8 
THE MODERN CEMETERY. 
I 
PLAN OF RIVERSIDE CEMETERY. DEFIANCE, O. 
Riverside Cemetery, Defiance, O. 
As early as 1846 a number of citizens organized the 
Defiance Rural cemetery, then containing only ten 
acres of available ground, and used until 1883, when 
the same went into the hands of the city. Realizing 
that the area was too limited for a growing town, the 
trustees petitioned the council to condemn 50 acres of 
adjoining grounds, which was accomplished with an 
outlay of about $100 per acre. Bordering on the 
Auglaize River with several natural ravines cutting into 
the plateau and a liberal growth of native trees, the 
tract presents many features well adapted for cemetery 
purposes, and the trustees will spare no means in 
making it one of the most charming burial places in 
northwestern Ohio. 
The accompanying sketch of the lot ])lan shows the 
distribution of the sections by winding drives, which 
are ample, well constructed and well drained. At pres- 
ent sufficient ground is graded to place on sale some 
1500 lots, portions of which are reserved by sections 
for members of the Catholic church. 
The chapel and vault stands in an elevated position 
near the entrance convenient to reach for the purpose 
for which it is designed. The walls are built of Bedford 
lime stone with handsome trimmings of Portage 
red-stone and altogether the work is a handsome 
piece of masonry. The chapel room is 22x34 feet 
with an additional bay for the lowering apparatus. 
The gothic windows are filled in with opalescent 
and jewelled glass of appropriate designs, 
admitting a soft and sacred light. The ceiling 
is open work and finished in natural pine, 
while the massive doors, Avindow frames and 
handsome wainscoting are of white and red oak, the 
floor of Georgia marble and the walls of stucco deli- 
cately tinted from a terra cotta to a light blue. There 
is also a handsome mantel and open grate that the 
room may be pleasantly warmed in inclement weather. 
The vault below is one large room well ventilated and 
well secured, with ample accommodations for about 60 
bodies. The entire cost of vault and chapel is said to 
be about $8,500. 
Great credit is due Mr. George 
W. Bechel, the superintendent and 
treasurer, who has given a great 
deal of his time to the development 
of the plans of grounds and build- 
ings from the beginning, and who, 
together with the president, F. W. 
LeSueur, and the secretary, J. R. 
Wilhelm, are aiming to give Defiance a 
modern cemetery. 
The plans for Riverside cemetery, 
as well as for the chapel and vault, 
were made by Frank Eurich, superin- 
tendent of Woodlawn cemetery. To-, 
ledo, O., and give promise of present- 
ing a harmonious whole when repro- 
duced upon the grounds. 
CHAPEL AND RECEIVING VAULT, RIVERSIDEjCEMETERY, DEFIANCE. O. 
