264 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
of science. Here again the Rhododendron on the border of 
the great Prairie, and the finding it here is not more surprising 
than the thousands of acres covered with luxuriant peach 
orchards on the east shore of Lake Michigan. Try this on the 
west or Illinois side. Other damaging influence are the 
sudden changes in temperature and late frost in spring. 
Jiifncs Jensen. 
» » » 
A Drainage Problem. 
F. R. Pd. : At one corner of our cemetery about two feet 
below the surface is a vein, two feet thick, of what seems to be 
between a clay and a quicksand, which prevents the surface 
water from sinking away. Below this in some places is a thin 
vein of gravel and below this a real quicksand. I want to 
uuderdrain it with tile placed five or six feet deep and covered 
with gravel to the depth of one foot. Now will the water find 
its way down through the upper vein of clay (or quicksand) 
to the tile or should the gravel reach to top of clay? 
I think the drains proposed placed five or six feet 
below the surface (preferably six feet ) will dry up the land. 
I assume, of course, that the drains will have a free outlet. 
The water would gradually soak through the clay and quick- 
sand, but the cutting of a ditch through this layer for the 
purpose of laying the drain will necessarily mix the different 
layers and greatly assist drainage. The character of the 
ground will gradually improve after the drain pipes have 
been put in. It is not necessary that the gravel should reach 
to the top of the clay. If, however, the surface of the ground 
is of such shape as to form a basin, it might be well to place a 
catch basin at the lowest point so as to remove surplus winter 
from excessive storms quickly, and it w'ould also prevent the 
forming of a tenipo.-ary pond from the melting snow when the 
groand is frozen. O. C. Simonds. 
* * * 
Monuman's in Cemeteries. 
I have refraimed replying earlier to the communication, 
which appears on page 216 of the November issue, of your 
valuable paptr. Hoping that some person else might take 
part in the discussion. In the first place I must give a most 
emphatic denial to the statement that my previous letter gives 
on erroneous idea of the work of our convention. Your 
correspondent, to my mind does not refute, by one iota, my 
contention, that Artistic Monumental work, suitably located, 
does not detract from the park like appearance, desirable in a 
modern Cemetery. A visit to any of our most prominent 
cemeteries, such as Spring Grove, Swan Point, West Laurel 
Hill and many others will amply sustain my remarks. 
Cemeteries can be park-like consistent with the fact that they 
are cemeteries. Your correspondent need be under no 
apprehensions as to the cemetery at present under my care 
becoming a “stone yard,’’ so long as the Rules laid down for 
its guidance are enforced. Indeed many visitors call it a park 
The illustration, plate i on page 216 showing as it does, 
several gr<ive markers, and a monument, strengthens my 
position. None of the stone work shown detracts from the 
beauty of that picture. But if trees had been planted on the 
lawn, even at every 100 feet, what would have become of the 
vista. The scene would indeed be changed and not present a 
verv park like appearance. 
The following which I have taken the liberty of culling 
from The Monu.hEnt.vi. News, for last November, about covers 
all that can be well said upon the subject, and so fully 
expresses my ideas, as to render unnecessary any more 
correspondence on my part. 
“In our landscape cemeteries, while the\' demand a better 
class of monumental work, something to harmonize from an 
artistic standpoint with the art now exercised,.in the landscape 
effects, the result is not to detract from the monument, but 
rather to frame it and attract to its lines and proportions the 
attention which good work will invariably attract. In the 
growing taste of the .•American people the lime has gone past 
when, in the larger communities, anything but really artistic 
work will be permitted in the modern cemeteries. There 
must be an artistic relation between the landscape and the 
memorial monument and there must also be variety in design. 
It is impossible to believe that old time designs, and those 
frequently duplicated, will ever again be permitted to be 
erected in the cemetery as it is being developed to-day. The 
art displayed in the landscape w'ork, unrivalled in certain 
examples anywhere in the world, has not been developed to be 
marred by inappropriate monuments and it is therefore well to 
dwell upon the idea, that the details of landscape work, its 
planting and foliage schemes will serve to add grace and 
dignity to the monument appropriately designed for the 
situation it is intended to occupj'.’’ 
These remarks I think most cemetery men will agree 
with me “Covers the bill,’’ and if the excellent advice given is 
followed, there will be little likelihood of any of our park 
like Cemeteries, becoming Stone A’^ards. Bellett Lawson. 
* iS- # 
A Correction. 
We are advised that in the printed ii port of the proceed 
ings of the last convention of the Association of American 
Cemetery Superintendents held in Cleveland in September 
last, several errors erept into the stenographer’s transcript of 
Mr. W. N. Rudd’s extemporaneous remarks, which, naturally, 
he would like to see corrected. The word water has been used 
instead of mortar in the ist, 4th and 5th lines from the top of 
page 40 in the printed volume; on the 2d line from bottom of 
page 40 the word knack is mis.spelled; and in the 2d line from 
bottom of page 39, sections should read cements. 
NOTES. 
A bill has been framed for presentation to Congress pro- 
viding for a national park in New Mexico, including the reser- 
vation in which are the ruins of the homes and cities of the 
Cliff Dwellers. There should be no dissentient voice to the 
protecting by government of these remains. They are of both 
historic and scientific import. 
♦ * * 
J. R. Johnson, president of the Rock Falls, 111 ., Mfg. Co. 
has designed a trolley electric funeral train to be used over the 
electric line to traverse Rcckford, 111 ., and adjacent towns. A 
trolley hearse in jet black with heavy plate glass through 
which the coffin may be seen, will head the train. The Cf ffin 
will rest on a bier that will be a car fixture, and the motorman 
will be completely shut off from the interior of the hearse and 
will reach his seat from the outside of the car. The next car 
w'ill be in black and gold, arranged in compartments. The 
front section will l)e for flowers and these will be visible 
through windows of heavy plate. Back of this the rest of the 
car will be curtained off and partitioned after the effect of 
closed carriages. They will contain the chief mourners, the 
minister and the pallbearers. The compartment for’ the 
mourners will be so constructed as to give them them the 
greatest privacy. Following this will be trail cars for those at- 
tending the funeral. 
