148 
PARK AND CEMETERY, 
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CEMETERY NOTES. iQ\gr&sv 
The President of the Missouri Crematory Association, in a 
recent report makes a very good showing for the past twelve 
months. There were 106 cremations as against 85 in the previ- 
ous year, there having been a large increase in business, of these 
34 were natives of the United States, 59 of Germany, and the 
balance of other nationalities. 
* * * 
The Cemetery Board of New Bedford, Mass., has recently 
received a unique historical memorial in the shape of a gavel 
made from a piece of the keel of the old U. S. frigate Constitu- 
tion. It was sent to the board by Mr. H. E. Rulow, of Philadel- 
phia, in acknowledgement of courtesies extended in connection 
with the death of his brother. The gift was accepted and ac- 
knowledged, and a silver plate will be inscribed with the data 
and affixed to the gavel. 
* * * 
A recent ordinance passed by the common council of the 
city of St. Paul, Minn., provides: “That the dead body of every 
human being that shall be interred in any grave in any cemetery 
in the city of St. Paul shall be placed in a substantial coffin or 
casket, wooden or other material, and shall be placed in such 
grave at least three feet below the surface of the earth.” De- 
faulting this ordinance involves a fine of from $20 to $100, or im- 
prisonment in St. Paul workhouse of from 15 to 90 days. 
* * * 
A disgraceful piece of work was recently perpetrated by pos- 
sible grave robbers in St. Peters cemetery, Troy, N. Y. On his 
morning rounds Mr. John L. Sullivan, superintendent, noticed 
that the newly made grave of a Mrs. Schwartzs had been opened. 
Closer investigation found the coffin on the edge of the opening 
with the lid of the polished oak box torn off, and the glass of the 
coffin shattered. The body had apparently been taken from the 
coffin, and afterwards crowded back. In their hurry the grave 
robbers tore most of the clothing from the corpse. Various con- 
jectures were made as to the purpose of the desecration, and the 
matter at once given over to the police. 
* * # 
The Chinese residents of the United States have finally se- 
cured a site for a cemetery. It is located at Wynnewood, Lower 
Menon, Pa., and will cost 1350,000. It is on the main line of 
the Pennsylvania railroad, and is widely known as St. Mary’s 
farm. It is triangular and contains 109 acres. The property 
will be held under a trust deed by an American citizen for the 
syndicate. In the northeast corner of the plot, a section of fif- 
teen acres will be devoted to the building of a joss house, wherein 
the Mongolians will hold their religious ceremonies attending 
the burial of their dead, and their various festivals. There is 
only one other cemetery in the country devoted to the exclusive 
use of the Chinese, and that is on the Pacific coast. 
* * * 
The absolute aversion of the Mussulman and other Eastern 
religionists to conform to modern ideas is well illustrated in In- 
dia, and is the cause of much difficulty with the English govern- 
ment officers to promote better conditions. Speaking of the re- 
cent terrible black plague in Bombay a writer in the Chicago 
Tribune said: “Day and night the acrid smoke from the burn- 
ing ghats floated across the city. Their fires never went out, yet 
there were more corpses than could be burned, waiting their 
slow turn. The Mohammedan graveyards, too, were full. There 
are a couple of them, one on the Queen’s road, one on the Grant 
road, both in the heart of the city. Some day they may be in- 
strumental in bringing a renewal of the plague upon Bombay. 
Even now the awakened municipality is trying to persuade the. 
Mussulmans to bury their dead out of town. This request is met 
with stern refusal.” 
* * * 
The twentieth annual meeting of the stockholders of Mag- 
nolia Cemetery, Charleston, S. C., was held June 10th. This 
cemetery which is -approaching its half century mark has gone 
through many trying vicissitudes in its early days, not the least of 
which was its occupation by federal troops during the war. This 
involved a heavy loss to its owners and destruction to the ceme- 
tery. The devotion and energy of its officers have again brought 
it to the condition of one of the most beautiful in the south. 
President Geo. W. Williams in his report says: “I have made 
a careful estimate of the unsold lots in the cemetery and unless 
there is a large increase in the population of Charleston it will 
take thirty years to sell all the lots. The trustees’ reserve fund, 
which is now $36,850.05, will doubtless be sufficient when all the 
lots are sold to keep the grounds in order forever. The special 
Perpetual Care Fund, authorized by our State Legislature, is in- 
creasing each year; the interest derived from that trust will 
keep each lot put in perpetual care as long as there is a Magno- 
lia cemetery. Our twenty-five hundred lot holders, with their 
ten thousand dead who sleep in the quiet and peaceful Magnolia, 
are interested in the perpetuity of the cemetery.” 
* * * 
The convention of the Society of American Florists just ad- 
journed at Providence, R. I., made Swan Point cemetery an ob- 
ject of special interest. Mr. W. H. Mason describing the ceme- 
tery in The Florist's Exchange says among other things: “The 
grounds contain about 230 acres, of which 5 acres are owned and 
controlled by the First Congregational Church, and have been in 
charge of Timothy McCarthy as superintendent since 1876. Of 
first importance no doubt are the fine macadamized driveways 
which traverse and intersect the grounds in all directions. Some 
of these are beyond comparison and must be seen to be appre- 
ciated. Within the grounds nurseries for hardy vines and shrubs 
have been started, and throughout the premises the use of de- 
ciduous and evergreen trees and vines have been largely encour- 
aged and increased during the past few years. The north bound- 
ary of the cemetery has been defined by a rugged boulder wall 
that in its originality and novelty is striking and attractive. 
Along the border of its south face have been planted shrubs and 
vines which have overgrown the rocks until the latter are largely 
hidden. In one of its miniature lakes is the cascade, falling 
amid masses of foam and spray over a rocky declivity in the side 
of the huge boulders into the basin like pond beneath. In all 
these miniature lakes are propagated aquatic plants of varied 
families. Hours could be pleasantly and profitably employed 
here amid native shrubbery, trailing vines, flowering plants, 
stately trees and choice exotics, and so artistic and harmonious, 
yet withal diversified are those offered that one never tires in 
his wanderings and study.” 
* * * 
The Daughters of the Revolution at Hartford, Conn., have 
undertaken a very interesting work in the line of restoring and 
preserving the tombstones and monuments of the old Centre 
Church cemetery of that city. This cemetery contains the re- 
mains of many noted persons of early colonial days, and the so- 
ciety has succeeded in working up an enthusiasm which prom- 
ises to effect a thorough renovation of the old and sacred spot. 
It is said that this cemetery was the only one in Hartford be- 
tween the years 1640 and 1840 and hence a historic halo encom- 
passes it, which should invoke all the necessary zeal to perfect 
the work of restoration and improvement. Among the stones 
undergoing restoration are those of ev-Governor Leete; Colonel 
Nathan Payson, the famous scout who died in 1761; Joseph Col- 
your, died 1769: John Laurence who for twenty years was treas- 
