THE MODERN CEMETERY 
107 
A Plea for the Old Style. 
Mr. John K. Betson, superintendent ofLaFayette 
Cemetery, Philadelphia, thinks the Modern Ceme- 
tery is too pronounced on the question of the 
modern idea to the exclusion of the old fashion. 
Regarding LaFayette Cemetery, he says: I send 
you a picture of the main entrance, with a brief 
sketch of one of the latter. The “LaFayette” is situ- 
ated in a thickly settled, and built up section, ofour 
good City of “Brotherly Love.” It occupies a full 
“block,” or as it is called here a “square,” and is 
MAIN ENTRANCE, LAFAYETTE CEMETERY, PHILADELPHIA. 
surrounded by prominent streets; on the north, 
which is the front, and main entrance, it is bounded 
by P'ederal St., on the south by Wharton, east by 
9th, and west by lOth St., and it is enclosed with 
an iron railing seven feet high. On the P'ederal St. 
front it has a granite coping 18 in. high surmounted 
with iron railing five feet six inches above the cop- 
ing. 
The Cemetery Society was incorporated by act 
of the State Legislature of Pennsylvania in January 
1839. It covers an area of about four acres; it is 
governed by a board of Directors, ten in number, 
who must be lot holders, elected annually by the 
lot holders. Each holder, being a member of the 
Society, is entitled to one vote for every eighty 
square feet, which is the contents of a lot, 8x10 ft. 
The ground is laid out in lots of this size. “Immediate- 
ly after every election the Board shall from among 
themselves choose a President, Treasurer, and Sec- 
retary to the Corporation.” The ground is laid out 
in sections of ninety-two lots each, which are known 
by letters from A to Q. There is a drive running 
north and south, through the centre of the ground, 
fourteen feet wide, which is patent paved with 
Portland cement. The sections are separated by 
a gravel walk four feet wide, giving every lot front- 
age on a walk. The ground is encumbered with 
numerous head and foot stones, iron railings and 
other ancient contrivances. But it also has many 
very pretty and costly monuments. A great many 
of the lot holders have their lots cared for by the 
Society and many others living in the vicinity of 
the ground, care personally for their lots. The 
drive and walks are kept clean, and borders kept 
trimmed. Altogether the Cemetery presents a 
very nice appearance, although the modern foljis 
would class it a “Stone Yard.” 
-T^l^offe^poirdence.!^ 
The Colored Race in our Cemeteries. 
Omaha, Neb., October 30, 1894. 
Editor Modern Cemetery: 
In answer to enquiries of Manager on page 95, October num- 
ber of Modern Cemetery, in regard to burial of negroes, I 
found it necessary to set apart a section exclusively for that pur- 
pose for family lots. The white man will not purchase a lot 
alongside that occupied by a negro if he knows it; but for single 
graves we make no distinction, — white, negro or red Indian. 
We find no objections to this system. J. Y. C. 
A Canine Graveyard. 
Just behind the lodge at the Victoria entrance 
to fashionable Flyde Park, London, is a plot of 
ground, shaded on two sides by towering elms and 
chestnut trees, embellished with many carefully 
tended flowers and shrubs, and which the orderly 
rows of little graves and head stones declare to be 
a burial ground. A glance at the inscriptions 
quickly decides that this neat little graveyard is de- 
voted to the care of the remains of pet dogs. 
Nearly all the graves have white gravestones, 
upon which inscriptions dictated by the varied ec- 
centricities of the sorrowing owners are cut, and 
they are further bordered with tiles, and decorated 
with flowering plants. 
One inscription simply reads: 
To dear little “Smut.” 
Others, more elaborate, run as follows: 
Alas ! poor “Zoe,” 
Born I October, 1889. 
Died 13 August, 1892. 
As Deeply Mourned as 
Ever Dog was Mourned 
For Friendship rare 
By her adorned. 
To faithful 
“Mimie,” 
Yorkshire Terrier 
weight lbs. 
Died 
Also Beautiful “Pet” 
Died 
F.ver Remembered Friends 
To “Bobby” over the way. 
“They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and 
in their deaths they were not divided.” 
