Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-02-27
NISCELLA y EOUS S.
-uc CEMETERY AT NEW ORLEAN

pr. eo,i,,ed 1.-The South West" by a
Yankee
This cemetery is quite out Of the city
,h.,s being no dwelling or enclosure Of
=, had beyond it. On approaching IT,
me from. on the street presents the appear
ace Of lofty brick wall Of very great
length, with spacious gateway In the
centre. This gateway is about ten feet
deep: and one passing through il, would
imagine the wall Of one solid thickness.
This, however, is only apparent. The
vail which surrounds, or is to surround the
four sides Of the burial ground, for it is
vet incompletcd,) is about twelve feet in
height, and ten in thickness. The exter-
nal appearance on the street is similar to
that Of any other high wall, While to be-
holder within, che cemetery exhibits three
Stories Of oven like .ombs, constructed III
the wall, and extending on every side OF
the oyave yard. Each of these tornbs is
designed to admit only single coffin.
which is enclosed in the vault with mas Oh
~. and designated by small marble slab
fastened in the face of the wall ut the head
Of the coffin, stating the game, age ana
sex Of the deceased. BY casual estimate
Judged there were about eighteen hund
red apctures in this vast pile OF ton;bs.-
This method, resorted to here fIom neces-
s,ty, On account Of the nature of the soil
might serve as hint To city land como
mists.
When entered tic gateway, was struck
with surprise and admiration. Though
destitute of trees. tHs cemetery Is Certain
" more deserving, from peculiarly novel
and uuique appearance, of the attention
Of strangers, than with the exception OF
that at New Haven, and Mount Auburn)
any other in the United States. From
the entrance 20 the opposite side through
the centre oc the grave yard broad ave
nue. or street extends nearly Al. eighth Of a
mile in length; and on either side Of IA
are innurncrabIc isolated tHInbs Of ali s:Zss,
shapes l. descriptions, built above grouni.
The idea Of Lilipatian city was at first
suggested TO nv mind on looking dow II this
extensive avenue. The tOunbs i'm their Va
rio,is and fantastic styles OF architecture
IL may apply the term to these tiny edi
fces-rcse mbled caihedra!s with towers,
Moorish dwellings, temples, cilapc!s, pala-
ces, mosIucs-substtu'ing the cross tor
the crescnt-and structures o! almost cv-
ery kind. The idea was luIicrols enough.
but as passed down the avenue, could
not but indulge the fancy that was s'ridin'
down the Broadway OF the capital of the
Liilputlans. | mention this. not irrever-
emily, butte give You the best idea can OF
the cemetery, from my own impressions
Many Of the tombs were constructed Ike,
and were indeed, miniature Gr"cian tenn
pies; while others resembled French. ol
Spanish cdi;ices, like those found IN old
Castillo Many Of them, otherwise plum
we're surmounted by a tower supporting .
cross. All were perfectly white, arr an :, 80
with the most perfect regularlty,aad dis,an
little more than a foot from each other. \
the distance of every ten rods the main NV
enue was intersecied by others of les
width, crossing al right angles, down whic!
tombs were ranged in the same novel an.
regular manner. The whole Cemeier,
was divided into squares, formed by thes'
narrow streets intcrsectiDg the prlncipa
avenue. II was in reality City OF TN
Dead Bat it was city composed O
miniature palaces, and still more dminutiv
villas.
The Procession, after passing two third
OF the way up the spacious walk turnc
dowl one Of the narrower alleys, where
new tomb. bull, on line with the other:
gaped wide to receive i,s destined in;nat,
The procession stopped. The coffin wa
let down from the shoulders of the bcarer
and rolled on wooden cylinders into III
tomb. Inc mourners silently .aihere
around; every head was barred; and ami
the deep silence that succeeded, the cain
clear melancholy voice of the priest SUI
denly sweled upon the still evening air.l
the p,aIniivc chm, Of the last service
the dead 'Eequicscat IN plce: was SLOW
~ chan,ed by the priest-repeated in SUI
dued voices by the mourners. and eclin,n
among the tomhs. died away in the REM
test :eccsses OF the cemetery.
The dead was surreD .ered 10 the con
panionship of the dead-,he pries, al
mourncrs moved slowly away fsom II
spot. and the silence 81 the still eyGntr
was only broken by the cluking nj u
Careless mason. rs h. proceeded ~ sail r,
the apV rture III the tomb.
As "igai was last approaching. haste
Cd 20 leave the place; and. .akin. slis
ter ton'c than by the PRINCIPAL avenue,