PARK AND CC.HCTCRY. 
i6i 
are but few graves on which are not to be found the floral me- 
mentoes of love and friendship. The only heroes who sleep m 
the ground are nameless ones, the 750 soldiers who were killed 
on the plains of Mexico, whose bones are mingled together in a 
single grave. In memory of these a simple granite shaft about 
six feet high standing on a square pedestal has been raised and 
on top is a torch of diminutive size, made also of dark granite. 
On one side is the inscription; 
To the memory of the American 
Soldiers who perished in this 
Valley in 1847, whose bones. 
Collected by their country’s order. 
Are here buried. 
On the other side is a marble tablet inserted in the granite, 
on which are written without comment; 
Contreras 
Churubusco 
Molino del Rey 
Chapultepec 
Mexico. 
Cemetery Accounting, IV. 
Probably the most important of all cemetery 
books is the Record of Interments. Such a record 
is kept in most cemeteries and should be in all. 
The form adopted may differ in arrangement, but 
the system generally is based upon the same idea 
— that of keeping the full details connected with 
each interment. 
The importance of keeping a record of such de- 
tails is frequently disregarded in smaller places, 
where but little more than the name of the deceased, 
age and date of burial are preserved. On the other 
hand, some of the smaller cemeteries keep a com- 
plete biography of each resident of the “silent 
city,” which has, of course, a certain local value. 
There is no doubt whatever that between these 
two extremes a proper and sufficient record should 
be made, as past experience in unexpected inher- 
itance difficulties has made apparent over and over 
again.’ Local history has also rights in the matter. 
The Record of Interments ordinarily kept by 
the principal cemeteries may be classified as follows; 
No. of Interment; Name of Deceased; Place of 
Birth; Late Residence; Age; Sex; Social State; 
Date of Death; Cause of Death; Date of Interment; 
Place of Interment; Section and Lot; Name ofUn- 
dertaker; Name of nearest Relative, Friend, or 
Physician. 
Important features in such books, which should 
not be overlooked, are quality of paper used and 
substantiality of binding, as the Record of Inter- 
ments in any cemetery, being almost in constant 
use, requires that it should be equal to the wear and 
tear incident to its continual service. 
The Cemetery of Spring Grove, Cincin- 
nati, O. — The annual meeting of the lot-holders 
of Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, O., was 
held last month, at which the election of officers was 
held and reports received. Complimentary resolu- 
tions were unanimously passed commending the 
efficiency of Mr. Salway, superintendent, and 
Joseph C. Spear, secretary. The secretary’s re- 
port showed receipts, including last year’s balance 
of $347.78, amounting to $74,177.94. This com- 
prised among other matters: Sale of lots, $29,- 
785.45; interments, foundations and single graves, 
$20,031.18; care of lots, $6,918.35; trust fund, 
$3,330. The disbursements amounted to $70,- 
146.15, which included: Labor, material, watch 
and gatekeeper, $27,618.52; interments and foun- 
dations, $7,752.81, and salaries, $9,450. The 
trust fund for perpetual care amounts to $28,700. 
The number of lots sold during the year were 97, and 
fractions 29, equal in area to 44,619 square feet; 
number of burial permits, 1,402; number of single 
graves occupied, 11,374; total number of interments 
to date, 58,342, and number of lot-holders, 9,538. 
Among the interesting matter in Mr. Salway’s 
report is the following: 
“The labor during the year amounted to 15,- 
996 days, 3,476 days less than the previous year; 
the exceedingly dry weather has prevented the grass 
from growing, and in consequence the mowing and 
cleaning of the grounds has not required as much 
labor the past as that of the previous year by 3,- 
549 days, enabling us to supply that amount of 
time to the extension and improvement of new 
grounds. We have improved about four acres of 
land and have made and stoned 76,000 square feet 
of roads. Some of the improvements made during 
the past year have necessitated the moving of 40,- 
000 yards of earth. The rainfall is far below the 
average, only 23 inches of water for the past year, 
the average temperature for the year 53J^ degrees, 
the highest being 97 degrees, the lowest 10 degrees 
below zero.” 
Obituary. 
The Association of American Cemetery Super- 
intendents has lost two of its members in recent 
months. 
On September 28th, there passed away at Bay 
City, Mich. , Mr. George Renshaw, the first and 
only superintendent employed on Elm Lawn Ceme- 
tery, Bay City, Mich. He succumbed to Bright’s 
disease, after an illness of only three months, aged 
46 years. He was buried in the cemetery he had 
done so much to beautify. 
* * Jjf 
On October 13th, Mr. James Hargraves, superin- 
tendent of Wiltwyck Rural Cemetery, Kingston, 
Ulster Co., New York, died aged 69 years. For 
eighteen consecutive years he had had charge of the 
above cemetery, quite a long service faithfully per- 
formed. 
