59 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
A WELL-MANAGED SMALL CITY CEMETERY 
In the majority of instances city- 
owned cemeteries are away in the 
background, as to both appearance 
and management when compared with 
the so-called modern cemeteries, con- 
ducted by private associations or cor- 
porations on business principles, 
aimed to eventually benefit lot-own- 
ers and stockholders. But there are 
city burial grounds of which good 
things may be said and among them 
Dodge Grove Cemetery, Mattoon, 
111., is an object lesson for cemeter- 
ies of this class. 
In 1802 the city council of Mattoon 
purchased ten acres of ground for 
trees as maple, elm, ash and birch, 
and almost entirely level, but there 
are no scenic, lake or brook features, 
and the water supply comes directly 
from the city plant. 
No modern restrictions are to be 
observed on the sections laid out 
prior to 1904, but on the acquisition 
of the last 20 acres the cemetery or- 
dinances were changed so as to pro- 
vide modern methods, lawn plan, per- 
petual care, rules regulating founda- 
tions, monuments, and other features 
particularly belonging to the new or- 
der of things and it is working very 
satisfactorily. 
coming popular and is growing quite 
to the satisfaction of the managers. 
No lot is now sold except under its 
provisions, and the fund, after four 
years’ operation has reached $6,000 
and is rapidly increasing. Ground is 
sold at 25 cents per square foot, fifty 
per cent of which goes into the per- 
petual care fund, and a uniform sur- 
face' care is given to the whole cem- 
etery. 
Four men are employed in the 
summer and two in the winter, and 
modern methods are used in conduct- 
ing interments and in the care of 
those in attendance. Sunday funerals 
LAWN VIKW IN DODGE GROVE CEMETERY, MATTOON. ILL. 
cemetery purposes and dedicated it in 
in the following spring; but in 1891 
the lots being all sold ten acres more 
were added. In 1904 another twenty 
acres were bought, making the total 
area a square of 40 acres, of which, at 
present some 25 acres are improved. 
About the time of the last purchase 
the management thoroughly recog- 
nized the fact that the lawn plan of 
cemetery making had become an es- 
tablished practice in all up-to-date 
properties, and it was wisely conclud- 
ed to plat and conduct the new ad- 
dition under modern regulations and 
with the perpetual care provision. 
The grounds are park-like, abund- 
antly supplied with such standard 
About two miles of well construc- 
ted roadway have been provided with 
cement curbs, etc., and a system of 
tile drainage keeps the soil in proper 
condition for burial purposes. The 
receiving vault, with a capacity of ten 
bodies, is built of Blue Bedford lime- 
stone, with walls 12 in. thick and a 
heavy concrete floor, and cost $1,000. 
A chapel is under consideration for 
the near future, and besides this chap- 
el the further contemplated improve- 
ments comprise over a mile of con- 
crete sidewalks along the main road- 
w'ays, additional concrete curbing and 
an extension of the water main and 
hydrant system. 
The idea of perpetual care is be- 
while permitted are discouraged. The 
total burials have reached 4,751, with 
a present yearly average of about 160. 
One of the main causes of the un- 
satisfactory conditions of city-owned 
cemeteries is the indifference of the 
commissioners, leading to the uncer- 
tainty in terms of the office of the su- 
perintendent, upon whom so much 
depends. Dodge Grove is fortunate 
in this respect, however, for the sec- 
retary and superintendent, Mr. John 
E. Miller, has held office since 1892. 
Mr. Miller is secretary of the Illinois 
Cemetery Association, and a member 
of the Association of American Cem- 
etery Superintendents, and is a regu- 
lar attendant at its annual gatherings. 
