PARK AND CCMCTCRY 
ti6 
The Cemetery Superintendents’ Ninth Annual 
Convention. 
The ninth annual convention of the Association 
of American Cemetery Superintendents was held at 
the Hotel Murphy, Richmond, Va., Sept., i 8 , 19 , 
20 th, and like the previous annual gatherings of the 
association was well attended by representative 
cemetery officials from different sections of the 
country. Fourteen states were represented by 
about fifty superintendents, many of them being 
accompanied by their wives. 
At the opening session prayer was offered by 
Rev. Dr. George Cooper of the First Baptist Church. 
Mr. George L. Christian, on behalf of the city ex- 
tended the most cordial welcome to the visitors. 
His address was made especially entertaining by 
reference to Richmond’s important place in the his- 
tory of our country. Mr. O. C. Simonds, of Chi- 
cago delivered his first address as president of the 
association; it is printed in full in another column 
and should receive the careful consideration of cem- 
etery officials whether they are identified with this 
association or not. Mr. Simonds is an ardent ad- 
vocate of cemetery reform and his excellent ad- 
dress contains much food for thought along such 
lines. 
The annual report of the Secretary and Treas- 
urer, Frank Eurich, showed the association to be 
in a flourishing financial condition with a member- 
ship of 136 . Eight new members were enrolled at 
this meeting. 
The papers read were as follows: Cemeteries on 
the Western Plains and their Ornamentation, J. Y. 
Craig, Omaha, Neb.; Irrigation in Cemeteries, by 
F. von Holdt, Denver, Col.; Our Experience with 
Road Drainage, by J. C. Cline, Dayton, O. This 
was one of the most practical papers read before 
the convention and was followed by a general dis- 
cussion of the subject of drainage. Cementing all 
pipes used for mains and laterals was recommended, 
to keep out roots, dirt, etc. Green Houses in 
Cemeteries, by J. G. Barker, Boston, Mass. Mr. 
Barker submitted with his instructive paper ab- 
stracts from a large number of letters received from 
cemetery superintendents on the subject. He fa- 
vors a judicious use of flowers and strongly recom- 
mends hardy herbaceous shrubs. Cemetery Boun- 
daries, by T. McCarthy, Providence, R. I.; Obsta- 
cles to be Overcome in Starting a New Cemetery, 
byj. Gunn, Whitingsville, Mass.; Grading, by F. 
Eurich, Toledo, Ohio; Suggestions for the Benefit 
of our Association, by Chaales Nichols, Newark, 
N. J.; Rambling Thoughts, by Wm. T. Lockwood 
of Tarrytown-on-the-Hudson, N. Y.; Suggestions 
from a Monument Dealer, by J. H. Lloyd, Toledo, 
O. and Economy in Laying Out New Grounds, by 
Geo. PL Rhedemeyer, Camden, N. J. 
In addition to the papers, foundations, windmills, 
taxation and several other subjects were profitably 
discussed. St. Louis, Mo., was chosen as place for 
the next meeting, at a time to be decided upon by 
the executive committee. The officers consisting of 
O. C. Simonds, Chicago, 111., president, George 
W. Creesy, Salem, Mass., vice-president, and Frank 
Eurich, Toledo, O., secretary and treasurer were 
reelected for the ensuing year. M. P. Brazill, St. 
Louis, Mo., R. P. Boyce, Genesee, 111, and S. W. 
Rubee, Marshalltown, la., were appointed as exe- 
cutive committee. Resolutions of respect were 
adopted on the death of J. W. Lovering of Boston, 
Mass., and M. B. Ryan of Providence, R. 1. 
The program of entertainment arranged by Mr. 
John R. Hooper superintendent of Hollywood Cem- 
etery, Richmond, included drives in the afternoons 
to parks, cemeteries and principal points of inter- 
est in and around the city of which more will be 
said in our next issue. A unique and thoroughly 
enjoyable entertainment on the second evening of 
the convention, furnished by local talent was the 
source of much merriment. Capt. Cunningham 
whose friends are legion, acted as master of ceremo- 
nies and provided such a feast of singing, story 
telling and sport making as will not soon be forgot- 
ten. Mr. Hooper was untiring in his energies to 
entertain the visitors. In addition to a formal res- 
olution passed by the association expressing their 
appreciation of Mr. Hooper’s labors a more tangible 
evidence of it was expressed in a token which was 
tendered to him before the superintendents and 
their friends took their departure from the capital 
city of old Virginia, which closed the ninth annunl 
convention. 
president’s address. 
It seems to me fitting that the opening address should re- 
view in a general way the past work of the Association in order 
that new members may be placed as nearly as possible on the 
same footing with those who have attended former meetings. It 
should also outline the work to be done in the future. 
The Association has been favored in many ways. Its first 
president was a man full of years and experience, but abounding 
also in that enthusiasm which is supposed to distinguish youth; 
Its second president, a man of culture and refinement with that 
good natured generous disposition that endears itself to all. Its 
third presiding officer, who took charge of the meeting at Minn- 
eapolis in 1893 and the meeting at Philadelphia last year, furn- 
ishes an e.xample of energy combined with good judgment that 
must stimulate all who come in contact with him at these meet- 
ings, to greater industry and greater thoughtfulness. But fort- 
unate as we have been in securing the services of these men, we 
have been still more fortunate in having the controlling influence 
or spirit that has very largely guided and directed our efforts; 
that of the late Adolph Strauch, whom 1 think you will all con- 
cede to have been the most artistic in his taste and most pro- 
gressive in his ideas of what a cemetery should be, of any man 
that has lived in this country. Many of you have heard me praise 
Mr. Strauch before, but I think 1 have never given him more 
praise than was his due. We seldom acknowledge our debts 
too often. 
Our first meeting could not have been held in a more suit- 
able place than Cincinnati, because there we could see Spring 
Grove, which in many ways furnishes an example of what a cem- 
etery should be. We have learned from it and from the papers 
and discussions at our various meetings during the last eight 
years, that a cemetery should resemble a park; that its lawns 
should be continuous over an entire section; that its drives should 
be reduced to the number actually needed to allow carriages to 
come within a reasonable distance of each lot; that these drives 
should have easy grades and should generally be curved, that 
they should be properly drained and properly constructed so that 
their surfaces will be smooth and durable, and should be kept in 
good repair, on the principle that “a stitch in time saves nine”; 
that there should be a variety of trees and shrubs arranged in 
groups so as to produce pleasing effects in themselves and pre- 
