established and are now in
operation in a large number Of cities
and towns Natural gas is used in the
incinerations in some cities and this
has reduced the cost so that expense
is now little or no hindrance to the
method. The cost of incineration aver
ages about 81, and $45 will pay for the
whole service in almost any city where
there is a crematory. If one cares to
save express the work can be done in
Japan at a cost Of 81.
Urns For Ashes of Bodies.
Urns for the ashes of the cremated
are the heaviest items of expense and
so rapidly has cremation progressed In
favor of Americans that potteries are
now in operation in several cities. At
first difficulty was experienced in keep
ing the ashes of the human body free
from foreign substance. Even in an
cient periods that was a problem. The
Greeks used shroud of asbestos, the
Egyptians one of amianth, and other
|
most generally used, and great care
was taken to protect these urns from
the ravages Of weather and intruders.
In the United States today urns are
most exclusively used for incinerations.
Care is taken to have the fastenings
for the urns perfectly ir-tight and the
| best materials are used. Two designs
of urns are made for the trade. One is
wholly plain, the other is ornamented
with flourish lines, the representation
of ivy leaves, or, in few instances,
with scriptural inscriptions or figures.
These varieties are intended keeping
the urn in the houses of the living, en-
closing it in the vaults of the ceme
teries or interring it in ordinary graves.
All three methods of final disposition
are pursued in this country
A wealthy family keeps the ashes Of
the father wrapped in an American flag
and resting on the top of a secre-
tary in the library. Scattering the ashes
to the winds seems to have originated
with the Digger Indians, a custom
these savages held to as far back as
their history can be traced People
who take to cremation seem to have a
fondness for having their ashes scat
tered to the winds. The first man Gre
mated in this country in recent times
so wished He was a southerner named
Lawrence, and his sons built a furnace
Especially for the occasion.
Baron Won Palm Set the Fashion.
The first cremation-not Indian-took
place on American soil. In 1876 Baron
Won Palm was cremated at Washing
ton, Pa, and his ashes were scattered
to the winds upon the Hudson river
Then in 1897 Ernest Rosin stood on the
Eads bridge over the Mississippi and
poured his fathers ashes into the
stream below.
William p Appeby, an officer in the
Mexican and the Civil wars, was Gre
mated: at Fresh Pond in 1898, and the
widow took the ashes to her home in
Hampstead. Her husband had asked
her to scatter them abroad on the first
windy day after his cremation. She
waited until a gale and the request
Twas complied with.
Would Not Burn Murderer.
The crematory management in San
Francisco were so squeamish that they
refused to burn the body of the muir
derer Durrant. His father had to take
it to Pasadena. The medical men of
California had been keenly interested
in the case of the young murderer and
were anxious to have his brain for ex-
animation The family was determin
ed that they should not get it, and the
father did not let the coffin get out of
his sight until he saw it placed in the
retort at Pasadena.
j. u. Davis, a California millionaire
lost his wife. She was cremated and
the husband put her ashes in a box
twice the usual size, because he in
tended to have his own mingled with
his wifes when he should die in his
turn When he did die it was in Phil