261 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
NEW MODERN CREMATORY IN CHICAGO 
CHAPEL AND CREMATORY, OAK WOODS CEMETERY, CHICAGO. 
In response to an insistent 
and increasing demand, Oak 
\^'oods Cemetery, Chicago, has 
recently installed a modern 
crematory in connection with 
their new vault and chapel 
building. The cremator\' is the 
annexed portion in rear of the 
chapel. They have two retorts, 
equipped for natural gas, the 
only one of the kind so far as 
known. The machinery is in a 
separate building, 2S0 feet dis- 
tant, making the operation of 
the immediate plant noiseless. 
The retort designs were fur- 
nished by Supt. James Currie, 
modifications of the Forest 
Home plant in iNIilwaukee. 
The building was designed by 
Architect W. Carbys Zimmer- 
man. 
Before opening the crema- 
tory a trial incineration was 
held for the purpose of demon- 
strating the efficienc}^ of the plant. 
The trial cremation was effected in 
fifty-one minutes, a vert- satisfactor}- 
time. The charge for cremation is 
$30- 
As regards the effect upon the sen- 
sibilities, the practice of modern cre- 
mation is without fault. The process 
consists properh" of converting the 
body into gases and the consumption 
of these gases. The remains, or prod- 
uct of incineration, consists ' of the 
ashes of the larger bones of the body, 
all other portions, including the cov- 
erings and casket, having been con- 
sumed in the form of gas. The ob- 
jects sought in the construction of a 
cremator}" are the reduction as above 
in a reasonable time, the production 
of a nearly white ash, the elimination 
of all objectionable features, particu- 
larly noise, odor and visible gases 
(smoke) and reasonable cost of oper- 
ation, for unlike the ancients our prac- 
tical ideas do not admit of impoverish- 
ing families by costly pyres of sandal- 
wood. 
The crematory at Oak Woods ceme- 
tery, Chicago, is a successful combina- 
tion of these requirements, in addi- 
tion to which beauty of architecture 
and decoration has been combined 
with comfort and restful accommoda- 
tions for those who attend. The 
working parts of this institution, the 
retorts and machinery, were selected 
after a thorough investigation and in- 
spection of everything -similar 
throughout the country. The best 
advice was sought and the best talent 
employed in the construction of 
everything connected with the place, 
and the result is a perfect plant in a 
building that is a model of beauty and 
convenience. The fuel employed is 
natural gas, and electrical power is 
used to furnish a supply of air in 
large quantities to the retorts, so that 
perfect combustion is assured and all 
possibility of disagreeable features 
avoided. To insure perfect quiet 
about the edifice, the machinery for 
this air supply is placed in a build- 
ing several hundred feet distant and 
the air taken underground to the re- 
tort room. No expense has been 
spared to make a complete and per- 
fect institution, and experts agree as 
to its success, while the uninformed 
look with admiration upon the ap- 
pointments of the building, which in- 
{Conitnued on page XVI) 
FT^RNACE OF OAK WOODS CREMATORY. CHICAGO. 
