The Washington herald., 1912-09-15
Municipal Institution at Which Bodies Are
Cremated Has Gh0uliSh and Mournful
Effect on Visitors
Ii Operates.
By r.. w. BENTON.

By r.. w. BENTON.
There is feeling Of dread and horro
which pulses through the average mai
when he contemplates the dead. He Il
reminded Of the ephemeral nature OF thii
mundane existence, and there awakeni
within him a realization that ere lonl
he, too, must join
The innumer.ble caravan that moves
10 that mysterious realm where each shall take
His chamber IN the silent halls Of Death
Death, murders. graveyards. and un
dertakers are not pleasant themes fol
thought; yet every man in his time turn
toward them in his musings with a kint
of strange and ghoulish delight. They
are subjects surrounded by an atmos
phere of mystery, and mans mind love,
to delve into the nebulous. Despite theii
mournfulness, these themes have their
distinctive charms, and the story OF q
homicide, or the suicide of a star-crossed
lover, or the details of a dread catas.
trophe will ever catch the public eye and
interest thousands.
Morgue Place of Horror.
The morgue is an accepted place OF
horror. and the word itself brings weird
and mysterious thoughts to the mind.
There Is another Institution closely asso-
ciated with this house Of the dead which
has fully as ghouIish a function to per-
form, but which receives only slight at
tention. There are but few persons who
know OF the existence of a District Gre
matorium, and those who are aware of
the fact in no wise associate 1t with the
morgue. The two institutions work in
conjunction, and large per cent Of the
bodies which for a while rest in the mar
row confines of the ice chest in the NOR
tuary chamber on the shore OF the Poto-
mac later are placed in the oven of the
destructor at the Capitals cremation
plant
the banks OF the Eastern Branch among
a group of the municipalities most repul-
sive institutions-the Jail. the old work
house. the quarantine station, the laza-
retto, and the potter's field. II is said
that the building is located at Twentieth
and B Streets Southeast, but 1t is dim
cult for the visitor to corroborate the
assertion. because of the irregularity Of
the highways in the neighborhood.
Difficult to Locate.
The chances are that the person who
visits the institution for the first time
will have a difficult time locating It. He
will probably be directed to take the
Pennsylvania Avenue cars and when he
will be unable to find any one who has
ever heard OF the crematorium. II he is
persistent and walks north past the cem-
etery and the Jail, after a rough and
dusty jaunt OF more than mile, he may
be fortunate enough to spy the building.
II he is better acquainted with the
lay OF the land in that section. he will
take the Lincoln Park cars and ride to
the terminus. He will thek trudge south
to B Street and then turn eastward.
The houses gradually become scattered
and finally are left behind. There is
nothing but desolate commons on all
sides. Nineteenth Street will finally be
reached. and this marks the boundary
of any semblance Of civic improvement.
Beyond this point B Street slopes down
ward toward the Eastern Branch. 1t is
not street, but a road. and decidedly
rough one. Ruts. bitches. powders, and
weeds mark the course Of the highway.
For several years the Commissioners
have been urged to improve the road but
so far no action has been taken. Some
day a hearse will turn turtle. and then
the Commissioners may see fit to spend
a trivial amount on the repair OF the
. road.
Is Small Building.
Beyond the wide expanse of marsh
land, veiled with a heavy mist. the
waters of the Eastern Branch may be
p seen winding among the bending reeds,
with a sputtering motor boat or a tiny
sail here and there. To the right of the
road. past the high Jail wall, is a small
building, situated in the midst of great
greensward. surrounded by wire fence
The structure is pebble-dashed, with
stately white wooden columns, giving an
effect of finish to the ornamentation
Over the large white door is carved the
one word, "Crematorium." A gravel
road leads between the green lawns to
the door.
The municipal crematorium was erect |
ed just four years ago. being placed in
operation October /, 1908. Prior to that
time there was no public institution of
its kind in the city All of the crema- |
tions were then held at the private plant |
of ]. William Lee, the undertaken. Mr.. |
Lees crematorium is still in operation. |
the two being the only ones in WASH |
ington. The public crematorium is one |
of the best equipped in the country |
Most of the bodies cremated at the in |
stitution are received from the morgue. |
Many private cremations are held. how
ever. In accordance with an act of Con-
gress, approved April 20, 1906. fee of
s25 is charged in all cases where the
estate or the family of the decedent is
able to pay the cost OF disposing OF the
remains.
The main portion Of the crematorium
is occupied by the chapel The room will |,
accommodate a large number OF per-
sons. As well as the rest of the interior
of the building, ii is finished in white,
giving an immaculate appearance. The
room is well lighted. At one end is
high, white pulpit. which rather resem-
bles a Judges bench. The chapel is used
very seldom-only in occasional cases Of
private cremations. Services over the
bodies received from the morgue were
formerly held in it, but because of the
Inconvenience caused clergymen, due to
the inaccessibility OF the building they
are now conducted at the morgue. Un-
til recently no mortuary rites were per-
formed over bodies received at the
morsue Due to the efforts Of Rev. Dr.
Simon P W. Drew. pastor of Cosmopoli-
tan Temple Baptist Church. and other
colored clergymen, a Christian burial is
now given everybody.
Perhaps a chapel service is desired.
The hearse moves slowly down the rough
road before the crematorium. turns up
the gravel way. and stops at the door
of the structure. The door Of the hearse
is opened, and the somber casket is
lifted from the mortuary vehicle to a
rolling truck, which stands at the en-
trance of the building. With slow and
measured step the minister advances into