PARK AND CEMETERY 
211 
fire January 20. The house was a two-story brick structure 
and stood opposite the entrance to the cemetery. The fire 
started from an over-heated furnace and spread with great 
rapidity and almost without hindrance, on account of the 
lack of fire apparatus. Mr. and Mrs. Meisch and their 
child escaped, but the contents of the house, including the 
clothing of the family and a sum of money, were con- 
sumed. ■; 
4 * 
The annual report of the Rural Cemetery, Worcester, 
Mass., shows the following financial statements for the year 
1903: Investments ip banks and railroad shares, $52,730; in- 
vestments in notes, secured by mortgage of real estate, $19,- 
030; investments in savings banks, $11,000; cash, $6,892.68; 
total, $89,652.68. The general fund had a balance to its 
credit December 31, 1903, of $5,516.43, leaving a total of 
funds, belonging to the corporation, of $95,169.11. During 
the year deeds of gift have been received for the perpetual 
care of lots amounting to $1,200. Fourteen foundations for 
monuments were built and 36 headstones set. 
* * * 
The annual report of J. C. Cline, superintendent of Wood- 
land Cemetery, Dayton, O., contains this paragraph on Sun- 
day funerals : “The abolishing of Sunday funerals has met 
with the general approval of our lot owners, and we no 
longer have the large Sunday crowds of former times. 
Perfect order is more easily maintained. Many other ceme- 
teries in different parts of the country recently followed our 
example, and indications point to a time in the near future 
when Sunday funerals will be an uncommon occurrence.” 
There were 775 interments in Woodland in 1903, making 
a total of 25,343. A new roadway leading from the main 
roadway near the chapel was built and graveled, and 150 
trees, mostly pines and spruces, were planted last spring. 
Twenty-four foundations for monuments were built and 440 
headstones set. 
* * * 
The 72nd annual report of the trustees of the Cemetery 
of Mount Auburn, Cambridge, Mass., shows a prosperous 
condition of affairs. The repair fund, which includes the 
money paid for the care of the lots of those proprietors who 
have contributed to the fund, has increased $63,805.07, and 
now amounts to $1,288,209.77. The permanent fund estab- 
lished for the care of the grounds when the sale of lots 
shall cease, amounts to $461,911.09, showing an increase of 
$16,069.46 during the past year. The general fund shows an 
increase of $20,682.19, and now amounts to $196,025.80. The 
receipts for the year including a cash balance from preced- 
ing year of some $38,000, amounted to $152,912.57, and the 
expenditures to $121,731.64. The report contains detailed 
financial statements, rules and regulations governing per- 
petual care and cremation, and some half-tone illustrations 
of statues of famous men buried in the cemetery. 
* * * 
There is a valley in Bolivia, South America, which may 
well be called the Valley of Death, says the Western Under- 
taker. It has been inhabited for ages by the Kanas Indians, 
once a powerful tribe, now dwindled to a mere handful. 
During all these years they have disposed of their dead not, 
as with us, by burial, nor yet by cremation, but by placing 
the bodies on elevated platforms. The air of this part 
of Bolivia, like many other parts of South America, on 
account of its high elevation — for the Kanas Valley is a 
mere indentation in one of its highest plateaus — is very 
pure and possesses on this account great preservative qual- 
ities. The dead are consequently embalmed for ages with- 
out the use of any fluid or the display of any art. A Kanas 
cemetery may consist of forty or fifty of these “burial” plat- 
forms, or of but a few, and on each rests from two to five 
or six of the almost life-like bodies — the dead of a single 
family — each wrapped in the garments of death and secure- 
ly bound to the cross-beams — a precaution taken, doubtless, 
to prevent their being displaced or swept away by the ele- 
ments, as the height of the platforms is, with equal prob- 
ability, intended to place them out of the reach of the de- 
vouring wild beasts. A moonlight trip through this valley 
to the traveler is far from reassuring, and to the nervous 
a daylight journey is none too inviting. 
* * * 
Superintendent A. D. Smith, of Mountain Grove Cemetery, 
Oakland, Cal., reports 1,032 interments for the year 1903, 
making a total of 23,156. Much work has been done in pre- 
paring large areas of ground for park and ornamental pur- 
poses, especially along the main avenue. The most import- 
ant permanent improvement of the year is the new receiv- 
ing tomb, now in course of construction. It is built of 
concrete and is 80x31 feet, including approaches at north 
and south fronts. The new “soldiers’ plot” now has the 
finest lawns in the cemetery. A 6o-foot flagstaff has been 
erected on it, and the markers, made of artificial stone by 
the cemetery employes, are all set flush with the turf. The 
water storage capacity at the reservoirs has been increased 
by a quarter of a million gallons, and 1,200 feet of water 
pipe laid. Three telephones have been added to the private 
system of the cemetery, making a total of eight now in use, 
and the superintendent reports them a great convenience. 
For several years no lots have been sold without perpetual 
care and the proportion of lots under such care is rapidly 
increasing. A hay crop of 886 bales has been harvested and 
stored. Seven tons of seed, red and black oats, were sowed; 
the cost of the crop was $275.60. and its value is placed 
at about $826.50. The report of Secretary H. F. Kellogg gives 
the following statistics : Receipts for the year $85,905.29, 
including sales of ground, $16,144; care and culture, $13,- 
950 ; earnings of perpetual care fund, $10,148.71; founda- 
tions, $1,737.55. The expenditures were $84,526.54, the largest 
item, $34,468, being for labor. The perpetual care fund 
is now $183,209.15 and the perpetual guarantee fund, $38,- 
224.53. The net profit for the year 1903 was $6,093.04, which 
sum is added to the guarantee fund, as there are no divi- 
dends paid. This guarantee fund is to provide for the care 
of the cemetery when all lots are sold and income from 
that source ceases. 
NEW CEMETERIES, IMPROVEMENTS AND 
ADDITIONS. 
Oak Grove Cemetery, Gloucester, Mass., has employed 
Pool & Rich, civil engineers, of that city, to make a com- 
plete re-layout and re-survey of the cemetery. 
The Wright Settlement Cemetery Association, Wright Set- 
tlement, New York, has commenced the construction of a 
new chapel and receiving vault, to cost about $1,000. 
Norwood Park Cemetery Association, of Chicago, has 
been incorporated with a capital of $100,000; incorporators, 
E. C. Smith, P. H. Smith, E. W. Mosher. 
The Rose Hill Cemetery Association, of Shabbona, 111 ., has 
been incorporated by J. W. Middleton, Reuben Challand, and 
Charles F. Stein. 
The Elmer Cemetery Association, of Elmer, Greer County, 
Oklahoma, has been incorporated by J. B. Ralston, of Lock, 
and A. Kahle and J. B. Stewart, both of Elmer. 
