PARK AND CEMETERY. 
136 
ADVERTISING THE MODERN LAWN PLAN CEMETERY 
111 this age of advertising there is 
scarcely a business or an institution 
that does not make use of printed 
publicity in some form or other. The 
three industries pertaining to the dis- 
posal of the dead would naturally be 
the least advertised. Of these, the 
undertaker seems to be the only one 
who has made no noticeable use of ad- 
vertising. The monument maker has 
found it profitable to advertise beauty 
■of proportion and design; excellence 
■of workmanship; and facilities for ob- 
taining and working the materials, he 
uses. The modern cemetery has also 
awakened to the fact that it has some- 
thing to advertise and evidences are 
presented herewith that all forms of 
grounds; and the advisability of se- 
curing a lot before it is needed. 
The preparing of the advertising 
matter is delicate and exacting work, 
and too great care can not be taken 
to avoid offense to the sentimental 
side of humanity. It is not a task 
for the hammer-and-tongs ad man 
with his aggressive salesmanship. The 
cemetery advertiser must be an artist 
in the handling of words; he must 
have a fine appreciation of the public’s 
feelings, and be able skilfully to sug- 
gest his points. Every word, and ev- 
ery picture should contribute to a 
pleasant impression. A horrible ex- 
ample of the way not to do it was 
seen in a recent advertisement of a 
wait till the crape is on the door to 
buy your burial lot!” and “The sheriff 
can never attach a lot in Ceme- 
tery!” An indignant woman who saw 
these wrote to one of the daily pa- 
pers : 
“I was more shocked and disgusted than 
can be described by these advertising 
boards. It is needless to say that my ride 
was spoiled by the utter vulgarity of a 
company who to get money will touch in 
letters two feet high the most sacred things 
in their fellow people’s lives. I wonder if 
these men realize the terrible harm these 
boards might do to one who has been re- 
cently bereaved? If they do not they 
should be compelled to do so.” 
An equally earnest woman the next 
day in response to the above commu- 
nication, said: 
The New Mount Hope Cemetery Association 
This association considers itself fortunate in having secured a plat of ground directly adjoining Mt. Hope 
Cemetery, 'and connecting therewith by driveways, dedicated to the public, permitting visitors to drive 
through both ccmetciies, as the driveways in the new cemetery have been made continuous with and open- 
ing into the driveways of the other. Incorporated October 18th, 19Q6 
THIS IS THE RECORDED PLAN OF THE 
n r 
It is the earnest desire of rhe directors of the New Mount Hope Cemetery Association to pro- 
vide beautiful and quiet grounds for the burial of the dead, where well kept turf and varied foliage 
of trees, shrubs, and flowering plants offer to sorrow-stricken mourners seclusion and repose. 
'I'hough trees will be planted in profusion, no mere turfing will be allowed to blot out the rich 
color of.^hc beds of flowers and the gorgeous masses of shrubbery that make such a brave showing 
in early summer. There will be quiet spots, shade by ttees, where none have yet been buried, 
such spots as mourners seek to lay to rest the one most dearto them, a place beautiful, far from the 
crowd, where undisturbed friends may rest awhile near those who rest forever. 
The huge masses of masonry that make ^ome cemeteries so hideous will here be conspicuous 
by their absenge. Visitors will not fail to note the flowers on every side. Many of the flower 
beds, indeed, will be a. mass of glowing bloom as soon as the spring opens up. In this respect ifi is 
safe to say that Ne,w Mount Hope Cemetery w'ill be unapproached, so that the whole effect pro- 
duced will be veritably a garden of sleep. The question ofsentiment !»f the different churches and 
fraternities to be buried among their fellow worshippers will be fully respected and portions will 
be alloted for this purpose. 
Throughout tne country the larger cemetery associations have found, by experience, that the 
most.satisfactory plan for laying out ahd maintaining a burial spot is oh what is termed the “lawn 
pfan.” We have adopted thc^Mawn plan" for New Mount^ope and have laid out the lots and 
blocks, in accordance with the natural contour of the ground, thus giving a perfect surface for' 
drainage. “lawn plan’’ contemplates maintaining the natural slope of the land and making a 
perfect sod all, unbroken by grave mounds, copings, lot railings or other obstructions which 
tendto mar the simple evenness of a perfect lawn, and thus avoiding the unsightly irregularity of 
improvements so noticeable in old cemeteries. Old cemeter'es find it very difficult to change from 
former conditions to the “lawn plan" so that, in order to obtain a perfect lawn cemetery, an en- 
tirely new. plat of ground must be secured, in other words an old cemetery cannot successfully- 
adopt and carry out such a plan. 
DRAlNAGk-ln etcry cemetery the question of drainage is one of vital importance. Our engineer; after a carefi#" 
survey and a thorough study of'exisiing conditions, has mapped out a perfect system of drainage. Every block is to be tiled 
bulocv the grave depth by means of lattcral lines of tiling, all of which empty into an adequate outlet LnC of tile, assuring 
drainage for the whole plot of ground at all seasons. We consider ourselvas especially fortunate In bcinff able to perfect this 
system for the New Mount Hope Cemetery. 
ENTRANCE— Wc have erected at the Fourth street entrance handsome columns, thus marking the gateways. The 
design of this entrance is in keeping with the simplicity of ‘the "lawn plan” adopted. 
DRIVEWAYS — Hard drives will be laid out according to the plan of the cemetery plat shown in our perspective. 
Coal cinders are used throughout, carefully laid and rolled to a uniform grade, care having been taken to preserve the crown 
nfeach driveway necessary for good surface drainage. The drives surrounded all blocks and expended in width to the edge 
ol tne lawn sod and are defined by the sod only. 
CARETAKJNG — Caretaking in a "lawn plan" cemetery is equally as important as drainage. By caracaking we 
mean simply the labor and cate required to maintain a perfect lawn, the making of a clean sod, free from weeds and coarse 
grasses, thoroughly, watered. and kept green during the growing seasons, also maintaining the natural grade of all blocks and 
resodding when necessary. Two piethods for compensating the association for this care have been adopted. 
LOCATION-+-You will find in our perspective a map showing the location of the New Mount Hope Cemetery lying 
adjacent to Mount Hope, the University grounds, College and FaMand Places, Champaign's new and beautiful residential 
additions, and the Univeijsity Golf Links. Our main entrance is on Fourth street, (he only public thoroughfare from Cham- 
paign CO both cemeteries, 
PRICE OF LOTS FIVE TO SIXTY DOLLARS — We propose to give the public burial lots in the beautilul 
New Mount Hope Cemetery at the lowest possible prices, and wc are offering them at 50 cents per square foot. A splendid 
burial lot may be purchased for Sixty Dollars, large enough for the average farnily and with ample provisions for the ejection 
of monuments. Sinflo loteroietBt— As much care has been exercised in, providing for single interment lots as for the 
larger one*. We have an adult's section, ■ child's section aod an Infant’s section, This part of the cemetery 4>e cared 
for as carefully as any other and single or double ioterment spaces may also be purchased for. Five Dollars and up. Now is the 
lime to select your lots before the prices advance. We will give you an opportunity to select from any block, in A, B, C, D, 
E. F. G. H 01 I. COUPON 
Cut out and fill in the coupon, sign your name and return to us 
with Five Dollars. Your application will be numbered and you will be 
allowed to select your lot according to number. This will allow you to 
get the choicest selection as such' time as yo>i are able to personally look 
over this plat of ground. Not only this, wc wiU sell but a limited num- 
ber at this price, and remember chit is-less than half the ordinary value 
of cemetery lots. 
Addtess tU communications to New Mount Hope Cemetery Asso- 
ciation, offices 39 North Neil street. Champaign, Illinois. 
FRANK J. WEBSTER. President. 
New Me. Hope Cemetery Asaociatioo 
39 North Neil street. Cbampaigii, til 
CcBllemeD— rieaM reserve one' Sixty Oollnr lot io 
Block . . .1 bereby enclose Five Dollars as a 
deposit. ^ViU Select same at a Idli r date. 
(Signed) ... . . ; . . 
Address 
A CEMETERY NEWSPAPER AD. WITH COUPON THAT BROUGHT DIRECT SALES. 
local advertising have been used with 
more or less success. The old, neg- 
lected graveyard, generally regarded 
as a place to be shunned and con- 
•cealed, needed no publicity, but its 
successor, the lawn plan cemetery, has 
many things that may be judiciously 
told the public. Legitimate subjects 
■on which people may be educated tc. 
the advantage of the cemetery are: 
natural beauty and landscape art in 
improving the grounds; convenience 
and permanence of location; adapta- 
bility of the site; care given to the 
monument dealer who proclaimed that 
stones from his shop would “put rings 
around death.” The explanation of a 
state of mind that cQuld produce such 
a work was found on learning that it 
was prepared by the ad man of the 
paper that printed it and had never 
been seen by the advertiser. 
Even a legitimate line of argument 
may easily be too roughly handled. A 
new cemetery in Philadelphia had un- 
dertaken to do billboard advertising 
along a trolley line in the suburbs. 
Two of the headings read: “Do not 
“It seems to me, as an entirely impartial 
observer, that it is utterly absurd for any 
one to be ‘shocked and disgusted’ at the 
signs referred to. 
“If these boards are likely to wreak such 
‘terrible harm’ to one recently bereaved, 
would not the sight of a cemetery, with 
possibly a new-made grave or two. be equal- 
ly disastrous? Our trolley lines, there- 
fore. according to the mawkish sentiment 
of such reasoning, should carefully Fvoid 
passing any of the beautiful cemeteri' s 
which abound in and near cur city. The 
signs in question do not impress me as 
vulgar in the slightest degree. On tlie con- 
trary, they simply bi'ing home , to one’s 
mind in a forceful manner the fact that 
a cemetery lot is an absolute essential for 
every f mily to own. and if tliese signs are 
