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CHAPTER X1.
CEMETERIES.
FIRST PUBLIC BURIAL GROUND IS CINCINNATI - LATER CEMETERIES-SPRING GROVE CEMETERY COMPANY AND CEMETERY- THE CINCINNATI CREMATION COMPANY THE CREMATORY.
THE first public burial ground in Cincinnati was located upon the square bounded by Fourth and Fifth, Walnut and Main streets, and was given to the people by the original proprietors, in part, for that purpose, the other part being used for the erection thereon of the first Presbyterian church, near the corner of Fourth and Main streets. It was used for this purpose for twenty-seven years, when it became so crowded that another cemetery became necessary. A church still stands on the original site, but tall buildings now occupy the ground once used for burial purposes. In 1810 a new cemetery was laid out by the Presbyterians between Elm and Vine, and Eleventh and Twelfth streets, but it was long since filled, and other grounds had to be secured.
Other denominations opened graveyards for themselves as the population and churches increased, until there were twenty-three cemeteries appropriated for the interment of the dead, and many of them are still in use.
In 1844 it became apparent that a general cemetery, on a large scale and some distance from the city, should be established. A committee was appointed to select a site, the Garrard farm, of 160 acres was purchased, and on the 21st of January, 1845, Spring Grove Cemetery Company was incorporated. And to place it upon a firm basis two hundred citizens subscribed $100 each, for which they were entitled to select a lot fifty feet square. In memory of the springs and groves on the land, it was named Spring Grove, and consecrated on the 28th of August, 1845. The original plan of the grounds was made by John Notman, of Philadelphia, thedesigner of the famous Laurel Hill cemetery in that city. To the original purchase 434 acres have been added at a cost of $330,000. The chief and most. characteristic improvements have been made since 1855. A system of landscape ornamentation was adopted, which has resulted in one of the most attractive and beautiful burial places in the country. As remarked by a visitor, "its green slopes and wooded levels, its stately avenues and beautiful monuments, shrubbery and flowers, now form component parts of one great whole, unobstructed by fences, and diversified by quiet lakes."
In this lovely retreat are many magnificent monuments reared by loving bands to perpetuate. the memory of deceased friends. Among the most notable tributes are the Dexter and Burnet mausoleums; the sepulchral chapel, containing the statue of George Selves, Jr., executed by Daumas, in Paris; the Lytle monument over the remains of Gen. William H. Lytle, who fell at Chickamauga; the Shillito, Potter, Neff, Pendleton, Lawler, Gano, Resor, and many other memorials, some of them of great cost and beauty. The Gano shaft is of gray sandstone, and was originally erected, in 1827, in the old Catharine street burial ground in the city, by Daniel Gano, to the memory of his father, the brave pioneer and soldier, Maj.Gen. John S. Gano. The Walker monument is fashioned after the celebrated tomb of Scipio Africanus, in Rome. Another beautiful monument was erected to the memory of a teacher, Prof. E. S. Brooks, by his pupils. Col. Oliver Spencer, of the Continental army in the Revolution, who died here in 1811; Col. Robert Elliott, who was barbarously murdered by the Indians near Colerain, in 1794; Rev. Joshua L. Wilson, for thirty-eight years pastor of the First Presbyterian church, in Cin-
220 - HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.
cinnati; Rev. J. T. Brooke, D. D., whose prayers lent interest to the consecration ceremonies of the cemetery in 1845; and many other local celebrities repose here under fitting memorials in marble and granite, which the lack of space forbids us from noticing in this connection.
During the past year more than 200,000 persons visited this "Silent City," and wandered through its lovely walks, gazed thoughtfully upon its suggestive memorials and meditated on the end in reserve for all. Last year more than 11,000 single graves were occupied, and the ashes of 1,000 veteran soldiers commingled with the soil in the lot set apart for them. The total interments to date are nearly 55,000, and the number of lot holders is nearly 10,000.
THE CINCINNATI CREMATION COMPANY.
It is learned from C. M. Lotze, Esq., that this company was organized October 4, 1884, On this occasion the following gentlemen met in his office, in the Wiggins block, to consider the proposition, and they became the original founders: Otto Rauchfuss, C. AT. Lotze, Albert Meininger, V. M. Mayer, C. A. Nulsen, Julius Greyer, Benn Pitman, Samuel Burnstein, Charles Jacobs, Jr., and Henry Oliver. The following were the first officers chosen: President, Charles Jacobs, Jr.; vicepresident, C. A. Nulsen; secretary, Albert Meininger; treasurer, Henry Oliver; attorney, C. M. Lotze.
The Association was incorporated as a company October 26, 1884, and the first general meeting was held at Central Turner Hall, and the building of the crematory was begun in June, 1885. It is situated on Dixmyth avenue, near Burnet woods, on an elevation overlooking Mill creek valley. The building is oval in form, massive, and constructed of Indiana limestone. It contains a chapel, residence rooms for the superintendent, a basement, where the preparing rooms, two retorts, and furnace rooms are situated.
When a body is brought to the crematory the coffin is first placed on an elevator and raised to the chapel, where such religious services as may have been desired by the deceased, or friends, are held, after which it is lowered to the basement, where it is prepared for cremation by simply taking it out of the coffin and making a careful examination to be assured that life is extinct. The body is then wrapped in muslin cloth, saturated with alum water, when it is placed on a table supplied with rollers and moved to the opening of the retort and rolled into the same on an iron cradle. The process of incineration lasts on an average two hours, when the ashes are removed and delivered to the relatives or friends in a metal case to be disposed of as they may see fit. This was the old process first in use, but during the summer of 1893 an improvement was made by the erection of two retorts, and so arranged that the coffin, without removing the body therefrom, can be shoved into the retort and all consumed together.
The fuel used is coke, and the degree of heat attained is about 2,000 Fahrenheit. The fire does not at any time come in contact. with the coffin or body, but circulates round the retort. The retort is made of fire clay. The body is reduced to ashes by the action of the heat only, and the average weight of the ashes is 31 pounds. The crematory chapel also contains niches in which the ashes of deceased can be placed in urns, and the grounds can also be used for the interment of the ashes of such as their friends may see fit to order.
The retort is completely closed during the process of incineration, but it may be witnessed through a small window of mica placed in the rear end. The cost, which includes a metallic case, is $25. Cremation began in July, 1887, and up to this time (1893) about three hundred bodies have been incinerated. The cost of the crematory building was about $20,000, but with the cost of site, grading and adornment, the total has reached about $30,000, exclusive of the retorts and furnace, which cost nearly $3,000.
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The crematory has not yet been self-supporting, but has been kept up by voluntary assessments on the stock, and voluntary contributions by the members and friends of the cause. There are about, four hundred members, composed of all nationalities and religious beliefs. The officers for 1893 were: President, G. A. Merryweather; secretary, A. T. Roever; treasurer, Fred. A. Meiser; attorney, C. M. Lotze. Directors: Herman Husemann, Henry Lowenstein, P. H. Hartmann, Dr. E. W. Walker, Henry Littinger, Adolph Sander, and L. A. Strobel.
Any person can visit the place. The crematory is always open and in charge of the superintendent, who will admit visitors and explain everything to them. It was built for the purpose of exhibiting the process of cremation to the public free of charge, in order to reform the method of disposing of the dead for the benefit of the living. No member of the Society is required to bind himself to have his body cremated. This process of disposing of the dead, it is believed, will become almost universal, because it is demanded by the laws of sanitation as population increases. Thoughtfully considered, there is nothing repugnant or barbarous in this method of disposing of the human tabernacle. When looked at through the mica window in the retort, "a beautiful rosy light envelopes the body, and it seems to be transfigured in an aurora of benignant splendor. The pallid cheek of death is made to blush, and grief gathers color, and hope stands dressed with ruby light to prophesy the radiant life beyond. The relic ash, pare as powdered pearl, may be more sentimentally preserved in the columbarium, or crypt of churches, than in the cold, dark grave or tomb. In this ash, that has survived the heated retort, may linger that human seed, unabsorbed by the elements, undevoured by the hunger of plants and animals from which the glorified may spring when the reveille of the Resurrection is sounded by the trumpet of the Archangel of Immortality."