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THE MODERN CEMETERY. 
CEMETERY NOTES. 
For the purpose of arousing an interest in the 
religious press to the pressing needs of cemetery re- 
form copies of the MODERN CEMETERY are frequent- 
ly mailed to such publications throughout the coun- 
try. Judging from the degree of success that these 
efforts have apparently met with, it would appear 
religious editors or more properly speaking editors 
of religious papers are as apathetic on this subject 
as the average lot owner. The editor of the Ave 
Maj'ia an influential catholic journal is however an 
exception. After quoting an extract from our last 
issue he adds the following, which shows that he is 
in touch with modern thought on cemetery affairs. 
Would that others were as much so. “We moderns 
stare in surprise when we are told that some of the 
the older nations still hire professional mourners, 
who are wont to pursue the slow- driven hearse with 
high-priced lamentations. But what more pitiable 
example of mourning by proxy than the custom 
which prompts a lavish expenditure in funeral ar- 
rangements, while it allows the grave to lie neglect- 
ed and overgrown with noxious weeds ! Flowers 
are the language of love; and he must indeed be a 
Philistine who would not prefer that a few fragrant 
blossoms, and not mere costly ceremonial, should 
stand for the outward expression of his grief. 
The appearance of most cemeteries is needlessly 
depressing, if it is not wholly inconsistent with 
Christian hope. Instead of being a distant, dismal 
spot, shrouded in the gloom of evergreen trees, the 
graveyard should stand in view of men , a bright, 
hopeful, sunshiny place,- — a real “God’s acre,” such 
as beseems the long, peaceful sleep which precedes 
the morn of Resurrection.” 
iff * * 
Iowa undertakers have caused to be prepared a 
bill to be introduced in the legislature authorizing 
the establishing of a state board of embalming. 
The object being “to regulate the practice of em- 
balming, the care and disposition of the dead, to 
provide for the better protection of health and prevent 
the spread of contagious diseases.” Persons desir- 
ing to enter the undertaking profession are required 
to qualify before this board, and one member of the 
board is to be an ex-offlcio member of the state 
board of health. Iowa is the first state to take such 
an important move and the enactment of the bill is 
confidently looked for. 
* «• * 
Supt. Cushman, of Greenwood Cemetery, Brook- 
lyn, N. Y. , Mr. Wells’ successor, is reported as 
saying that it is the intention to fill in all of the lakes, 
which to his mind “do not add to the beauty 
of the place because they are continually get- 
ting covered with green scum. ” It is to be hoped 
that the intentions will not be carried out. While 
green scum does mar the beauty of any body of wa- 
ter, it can be obviated to a certain extent at some 
little expense and the authorities of wealthy Green- 
wood should not let the matter of expense deprive 
the grounds of what haye been in the past one of 
their most charming features. 
* * * 
Cleveland, O., has three or four cemeteries un- 
der municipal control. A change in the political 
complexion of the city government brings a cor- 
responding change in the officials and workmen at 
the cemeteries. Lot owners have long since demurred 
against these frequent interferences and to prevent 
their continuance a bill accompanied by a numer- 
ously signed petition, has been sent to the legisla- 
ture, providing for a bi-partisan cemetery board to 
consist of two republican and two democratic mem- 
bers, in whom shall be vested entire control. We 
are not aware of the context of the bill, but any move- 
ment looking to the divorcement of cemetery con- 
trol from the political machinery of city affairs 
should and doubtless will meet with favor. 
* * 
The people of Newton, L. I. , opposite N ew York 
City, are again disturbed over the possible addition 
of another cemetery. There are at present twenty 
cemeteries and one crematorium in the town, occu- 
pying over 1, 800 acres of ground all of which is 
free from taxation. It is estimated that over 1,500- 
000 interments have been made and they are in- 
creasing at the rate of 40,000 a year. The people 
will contest any movement contemplating an addi- 
tional cemetery. 
* * * 
The annual report of Riverside cemetery, Cleve- 
land, O., states the total receipts of the year were 
$30,379 and the disbursements $12,257. the 
former amount $25,264 was received from the sale of 
lots, the sales having been one-third larger than the 
yearly average for the last ten years. The ceme- 
tery has a bonded debt of $41,000 and its assets 
consisting of cash and personal accounts amounts to 
$46,209. 
* * * 
Earnshaw and Punshon, landscape engineers of 
Cincinnati, have completed plans for Mt. Olivet, the 
new catholic cemetery in the suburbs of Detroit, 
Mich. The tract aggregates 200 acres of rolling 
partially wooded land. A stream flows through the 
land which will be utilized to form a chain of lakes. 
Mt. Olivet will be a corporate extension of Mount 
Elliot, which is now within the city limits and fast 
filling up. 
