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park: and cemetery. 
CEMETERY NOTES. 
Previous to adjournment and under suspension of the rules, 
Congress passed a bill: “Opening National Cemeteries to the 
burial of army nurses. 
* * * 
The Russian- American residents of Minneapolis, Minn., 
and vicinity, are taking steps to secure a plot of ground with a 
view to establishing a cemetery for their own use. 
* * * 
At the recent meeting of the stockholders of the Montgom- 
ery Cemetery Company, Norristown, Pa. , three women direct- 
ors were elected, the first time in the history of the company. 
* * * 
In Crown Hilt Cemetery, Indianapolis, Ind., during the last 
ofhciat year there had been i 253 interments, making a total of 
23,575, of which 16,445 3 ^''^ in iots, 6,285 in single graves and 785 
are soldiers. 
» * * 
The propriety of providing shelter houses in our cemeteries 
is a growing idea. The trustees of cemeteries of Malden, Mass., 
in their last report suggested that they be provided with funds to 
build a suitable structure as a shelter from sun and rain and a 
place of rest. Here is an opportunity for an appropriate memor- 
ial, backed up by official suggestion. 
* * * 
The annual report of Woodlawn Cemetery, New York, 
states that in 1895 2,105 interments were made bringing up the 
total to date, 48,561. There were erected 206 monuments at an 
estimated cost of $129,825 and nine mausoleums at 1129,000. At 
request of lot owners arbor vitas hedges have been removed from 
524 lots leaving- only 27 thus enclosed, and no hedges or borders 
will be permitted in the future. 
* * * 
Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, Me., is remodelling its main 
entrance, in order to carry out the idea of cheerfulness and at- 
tractiveness in approaches to the cemetery. When completed 
the work will be a pattern for other such undertakings. Very 
few noteworthy additions have been made in mortuary monu- 
ments m this cemetery the past two or three years, but there is 
the prospect of a fine monument to be erected next spring, the 
foundations of which will be built the coming fall. 
* 
The cemetery trustees of Lansing, Mich., have instructed 
the city treasurer who holds a number of overdue notes on ceme- 
tery lots, to notify the signers of the notes that unless the same 
are immediately taken up, the bodies interred in such lots 
will be removed and reinterred in the Potters Field and the 
lots declared vacant. The action does not contemplate perse, 
cuting those placed in unfortunate circumstances, but to enforce 
payment from those well able to meet their obligations, but who 
have neglected their duty. A similiar course was resorted to 
some years ago with good results. 
» * * 
Fora few years past an innovation in funeral customs has 
been steadily gaining ground in New York and vicinity; it is 
that of holding funeral services at night. It serves two ends 
conspicuously, that of economy, and also of enabling friends to 
attend without serious loss of time . It is also in line with the 
change in regard to pall bearers, the large majority of funerals 
being conducted without this formality. Night funerals are held 
jjoth at the home and at the church; if at the church, after the 
service the body is taken either to the home or to the underta- 
kers for the night, and in the morning the simplest service is 
carried out and the body taken to the grave without further ser- 
vice. Many funerals are now held at the undertaking establish- 
ments, which offer certain advantages as to space and economy. 
* * * 
The report of the board of Trustees of the new cemetery. 
Lake Side, Erie, Pa., covering the period for the year ending 
May I, 1896, has just been issued. The cemetery was organized 
in April 1895 and charter granted the same month. The work 
of improvement was commenced August 10, 1895 and continued 
until Nov. 10. to be resumed April i, of this year and continued 
therefrom. During this time 12 acres were graded, 53^ acres 
seeded, 3 circles seeded, 3,385 feet of drains and tiles laid, and 
4973 feet of roads graded and nearly completed. A large nurn- 
ber of trees and shrubs were planted out, a nursery for young 
stock established, and work so advanced that the company is 
about ready for interment! and sale of lots. The cemetery is 
beautifully located, with frontage on the shore of Lake Erie, of 
about 3 mile, with an average height of bank thereon of over 50 
feet. 
■X- * * 
Commendable progress is being made in the St. John, N. B. 
Rural Cemetery, to bring it under the modern ideas of cemetery 
management. The task is a difficult one, old notions to be dis- 
placed, new ideas to be inculcated, funds to be provided and 
much tact and business effort expended to bring about satisfac- 
tory results in the shortest possible time. In the above case pro- 
gressive officials made it a point to seriously study the best ex- 
amples in the nearest states and to follow it up by active en- 
deavor. Thirty six lots have been placed under perpetual care, 
and in 1895 454 w'ere under annual care. The number of inter- 
ments in 1895 were 279. Many improvements have been car- 
ried out on the property. An important suggestion is made in 
the report just issued relative to the care of the lots and monu- 
ments of the “old worthies” of the locality whose burial places 
are neglected, but who served their generation well. Generous 
citizens are entreated to subscribe towards putting these neglect- 
ed spots in order and for their perpetual care. 
* * * 
Some interesting suggestions are conveyed in the nineteenth 
annual report of the Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, S. C. A 
large amount of improvement is being carried out. and an in- 
ovation in cemetery improvement, is that of creating a park out 
of a portion of the land too low for burial purposes. This is to 
be planted out and provided with seats and will form a beauti 
ful resting spot. Some 10,000 interments have been made in the 
cemetery since its opening, and 22oolotssold. The total receipts 
from sales of lots have been I173.732. Twenty per cent has been 
funded from the sale of lots, which now amounts to 135,564.57. 
Only from 3 to 5 per cent has been paid in dividends to the 
stockholders, the balance having all been expended in improv- 
ing the property. The perpetual care fund now amounts to 
$24,216.50. Magnolia cemetery has suffered considerably from 
natural causes the past few )ears. In his report, the president, 
Mr. Geo. W, Williams says: “I am sorry to report severa 
hundred private lots in Magnolia which are totally neglected. 
Expensive monuments, iron fences and brick enclosures, which 
were shaken down by the earthquake of ’86 and by the storms of 
’93 and ’94, remain uncared for and are covered with briars, 
bushes and squalid growth, thus marring the beauty of the Cem- 
etery. The trustees are so dissatisfied at the condition of the un- 
cared for lots that at a recent meeting they gave the superin- 
tendent of the Cemetery authority to put the abandoned lots in 
order at the expense of the owners. Five thousand dollars are 
needed for repairs due to the storms and earthquake, This will 
be expended as rapidly as realued. 
