THE MODERN CEMETERY 
95 
An accusation of murder appears on the tomb of Edwin, the 
Irish comedian, who was buried in St. Werburgh’s churchyard, 
Dublin, and also on tombs to be found in Acton churchyard, 
Gloucestershire; Hoo, near Rochester; Little Stukeley, and Myt- 
ton, near Clitheroe, Lancashire. 
* * * 
The annual election of directors and officers of Spring Grove 
Cemetery, Cincinnati, O., resulted in re-election tooffice of those 
whose terms had expired. This included Capt. Robert Hosea, 
who is the oldest living member of the board, having served for 
nearly 50 years, and having watched the growth of the cemetery 
from 160 acres to its present 600 acres. The financial statement 
shows receipts for sale of lots $44,980.15; Interments, foundations, 
etc., $21,550.06; Care of lots and trust funds, $6,444.50. Total 
receipts including last years balance $89065.32. Among the 
disbursements were: Labor, materials and watch, $37,460.94; 
Interments and foundations $8,972. 12; Salaries and stationery, 
$9,475.37. The immediate resources of the corporation are: 
Cash on hand: $347.78; U. S. 4 per cent, registered bonds, 
$133,000; U. S. 6 per cent, currency bonds, $20,000; C., H. & 
D. R. R. 4 per cent, preferred stock $10,000; ground rents, 
$100,000; total $263,347.78; Trust fund investment for perpetual 
care of lots, U. S. 4 per cent, registered bonds; $27,000. 
Number of lots sold during the year, 1 17; area, 61,565 square 
feet; number of vault permits issued, 62; number of burial per- 
mits issued, 1,461, of which 42 were for removals from other 
grounds; number of single graves occupied, 1 1,068; number of in- 
terments to date, 56,945; number of lot holders to date, 9,408. 
The endowment fund being a systematic accumulation of a cer- 
tain sum from the sale of lots, etc., to be used for perpetual care 
now amounts to $290,000. It is well invested and produces a 
good income. The intention is to increase this fund to at least 
$1,000,000. The cemetery is not, however, anywhere near the 
occupancy of its whole tract of land. Of the six hundred acres 
within its boundaries only 375 are now improved so that in due 
course the directors may well expect to carry out their scheme 
of the $1,000,000 endowment long before the time comes when 
interments at Spring Grove will have to cease. 
There is also the rule allowing a lot owner to make a per- 
manent deposit of $400, the income of which is to be used for- 
ever in the particular care and ornamentation of the specified 
grave or lot. 
■^/©orre^ponelence.i^ 
A Timely Suggestion. 
To Cemetery Supcrintefidejits; 
It is not too soon to begin thinking of the work of the next con- 
vention. It has occurred to me that if we could have in addition 
to papers on appropriate subjects, photographs from different 
cemeteries illustrating points of excellence or objectionable fea- 
tures, our meetings would be more interesting and instructive. 
Not only this but the instruction will begin when a cemetery 
superintendent is looking about his grounds to select a position 
from which a photograph should be taken. He will notice some- 
thing which he does not wish the camera to record, and perhaps 
correct the weak spot by a little planting during the coming 
month. There are many features which photographs might il- 
lustrate; the arrangement of groups of trees and shrubs, the mar- 
gins of drives, the borders of lakes, good and poor grades; ceme- 
tery boundaries, the landscape lawn plan in contrast with ceme- 
teries all covered with stone work, railings, hedges, etc. It 
would not be a bad idea to photograph some natural groupings 
from the surrounding country. Take an old fence corner that 
has grown up with sassafras, sumach, etc., and see if the effect is 
not better than any found in the cemetery. A paper on ceme- 
tery entrances with a discussion of the subject and photographs 
illustrating the ideas advanced, might be a great help to a new 
cemetery. 
A series of notes of the season giving under successive dates 
the plants in blossom, the appearance of foliage on trees and 
shrubs, good effects in fruit, the different colors assumed by dif- 
ferent varieties of foliage from time to time, the most attractive 
winter effects, together with a general record of the weather 
would be interesting and valuable to the person making the notes 
and might furnish something of value for the members of the As- 
sociation or for the “Modern Cemetery.” 0. C. S. 
* * * 
The Colored Race in our Cemeteries. 
Editor Modern Cemetery: 
Please let us know if the officers of cemeteries in the 
United States allow the interment of “Negroes” within the ceme- 
teries, and if the colored race is assigned a certain plot, for their 
burials, or are allowed to make their selection of a lot anywhere 
within the cemetery? Ours being a southern city, and there be- 
ing an unfriendly feeling entertained for the negro, we thought 
little objection would be made if we assigned a remote portion 
of the cemetery for this race’s dead. We received the first in- 
terment to-day, which has aroused quite an animated debate 
among the citizens here. We feel that we have acted in the 
right, and any information that you may be able to furnish us up- 
on this subject will be appreciated, as we are anxious to convince 
ourselves as well as the public if there has been an error made. 
Manager. 
It is the practice in the south to have separate cemeteries for 
the white and black population, and where controlled by the 
cities, separate cemeteries are maintained. Correspondence from 
Louisville, Savannah, Richmond and Charleston establish the 
fact that the cemetery corporation rules are exclusive on the 
subject of the burial of the colored people. A correspondent in 
Atlanta states that a section is set apart in West \'iew Cemetery 
which is called the “colored grounds”and to which all interments 
of the colored race are conhned. There has never been any 
trouble here as the negroes “appear to be just as particular as the 
white people” in this matter. 
It would appear that the correspondent making the enquiry 
has adopted a wise course and one that should satisfactorily settle 
the question in his neighborhood. 
* -x- •» 
Editor Modern Cemetery: 
If any member of our Association has paid for the picture 
taken at Harleigh, and has not received same, p lease address: 
Geo. E. Rhedemeyer, Camden, N. j. 
* * * 
We have received a copy of the Easton, Ra., Free Press, 
containing a communication from Mr. Charles Nichols, Fair- 
mount Cemetery, Newark, N. J., regarding the visit of members 
of the A. A. C. S. to the Easton Cemetery at the close of the 
Philadelphia convention. The visitors were escorted over the 
grounds by directors of the cemetery, and were agreeably enter- 
tained by superintendent Transue at his home. Mr. Nichols 
writes in most complimentary terms of the present condition of 
the cemetery, and the improvements contemplated and in course 
of completion. 
» * * 
Editor Modern Cemetery: 
At the convention in Philadelphia, I was asked about a pe- 
culiar inscripiion in our cemetery, and for the interest of the 
readers generally I send you a copy tor publication. It is alto- 
gether an unique affair, the monument is of marble, and below 
the inscripiion is, as perfectly carved as possible, a locomotive. 
