PARK AND CEMETERY . 
328 
THE NEW CHICAGO FUNERAL TROLLEY CAR 
When the trolley car for funeral use 
was first suggested the effort was made 
to cater to economy alone and its prog- 
ress was obviously slow. There was 
a suggestion of cheapness about it that 
did not comport with the dignity and 
reverence associated with funeral rites. 
A few years ago there was developed 
in Buffalo a type of car that was built 
with the elegance, comfort and sumptu- 
ous interior of a Pullman car and its 
popularity was instantaneous. It was 
chiefly to the efforts of Mr. Bellett Law- 
son, Jr., superintendent of the Buffalo 
Burial Park, that the car was built and 
it was designed from his suggestions. 
The street railway company was doubt- 
ful of the success of the enterprise and 
the cemetery had to guarantee a certain 
minimum sum for the first few years 
before the company would undertake the 
enterprise. The first year the receipts 
were largely in e.xcess of the guarantee 
and they have been growing steadily 
since. The secret of its popularity was 
to make it handsome and avoid the idea 
of cheapness which the average family 
abhors in connection with a funeral. 
Chicago has not hitherto developed the 
funeral trolley car to any great extent, 
but the Calumet and South Chicago Rail- 
way Company, now a part of the Chi- 
cago City Railway Company, and serv- 
ing with its lines the leading cemeteries 
of the South Side of that city, has just 
constructed two cars of a somewhat sim- 
ilar design to those used in Buffalo. 
The car embodies a front compartment 
for the casket and pallbearers and the 
main body of the car for seating the 
funeral party. The casket rests in a 
handsomely finished cabinet that opens 
outward somewhat after the manner of 
the berths in a Pullman car. No effort 
has been spared to make it a model of 
elegance, good taste and comfort. 
The cars have been put in service and 
will handle funeral parties from any 
point on or adjacent to the Calu- 
met & South Chicago railway, the 
Chicago City railway or the Hammond, 
Whiting and East Chicago Electric rail- 
way to and from Oakwoods, Mt. Green- 
wood, Mt. Olivet and Mt. Hope ceme- 
teries. 
The inside finish of the coaches is 
a beautiful soft mahogany effect, en- 
hanced by oxidized metal trimmings. 
The interior of the casket compartment 
is white and gold. The draperies are 
rich, heavy, dark green material, the 
impression as a whole being one of 
quiet beauty and harmony, thoroughly 
in keeping with good taste and the use 
for which the car is intended. The ex- 
terior is finished in Brewster green with 
lettering and striping in gold. 
Special care has been taken to provide 
every comfort for the family and 
friends. The equipment includes ven- 
tilators, electric push-buttons, drinking 
water, electric heaters in winter and 
other conveniences. The cars are thor- 
oughly fumigated and cleaned after each 
trip, thus avoiding any trace of stuffy 
or insanitary atmosphere. 
In addition to its evident fitness for 
private funerals, the new service will 
appeal strongly to officers of fraternal 
societies, lodges, churches, and social. 
benevolent and civic organizations. 
Each car is 43 feet long and has seats 
for 34 passengers. The interior is divid- 
ed into two sections, one. for the cask- 
et and pallbearers and one for the 
mourners and friends. The casket is 
carried in a longitudinal cabinet or vault 
extending on one side of the space re- 
served for the pallbearers. Access to 
the cabinet is had through a door on 
the outside, made to hinge downward, 
and which is held horizontally in the 
open position by silvered chains. By a 
simple system of rollers the casket is 
placed in position without the slightest 
friction or jar. The top of the casket 
compartment is about three feet above 
the floor in the interior of the car and 
forms a suitable place for displaying the 
floral contributions. 
The pallbearer section has a longi- 
tudinal seat extending along one side, 
giving seating accommodations for six 
persons. The passenger or mourner 
compartment his six cross seats on each 
side and one longitudinal seat in each 
corner, giving seating room for 28 per- 
sons. The seats are upholstered in dark 
green Spanish leather with resilient 
spring cushions in seat and back. 
The charge for the use of the car 
varies from $30 to $40 for a round trip 
to the cemetery and return to point of 
departure. On the home coming trip 
transfers are issued to any intersecting 
lines. 
Each funeral car accommodates thirty- 
four persons. Additional special cars 
may be chartered to accompany the 
funeral car. 
COURTESY EM9ALMERS MONTHLY 
NEW CHICAGO FUNERAL TROLLEY CAR. SHOWING CASKET COMPARTMENT OPEN. 
