THE MODERN CEMETERY. 
23 
lot owner can place his lot under perpetual care by de- 
positing the sum of ^33-33/^ per hundred feet contained 
in the lot. This fund has increased the past year, by 
the sale of new lots, $6,423; by deposit on old lots, 
$1,449, ^rid now amounts to $68,845. Interments 
during the year of 1892 were 655, of which 370 were in 
private lots and 258 in public ones. 181 monuments 
and tablets were erected. The total expenditures for 
the year were $32,311.49; receipts, $28,689.21. 
Macadam Roads. 
For all the talk about macadam roads one may 
travel a long distance before seeing one that is con- 
structed on the principles that Macadam himself laid 
down. The underlying principle of his system was that 
the stone should pack together so closely that, no mat- 
ter what kind of a vehicle drove over the road, not one 
of the stones would be disturbed; but, in our so-called 
macadam roads, vehicles crush and grind the stones in 
every direction. Macadam’s plan was to have all the 
stones that formed the upper stratum of the road so 
small that all could go through a two-inch ring. This 
small size of stone when thoroughly rolled, pack to- 
gether so tightly that it would take a very small wheel 
indeed to drive the stone apart. In this case, there is 
no grinding or crushing of the stones, and the road bed 
has to do nothing more than bear the dead weight of 
the vehicles. When these roads needed repairing, w'hich 
under his system was very seldom indeed, the surface 
would be torn up by a pair, or even four horses with a 
heavy drag harrow, and the new resurface applied. 
When rolled down this was almost as good as a new 
road. It would be amusing if it were not so costly to 
the tax-payers, to see the manner in which the so-called 
macadam roads of our country are repaired, especially 
in the vicinity of large cities, certainly, in the vicinity 
of Philadelphia. After some three or four inches are 
worn away, the custom is to put three or four inches of 
broken stone, some of the stones nearly as large as 
goose eggs over the road surface. The wheels then 
grind up these stones or push them away in every direc- 
tion, so that in the course of a few months like coffee in 
a mill, these are ground completely to powder. Within 
the knowledge of the writer, a resurfacing of this 
character, costing $3,000, placed on a road 80 feet wide 
and 600 feet long, was ground to mud within twelve 
months. Such macadam roads as these, and such re- 
pairing of the so-called macadam roads, are the best 
illustration of municipal ignorance; possibly, that could 
be adduced. In the management of public affairs we 
expect more loss than in private ones, but the ignor- 
ance displayed in the making and care of macadam 
roads beats all. — Meehans' Monthly for April. 
'T^i^orre^ponelence.l^ 
Editor Modern Cemetery : 
I heartily endorse your sentiments on cremation. Too much 
cannot be said in favor of it. My long experience in cemetery 
work has taught me that cremation is the only safe an d proper 
mode of disposing of the dead. A. J. Goshorn, 
Hamilton, O. Supt. Greenwood Cemetery. 
Providence, R. I., April nth, 1893. 
Editor Modern Cemetery: 
Dear Sir, — In your interesting number of the Modern Cem- , 
ETERY for March it is stated that “cremation as a burial reform 
has the unqualified endorsement of the official organ of the Asso- 
ciation of Cemetery Superintendents” and that “the time is not 
far distant when crematoriums will be a necessary adjunct of 
every modern cemetery.” I was not aware that our association 
were advocating this reform, and therefore think that the above 
quotations are as unjust to our organization as they are erroneous 
and misleading to the public The much abused “landscape lawn 
plan" and kind old “Mother Earth" are still good enough for me. 
Yours sincerely, Timothy McCarthy. 
Swan Point. 
While the Modern Cemetery is the official organ of the 
Association of American Cemetery Superintendents, no allusion 
whatever is made to that fact in the editorial referred to. In giv- 
ing his endorsement to cremation the editor did not wish to imply 
that he was voicing the sentiment of the Association of Cemetery 
Superintendents and had no intention whatever of placing the 
Association in a false light before the public. 
* * * 
Toledo, O., April 17, 1893. 
Editor Modern Cemetery : 
The sentiment favoring cremation is fast growing instead of 
diminishing, as many seem to believe, and when you say in your 
editorial of March number that the time is not far distant when a 
crematory will be a necessary adjunct to a modern cemetery it has 
my approval. After all, the severest protest comes from the re- 
ligious side, but why it is hard to comprehend. Cremation does 
not interfere with any creed or belief, and there can be no differ- 
ence regarding eternal life; for the soul, if it is immortal, cannot 
be destroyed by heat because of its immortality, even if it remains 
in the body after death, and the cremated body will be just as 
surely resurrected on the day of judgment as the one that has 
been burnt at the stake, or that had slowly decomposed in the 
earth, or that had been swallowed by the monsters of the sea. 
That the incineration of the dead is fast gaining favor with 
the enlightened public as a sanitary and esthetic method to dispose 
of the same is shown by the following taken from the report of the 
president of Forest Hills cemetery, Boston, Mass., viz.: “We 
also ask permission to apply to the Legislature for authority to 
build and maintain a crematory for the incineration of the dead, 
or for the sale of land to be built upon for that purpose. 
“ The subject of cremation is now prominent in our commu- 
nity and has ma 7 iy adherents. Should the demand justify it 
your trustees would like to be in position to act in the matter.” 
Much more could be said in favor of incineration, but the ob- 
ject of this communication is only to show that modern cemeteries 
are already beginning to make preparations for crematories. 
Respectfully, Frank Eurich, 
Supt. Woodlawn Cemetery. 
What a Superintendent Should Be. 
In the March number on page 9 is an article worth reading 
by all superintendents. After serving some twelve years in ceme- 
tery management I find there is still much to learn. I think on a 
superintendent taking charge of a cemetery, be it large or small 
he should not be content to follow in the footsteps of his predeces- 
sor, but should say to himself. If I have my health I am going to 
make this cemetery second to none on the continent, in the way of 
ornamental and landscape art. Were this the rule many of our 
large grounds would present a far neater appearance than they do 
to-day. I believe he should have full charge of men, and, in fact, 
with everything on him should be the responsibility. He should, 
as required, present his views in writing to the trustees, who, if 
they have confidence in him, would aid him in carrying out his 
views, but to be able to do this he must be a good landscape gar- 
dener, give his whole time to his duties, not leaving too much for 
his assistant or foreman to look after. He must be strictly honest 
and straightforward, courteous at all times to those employed by 
him, he must be civil and obliging to the lot owners, particularly 
the ladies, and having by these means gained the good-will of 
trustees, lot-owners and working men he cannot fail to promote 
his own interests, and the welfare of the cemetery. 
Deer Park, Ont. Henry Thompson, Supt. 
