Evening star., 1954-04-22


grown to include three funeral
homes in the District, and one
near his home in Riverdale. His
son. w. w. Chambers jr., joined
him as a partner.
One of his early tangles with
Government regulations came
in 1888 on Federal Trade Com
mission complaint of unfair
methods" against him. In a
stipulation resulting from the
hearing. Mr.. Chambers admit
ted that it may have been an
exaggeration to advertise that
many extra services rendered
by Chambers are given without
charge" or that a $500 service
is furnished for $265 or that an
$85 steel vault is waterproof,
alright and worth $3.50.
Mr.. Chambers career was
spotted with controversy over
his advertising. In 1947, when
he put out an advertising calen-
dar bearing the picture of a
nude woman, his colleagues
complained.
Competitors Accused.
mo one wants to read an
undertaker's ads" he replied.
when I advertise caskets they
called me casket-crazy and when
I featured the religious theme
they called me a glumbunny."
In that same year, he began
having trouble with his streetcar
ads, which bore a picture of him
or his son. The car cards were
defaced by vandals. Mr.. Cham
bers charged his competitors were
in a conspiracy against him,
and offered a $500 reward for
arrest of any one caught defacing
the cards.
Its got me worried" he said.
GIVE got to advertise. I can't
stand on a street corner and
shout my wares. When they keep
my picture out of the street.
cars. it's like blowing up one
of my hearses."
Mr.. Chambers revolutionized
funeral advertising. He founded
Is years ago the Advertising Fun
eral Directors of America, and
at one time served as it's
president.
His advertising caused the
American Funeral Director, a
trade magazine. to criticize edi-
torially Mr.. Chambers state
ment that "any old horse dealer
can be an undertaken" and that
funeral directing is "a highly
specialized racket"
1.-THE truth is," Mr.. Chambers
replied. that they don't like my
habit of advertising funeral
prices in black and white, be-
cause they'd rather keep the
right to charge six different
prices for the same funeral to
six different people, according to
how much they can pay. I
admit that on a $225 funeral I
make sos profit, and they don't
like that, either"
In 1946, Mr.. Chambers bat
tied with Alexandria officials
about whether he should buy
city licenses to operate his am
balances there.
There is no sense in my hav-
ing licenses for all five of my
ambulances," he told Alexandria
Police Court after one of his
drivers had been arrested. 1T
won't pay me to operate in
Northern Virginia. Operating AN
ambulance is just trick OF un-
dertakers to get our names be-
fore the public. We don't care
about the money"
Silenced as Lawyer.
-Four years ago, Mr.. Chambers
was silenced in his efforts to act
as his own lawyer during a wage
case involving three of his might
hostesses." Later. he told news
men:
For 35 years I've fought my
own cases in court. and I've won
them all. I know more law than
a lot of these people. I've got
something better than all this
legal training. I've got common
sense"
Mr.. Chambers served in the
Army during World War 1. He
was a member of the Front Line
Post No. 101. Veterans of For
eign Wars, and Costello Post of
the American Legion. He was
a charter member of the West
River Yacht Club.
Surviving in addition to his
son are his wife. Mrs. Ella E.
Chambers; his mother. Mrs.
Anna Chambers. of 1885 JON
quill street NV. a sister, Mrs.
Florence E. Tolson. of the JON
quill street address, and five
grandchildren. William w. III,
Patricia, Catherine, Robert and
Deborah Chambers.
Prayers will be said at 9:30
am. Monday at the Chambers
Funeral Home. 5801 Cleveland
avenue. Riverdale. A solemn
requiem mass will follow at 10
am. in st. Jerome's Catholic
Church, Hyattsville. Arrange
ments for burial have not been
completed.