PARK AND CC/nCTCR>'. ^85 
The death rate in Minneapolis for the past eighteen months 
has been the lightest ever known, and the cemeteries are feeling 
the hard times. On the other hand some of the eastern cem- 
eteries show by their reports to have done a much larger bus- 
iness in sales of lots and receipts than last year. 
* -x- * 
The recent cyclone played havoc in a cemetery at Oakwocd, 
Mich. All the monumental work was leveled to the ground 
with but few exceptions. The wind carried a cap weightng some 
3.000 lbs. twelve feet away from the monument and lifted the die 
of the same monument, depositing it several feet away. G. C 
Brown, Pontiac, Mich., wrires that he has reset over 40 monu- 
ments and a large number of headstones and tablets. In many 
cases caps were carried so far it was difficult to find to what they 
belonged. A piece of a stone lid was driven through a white 
bronze monument, leaving a hole about eight inches in diame- 
ter. Much further damage has been done by relic hunters, 
thousands of people having visited the cemetery. 
* * * 
In the report for 1895 of Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn 
N. Y., the sales of lots for 1895 amounted to $187,162.95, a larger 
amount than that for any previous year. For single graves $14,- 
921 was received. The total amount of receipts including bal- 
ances was $568,243.68. Among the disbursements were: Labor 
$135,664.76; Improvements, $21,621.49; Maintenance, $16,595.- 
42. During the year $143,263.26 was added to the general fund 
for the Improvement and Permanent Care of the cemetery, in- 
creasing this fund to $1,848,065.32. For the Trust fund for the 
special and permanent care of lots, 134.917. 39 was received, 
the largest yearly sum recorded, increasing this fund to :?437,- 
174.80 A hedge now completed surrounds the cemetery which 
in a few years will comparatively isolate it. The average num- 
ber of men employed is 244; ranging between 1 10 and 366. The 
cemetery owns 21 horses and for the summer woik others are 
hired as wanted. 
* * * 
Lakewood Cemetery, Lake City, Minn., has issued its usual 
annual, containing the necessary information for the guidance of 
lot owners and purchasers, the annual report of the association^ 
extracts from rules, regutations etc., and many paragraphs and 
quotations tending to the enlightenment of the lot owner looking 
to the welfare of the cemetery. It is especially pointed in the 
matter of perpetual care, in relation to which the secretary 
wisely says: “It seems to me a much more worthy expression of 
love for the departed to see that their last resting place is kept 
in a neat and tidy manner, than to erect a monument to their 
memory and then forget them and the lot in which they are 
buried.” The publication of this little annual is a feature to be 
highly commended, especially to our smaller cemeteries. 
A Natural Mausoleum. 
One of the most curious mausoleums in the world was dis- 
covered recently, says Public Opinion, in an orchard at the vil- 
age of Noebdenitz, in Saxe-Altenburg. A gigantic oak tree, 
which a storm had robbed of its crown was up for public auction, 
Among the bidders happened to be Baron von Thummel, scion 
of a family of ancient lineage who lives on a neighboring estate, 
and who had ridden to the auction place quite accidentally. Fin- 
ally the tree was knocked down to him for 200 marks. Upon 
his arrival at the castle he told an old servant of his purchase- 
describing the tree and its situation. The old servant said he 
remembered attending the funeral of a Baron Thummel seventy 
or eighty years ago, and that the body had been buried in a 
thousand-year- old oak, belonging to the parsonage. Investiga- 
tion clearly proved that the orchard had once been the property 
of the village church, and at one side of the old oak was an iron 
shutter, rusty and time-worn, that the people of the town had 
always supposed to have been placed there by some joker or 
mischievous boys. The iron shutter proved to be the gate to the 
mausoleum of Baron Hans Wilhelm von Thummel, at one time 
minister of the state of Saxe-Altenburg, who died in 1824, and 
wished to be buried “in the thousand-year-old tree he loved so 
well.” In the hollow of the tree Baron Hans caused to be built 
a sepulchre of solid masonry, large enough to accommodate his 
coffin. The coffin was placed there, as the church records show, 
on March 3, 1824, and the opening was closed by an iron gate. 
In the course of time ;• wall of wood grew over the opening, 
which had been enlarged to admit the coffin and the workmen, 
ind for many years it has been completely shut, thus removing 
the last vestige of the odd use to which the old tree had been put 
The tree has still some life in it, and its rich verdure is only 
now turning a violent tint. The coffin in which Baron Hans re- 
poses has on one side grown to the tree, the dead and the live 
wood joining together in eternal embrace. 
Lynn, Mass., June 7, 1896. 
Editor Park and Cemetery, 
Dear Sir: A short time since a communication appeared 
in your paper from our good Brother Nichols. He asked where 
is Brother Stonte, is he asleep? Far from it Brother Nichols, I 
will admit that I have been dilatory in writing. If I should at- 
tempt to offer an excuse it would be the old story, rush of busi- 
ness, but that is no excuse, I have been very busy with my 
usual spring work, which is the same in all Cemeteries. Mem- 
orial Day has gone and we can now breathe easy, but still plenty 
to do. The time is drawing nigh for our convention, and I hope 
we will all strive to make it a grand success, and that all who at- 
tend will gc to their respective homes rich in knowledge gained. 
I am always pleased to take up the Park and Cemetery, and 
read a communication from a Superintendent. It keeps us 
nearer together, although many miles are between us, yet the 
Park .-^nd Cemetery does much toward bringing us in com- 
munion with each other, which is certainly beneficial to us as 
an association. Brother Nichols has woke me up and I hope I shall 
wake some one else up. I sent you a copy of our rules and reg- 
ulations, and called your attention to the clause that prohibited 
work on Sundays. There is too much work done in cemeteries 
on that day. Some work may be necessary, but nine-tenths of 
the work done on that day can be done on a week day. Bodies 
brought in Pine Grove on Sunday are left at the tomb and hur- 
ried on Monday. If any of the family are desirous of witnessing 
the burial they have that privilege. It is rarely a person asks to 
have a burial made on Sunday, and no applications are made to 
purchase lots. An officer is on the grounds to give directions to 
visitors. I have set out about a hundred trees this spring, dif- 
ferent varieties of maples, cut leaf birch and purple leaf birch, 
and varieties of retinosporas. My lily pond is undergoing its 
spring renovating and I am looking forward to an attractive dis- 
play of aquatics, I hope this communication will inspire others 
to write, so that we shall see a goodly supply in the July number, 
I think we would like to hear from Brother Phipps, He was not 
at Richmond, and we missed him much, I am writing five miles 
from Brother Creesy and am near enough to keep him toned dowm 
I think I will wake him up to write something for the July num- 
er. More anon. IVilUam Stone. 
