The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-08-04
KEEPING UP TO DATE.

Undertaken d. w. Hardee Purchases
Handsome Funeral Car-SpeciaI De-
sign, Nothing Else Like 1t IN the
Soutk-Weigbt 1000 Pounds-cost
$4,000 Thing of Beauty.
In not many things is Henderson be-
hind the larger cities. In many things it
is right up to them if not little ahead
The latest thing OF which it has to
boast is funeral car. That is no indica-
ton that this is a dead town, however.
or that it is an unhealthy one. On the
contrary, it is acknowledged to be one
CT the liveliest places that travelling men
make in all their rOunds,-and statistics
show that the death rate here is as low.
or lower, than that OF any municipality
anywhere
But the matter about which we are
going to write is based on a desire to be
more serviceable in the communicate
do more for ones fellowman-pride OF
ambition-the desire to stand head of his
Observation-Disclosures you are pleased to
term it. The effect is the same, and the
act is commendable
Mr.. ID. w. Hardee, funeral director and
embalmer, OF the d. ". Hardee Furni-
ture Company, has just purchased a new
funeral car which is the handsomest
thing ever seen hereabouts. Mr.. Hardee
was well equipped for the business al
ready but he wanted some thing better
and he has been looking around for it.
This he now has in a vehicle that not
only fills the bill' but should satisfy the
most ambitious. One needs but to see
1t to admire it and agree that what is
here said about it is true
This funeral car was specially designed
by Mr.. NJ. j. COolahan of 3,2O7 West
North Avenue, Baltimore, Nd. who is
one OF the best known men in the bust
ness. He has had long and practical ex-
perience and is an expert in his line
widely known as a designer and sales
man. 1t was built in Detroit, Michigan,
by Sievers 4 Erdman, one OF the largest
concerns of its kind in the country, build
ders Of the finest quality of carriages
funeral cars, hearses, &c Made of the
very best material and finished with the
greatest care in the minutest details, the
vehicles turned out by the Sievers & Erd-
man factory stand in Il class by them
selves. And when Mr.. COolahan has q
hand in the designing and specifications
as to material, workmanship, finish and
general details nothing more need be add
ed. There is no man in the business-On
the rOad-who is more widely and favor
ably known. Mr. Coolahan is u reliable
man very popular among those who
know him and his word is accepted as
readily as his bond.
In the the car built for Mr.. Hardee the
skill OF the designer and builders has been
taxed. The product is altogether pleas
ing and satisfactory. 1t is strong and
heavily built, weighing over 1000
pounds. Its great weight makes it very
steady and easy in movement. 1t is mas
sive but not cumbersome, and despite it's
size and weight it is neat and trim in ap-
pearance, the length, height and breadth
conforming to the dimensions of a we'll
proportional and symmetrical whole-a
thing of beauty of its kind. Ball-bear-
ing axles it is light running and easy on
the team, more SO in fact than the aver
age hearse of much lighter weight. The
inside is finished in genuine mahogany,
the outside in hardwood, the four corner
posts and side pieces hand-carved. The
metal mOuntings are all heavily silver
plated. An electric button is provided at
the back end of the vehicle, underneath,
which operates a small buzzer by the side
OF the driver, by means of which orders
are given to move forward or stop with
out the necessity of verbal communica-
ton from the funeral director.
Questioned as to why he wanted to
purchase such funeral car as this, at
such an expenditure of the coin of the
realm when he had one that served
his purposes so well, Mr.. Hardee said
he did not believe anything was too
good for the people of Henderson. Good
as he had he did not have the best in his
line and he wanted to get it. Money
was no Object-as long as he could meet
his obligations-and when he started in
the undertaking business his ambition
was to go to the top. He has spared
neither time, effort nor money to accom-
plish this end Having decided upon en-
gaging in this branch of the business
undertaking and embalming-the first
thing he did was to go the Champion
College of Embalming at Springfield,
Ohio, in 1899, and take the full course
as taught there The following year he
| attended the Renaurd Training School
for Embalmers, in New York, taking his
| diploma from the institution.
Mr.. Hardee was president OF the
| North Carolina Funeral Directors and
Embalmers Association two successive
terms, in 1907 and 1908, the only