PARK AND CE/nCTERY. 
89 
The equestrian statue of General John A. Logan, for which 
the state of Illinois appropriated $50,000 some eight years ago, 
and the commission given to the sculptor Augustus St. Gaudens, 
is nearing completion in the sculptor’s studio. It has been in- 
spected both by Mrs. Logan and General Alger. The general 
pronounced it a spirited work, and historical as it represents an 
episode at the battle of Atlanta. It will be cast in bronze, and 
mounted on a marble pedestal in one of the Chicago parks. It 
is expected to be completed in one )ear. 
« * 
Ferns are always beautiful when the situation is 
favorable for their growth: the native ferns that 
will live and thrive in the same spot for years be- 
ing the ones to plant. I have in mind a lot in a 
quiet portion of a city cemetery where the only at- 
tempt at floral decoration was the planting of these 
beautiful ferns. The graves were neatly sodded 
and the grass kept closely cut. Around the mas- 
sive monument in the center of the lot was a solid 
bank of ferns at least a foot wide, and extending on 
all four sides of it. This was truly labor of love, 
for the ferns were brought from the woods by lov- 
ing hands and planted near the resting place of 
their loved dead ones. 
Bernice Baker in Vicks IMontkly. 
Curious Funeral Rites. 
The funeral of the Greek archbishop of Corfu, 
which took place recently, and which afforded an 
opportunity of witnessing the curious funeral rites 
accorded by the Greek church to so exalted an ec- 
clesiastic, is described as follows in the Nciv York 
Jonrnal: 
The archbishop was an old man, and his death 
was not unexpected. For more than a month the 
cathedral had been prepared for his “sitting in 
state.” The breath was hardly out of his body 
when the corpse was dressed in episcopal robes, and, 
without being embalmed, taken to the cathedral and 
placed in a golden arm chair, surrounded with 
lighted tapers, with the miter in one hand and the 
gospel in the other. The populace thronged to the 
church to view the body and to kiss the archbishop’s 
hand. The priest desired to keep the body there 
for three days, but the authorities had to interfere 
for the benefit of the public health. The funeral 
was accordingly arranged for the second day. The 
church bells tolled continuously, the theater and 
shops were closed, flags were hung at half mast and 
the street lamps lighted and draped with crape. 
The whole of the inhabitants, however, treated the 
occasion as a fete day, and appeared in their gayest 
clothes. The funeral procession started from the 
cathedral at 8:30 a. m. Three standard bearers 
with church standards flying preceded it, followed 
by about a dozen church beadles holding lighted 
gilded lanterns. Next came three town bands play- 
ing a funeral march, then boys carrying artificial 
wreaths. Thirty-five priests followed on each side. 
and an officer of the army holding a cushion with 
the Greek cross of the Savior and the Russian grand 
crosses of St. Anne. Then came the corpse tied to 
the arm chair — still holding the miter and gospel — 
carried by priests in gorgeous vestments, with the 
chief Greek officials taking the place of pall-bearers 
on each side. Directly behind followed the Roman 
Catholic archbishops and the representatives of for- 
eign powers. The men of the garrison, including 
the mounted battery and the crew of a Greek iron- 
clad, brought up the rear. On arrival at the ceme- 
tery the body was taken into the church, and from 
there to the grave, which was like a small room. A 
stone chair had been built in the middle, on which 
the corpse was seated, and a hanging oil lamp was 
arranged from the arch above. When the body 
was lowered and some earth thrown in, a salute of 
twenty-one guns was fired from the fort, as well as 
three volleys of musketry over the grave. The 
bands then returned playing opera airs. 
Camden, N. J., July i, 1895. 
Editor Park and Cemetery. 
Dear Sir: — I fail to see wherein your correspondent in re- 
ply to ENQUIRER in the issue of June, has answered my ques- 
tion in any particular, which was: Can you inform me whether 
a tax, or an assessment, can be collected from the owners of lots 
in cemeteries, or whether there has been a court decision in re- 
lation to the same in any of the states in the United States.” I 
am seeking information, being a lot holder in a cemetery in 
Pennsylvania, which imposes a yearly assessment upon the lot 
owners. With others I am desirous of instituting proceedings to 
stop what is considered to be an unwarranted and vicious act on 
the part of the management. The clause in the deed of trust 
which was granted by the incorporators ol the cemetery of which 
I speak, reads as. follows: For the purpose of defraying all or 
any expense the directors may assess on each of the said smaller 
lots a yearly sum not exceeding 75 cents and collect from the 
owners thereof. 
Your correspondent says: If I will look up the laws govern- 
ing cemeteries in New Jersey, I will find that no cemetery can 
tax a lot holder unless he or she may contribute toward improve- 
ments at their own option. Such was the understanding in 
Pennsylvania, and as cemeteries are not subject to taxation by 
the state or country authorities, it was supposed they could not 
assess their lot owners, or at least it would not be legal to do so. 
Again there is no specific law governing cemeteries in the states 
named further than their acts of incorporation, and the rules 
and regulations made by their directors in pursuance thereof, so 
that the task assigned me to look up the law by your correspon- 
dent is rather a Herculean job. I have however obtained the foll- 
owing official facts: A resident of Lycoming Co., Penn., by pur- 
chase became a lot owner in the Ivy Hill Cemetery of that coun- 
try. Shortly after the purchase, the directors of said cemetery, 
passed a resolution assessing a tax upon each lot holder. The 
purchaser dissented and was sued for the tax and the case was 
taken into court; Judge Metzger on the bench, (Sept . 1890)^ 
decided that cemetery corporations could not tax their lot hold- 
ers for improvement purposes. 
