56 
THE MODERN CEMETERY. 
RULES AND REGULATIONS, 
Every cemetery should be governed by certain rules and 
regulations, which should be printed in pamphlet form for distri- 
bution among lot owners. While this has been done in most of 
the large cemeteries, where the rules are very much alike, we 
will, for the benefit of the smaller cemeteries, publish in this de- 
partment such rules as commend themselvesfor general adoption. 
Contributions are solicited. 
Extracts from Rules and Regulations of Hount Qreen= 
wood Cemetery, Mount Greenwood, 111. 
No mounds shall be allowed upon single graves, 
and mounds upon lot-graves shall not exceed four 
inches in height. 
One monument of proper design, material and 
workmanship may be erected upon a lot and shall 
be placed in the center of the lot. Monuments shall 
not be erected at single graves, nor upon fractional 
lots of a less area than 120 square feet. 
Only one stone, which may be placed either at 
the head or at the foot of the grave, shall be allowed 
at a grave. Such markers shall not be less than six 
inches nor more than twelve inches in thickness, 
and shall not exceed twenty-four inches in width 
for adult graves, nor eighteen inches in width for 
childrens’ graves. No marker for a single grave 
shall exceed eight inches in total height, nor for a 
lot-grave twelve inches in total hei ght. 
All markers shall consist of one piece only, of 
stone, marble or granite. 
Wooden, iron or other crosses, tablets, boxes 
or miscellaneous objects shall not be placed upon 
graves or lots. Wire designs containing flowers 
shall be removed as soon as the flowers fade. 
All foundations shall be built by workmen in 
the employ of the association. A reasonable 
charge shall be made and an order required from 
the lot-owner at least fifteen days in advance of the 
date at which the setting is to be done. No masonry 
work requiring the use of cement or mortar shall be 
done or allowed to be done when the weather is 
such that injury from frost cannot be prevented. 
All foundations shall be finished true and level, 
and two inches below the surface of the ground 
where lowest. All stone work shall have the sur- 
face next to the foundation bedded off sufficiently 
true and level to allow every part to be in contact 
with the foundation. The use of spav/ls between 
base-stone and foundation or the removal of any 
part of the foundation to accommodate irregulari- 
ties or other defective workmanship in the base- 
stone shall not be allowed. Dealers or manufact- 
urers’ cards or advertisements shall not be cut nor 
marked on any stone, nor placed anywhere within 
the cemetery inclosure. 
* * * 
/ 
It does not seem to admit of argument that one’s 
duty to those dependent upon him is to own a 
burial place somewhere. It is inevitable that death’s 
shadow will cross his threshold soon or late. Will 
he not make his own and the burden upon his family 
lighter if he anticipates the dark hour from which 
he has thus far, by God’s goodness, been spared, — 
CJias. L. Knapp. 
to Lot OWnerc. 
The practice of having a diagram of cemetery 
lots on the back of lot-deeds and keeping thereon an 
exact record of the interments as they are made, 
will obviate future disappointments, especially 
where graves are not marked or proper lot inter- 
ments are not kept by the cemetery. In some cem- 
eteries diagrams of lots are furnished with the loca- 
tion of each grave numbered thereon. When it be- 
comes necessary to open a grave the lot-owner sends 
an order designating the grave by its number. The 
value of such a system is obvious. 
In referring to proposed improvements in the 
local cemetery, the Ottawa, 111., Free wisely 
suggests that they be made by someone who has 
made landscape gardening a study, and offers the 
following as some of the rules that should govern 
the cemetery; 
“No fence, coping or other enclosure of any kind should be 
permitted about burial lots. Boxes, shells, toys and similar 
articles are wholly out of place upon graves.” 
“No elevated mounds over graves should be permitted, as it 
is impossible to mow the grass or keep it alive or green on 
mounds.” 
“Carriages should not be allowed to turn upon any avenue . 
Drivers must remain on their seats or by their horses during 
funeral services.” 
“Foot stones and lot markers should be level with the 
ground. Flead stones should merely give the name and be not 
more than two feet high. The place for inscriptions is the mon- 
ument.” 
It is not strange that there are numerous viola- 
tions of good taste in the adornments of our burial 
grounds. In a great majority of cases attention is 
first called to this subject when a lot is purchased, 
or when the death of some friend calls for a memo- 
rial. Upon a point which has received no previous 
consideration the idea first presented, however 
crude, will probably be accepted. While there are 
some whose own good sense and taste are a suffi- 
cient guide in matters of this sort, it is certain that 
far the greater number rely mainly on opinions not 
always judicious, derived from others. Many are 
content with blindly copying some fanciful or quaint 
conceit which has caught their eye; tolerable, per- 
haps, while it stood alone, but odious when oft re- 
peated. Others visit the stone cutter’s yard, look 
at his ready-made specimens, and listen to advice, 
which not even charity herself can suppose to be al- 
ways disinterested. Or anxious, perhaps, to have 
something very expressive and original, they con- 
coct with his aid some outre design, and then perpet- 
uate in marble the long enduring folly, — Cleveland. 
