The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-24
A HORsELESS FUNERAL.
MTG Auaomehile ThaI serves m Eearse
and Coach for MsurnerS.

There vas a hOrseles- fIReral at the
Grand Central station the other day. So
unusual was the scene that almost every
body seemed To give it some attention.
and even the horsss shifted at the strange
looking vehicle. perhaps with feelings Of
jealousy at this latest evidence Of the
passing Of their uscfulneas-
The centre OF interest was the funeral
car. . big black automobile built some
what on the lines OF Fifth avenue motor
bus. IL Was an immense machine. and
a. IL drew up silently at a side entrance
other trafiic had to halt. The solemn
black OF its big limousine body pro-
claimed its purpose in a way. but except
for the fact that the drivers seat was
unusually high IL might have passed for
an extraordinarily large limousine car.
A. soon as the car had reached the curb
the driver alighted and stood deferentiAlly
at the front end Of the machine. mo-
ment later there appeared the funeral
party. led by the undertaken and his men
bearing tho coffin.
The inourners. q party OF ten. took their
seats IN the car. these seats being indi-
vidual cl' airs OF black leather. Then the
front Of the machine underneath the
drivers sent was opened. the cofin was
were put in the hearse part OF the car
and tke front doors closed.
Then the driver and the undertaken
mounted the front seat. there was the
sharp ring - q warning bell. and a.
traffic halted again the big funeral car
quietly swung around and into Forty
second street
This funeral car had SEATS for twelva
mourners In its limousine part and could
carry three on tho drivers sat. Hence
IL takes the place Of hearse and three
carriages.
I'VE haven't had this very long said
tho driver just before the funeral party
Appeared. Abut wore already kept bslHy
with Il about all tho time. Only this
morning. for example, ws took = funeral
To Elizabeth and now this afternoon We
are hound for Greenwood.
"You ~es Il hts in prstty nicely In the
case 81 long distance funerals. Take the
ca-s ~ a funeral AT Kensico. up in West
chester. or even Woodlswn. Before Il
used To be necessary To take a train. which
meant hears and Carriages at both ends.
To Say nothing 81 tho publicity Of riding
in a railroad car. that II. unless the party
was large enough and could afford tho
special funeral car the railroad operates.
Now We take tho entire funeral ca~ket
and all from the hoil-e or church To Ken
~lgO w w. bteu NbIfN7 INVITE
Take tho care ot a person diving in
some other Citv and being huried here
Only the family come with the body and
thay want 90 Ia taken quickly and quietly
20 the cemetery. We can make Grss"n-
wood in lees than an hour In two hours
thev can he on the train going home
again.
-Of coIr~e therr ara still some JIar~OnS
who find IL hard ~ accept IL in place II
the old way thew hav" known -o long.
One man RECENTLY complained that IL
didn't -ssam solemn enough and seemed
like taking lihertie- with the dead: hut
a. one such complaint we've had Rnv
numtar ~ congratulations on the new
m"thOd from peopl- who have said that
II has done awR- with tho mot irving
features of what has ALWAYS hsen such an
ordeal namely am ont of town funeral.
Before long the h"ar-s- will lIeGin 10
GO Just like thu hanson Gals. though
for hiE local funerals ! suppose hearScs
will H.. u-..d for "a long time vet