Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-10-17

TOR the first 16 years that salt
Lake City existed as an abiding
4 place for white people there was W,
not a regular undertaken be-
tween the Missouri river and the Paci-
tic coast THAT there was ample need
for one during the period beginning
in 1S47, and ending in 1863 there can
be9llttle doubt. as deaths were frequent
In these valleys almost from the time
they were first settled. The vicissi-
tudes and strenuous experiences iuci-
dental to crossing the plains, even urf-,
del. the most favorable auspices then
prevailing, caused many IL Wayfarer TO
drag himself &hither TO fall shortly into
that sleep that knows no awakening
in mortality. Then, Salt Lake was the
halfwayhouse for travellers bound cast
ward and westward who had no
thought of sojourning permanently in
these parts, and many of these fell Ill
In the deserts and We're laid to rest in
the silent city on the northeast bench.
TO relatives and friends of deceased
persons fell the task Of preparing the
dead for burial and performing The
funeral functions. Carpenters ana 9TH
ers made collins upon demand. but
there was almost an entire lack of fea-
lures that go TO make up funeral
of today.
Since the retirement from active SER
vice Of Utall's pioneer undertaken,
Joseph L. Taylor. the News" has been
able to gather interesting data OF the
undertaking profession in this state
during his As years experience as Il
caretaker of the dead. In 1868 MIR.
Taylor received an appointment as re-
corder of vital statistics and city sex
ton. and It was then that he entered
n iS 10 EpF "a n kp II
first, as stated, in the lnter-mountain
country There had been a number
or sections before his time. sthe ap
p0intment Of the first one dating from
the year 1852.
INDIFFERENT RECORDS.
In the beginning but little attention
was paid to properly recording death
statistics. In some instances slips of
paper, rather than books, were ems
ployed where any writing at all was
done. A small piece of paper found in
the sexton's files long after. the man
who had placed it there had retired
from Office, thus identified a woman
whom he had buried: "a washer wo-
man living two or three blocks cast
from Emigration street"
To meet the essential demands of an
accurate recorder of-Vital statistics and
OF a practical undertaken constituted
the ann OF AIr. IAylDf, ana mat he sue
cceded is recognized not only by the
inhabitants Of Salt Lake City, but by
the people Of the settlements adjacent
thereto.
Shortly after he had opened an I'M
dertaking office there occurred the
death Of a young man in this city UNI
der peculiar and distressing circun-
stances. Two brothers. sons of Il
wealthy resident of ST. Louis, under
| taking q trip around the world, stopped
over in Salt Lake. Here one of them
fell suddenly III, and to his bedside in
the foremost hotel, the Townsend
house, was summoned a leading ply
| stefan DIR. Tate. He quickly diagnosed
I#the case as acute appendicitis, which
, up to that time was certified to by
all physicians as inflammation of the
| bowels
To the physician the brother said:
Doctor, save that boy and a check for
| any sum that You may name will be
| honored by my father" 1T is too
| late said the man of medicine. "in
I half an hour Your brother will be
dead" The prediction proved true. as
in 20%minutes The young man hreathed
| his last.
LONG COACH RIDE
The Surviving brother sought the
services of, Mr.. Taylor and told him
he wished the remains of the deceased