The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-01-12
PROCEEDINGS OF PUBLIC MEETING

IN RELATION TO GRAVE YARD
In pursuance of previous notice large aud
respectable number Of citizens, convened at the
Court House Jan lst 1853
The meeting organized by calling p. Farley |
to the chair and appointing IL. S Hethcrngton
Secretary.
. The object OF the meeting was stated by the |
Mayor together with the action OF the City |
council in the matter. And referred to the re-
moving of the fence and their motives in so
doing, and requested individuals present to
state what they know with reference to the
time and manner of laying out the grave
yard.
Mr.. NJ Ham stated that in 1888 a committee
was appointed TO lay of suitable grounds for
burying purposes, and that Com. was Jas. l..
Langworthy, Thos. McCrany and Col. Camp
and that Com. staked off the grounds known as
the public burying, ground, rs fenced, for the
last i6 years.
Mr. Ham, further stated that some years ago
a lot was sold mo. 746) at sheriff sale and pur-
chased by him, not knowing that it was any part
of the grave yard, and as it was in the grave
yard he was always wiling, that it should he
held sacred as public burying ground. He
never had forbidden any one from burying on
any ground owned by him inside the enclosure,
and was willing if a final adjustment could be
made and the fence restored to the old boun-
daies to convey the ground to the city for burial
purposes.
Thos McCraney, stated the same on substance
as MIR. Ham, in relation to the manner of laying
off burying ground the lines were run by
FIRTH surveyor, long since dead, this was in
May 1888.
Mr.. II. w. G,lJea stated that Bishop Laras
had obtained that part of grave yard claimed by
him 0he Bishop from Messrs. Langworthys in
line of other grounds in the city, that the bish
OPP was not aware at the time of making the
exchange that any part of this lot of ground
was within the grave yard enclosure
Robert Rogers, followed Mr.. Gldea and stat
ed that he recollected well the circumstance of
the exchange, between the Bishop and Messrs
Langworthys.
The Bishop had proposed repeatedly to dis
pose of the ground to the city, and had always
| acted honorably in the matter
ing of the fence and defended the city coun-
Gil. new fence was ndispensibly necessary
| and they did not want 10 enclose ground that
was claimed as private Property.
d. S. Wilson read the act Of Congress provl-
ding for laying out Dubuq lie and other towns
on the Mississippi river which act was passed
in 1886, or three years after the laying out the
grave yard.
Messrs Stout and Mckenzie we're appointed
| d
and request him to appear before the meeting
and make such statements in regard to his claim
to Lot l46, and to answer enquiries.
The Chairman, wished the meeting to decide
upon the extent of the grave yard boundaries
and whether they would adhere strictly to the
boundaries as heretofore laid out and enclos-
ed.
John w. Markle, went for "FIftyfour Forty
or Fight.
Mr. Corell appeard, stated that he had patent
from the government for Lot No 74O lie
purchased the claim from Mr.. Tomas
Mr. Lomas protested against the action Of
fence. As late as the year 1887 there were nc
graves on the ground claimed by him. He had
always been willing to dispose Of the ground to
the city and that he would ", out OF respect
to public feeling Manifested at this time upor
the subject, convey it to the city for half the
sum, he would sell it to an dvdual, he consid
cred Mr.. Hams title of no consequence.
Mathew McNair, stated that in 1886, Tomas
employed him to set posts around ground claim
ed by him He proceeded with the work until
about to cross the line of the grave yard wheI
he was forbidden by the citizens to proceed any
further. He quit Immediately, and no more posts
were set.
Mr.. Parker enquired of Mr.. Coriell, whethe
the streets, as marked on the town plat were rul
by the order of Surveyor Gen., or by the com
missioners.
MIR. Coriell, replied that it was done by orde
of the commissioners, though they were no
present when the survey was made.
Mr. Parker was fully satisfied that the grav'
yard was fenced two years previous to survey
town.
MIR. CoreI was here asked if Lot TAG wa
ever offered at Public sale at the U S. Lane
off ce answered that he could not say that i
was.
Mai Mobley said that there was no evidence
in the land office that it had ever been Offered
for sale.
A map of the city was presented and the at
tentlon of the meeting called to the irregularity
of the numbers of the lots. The Lo: claimed
by Ham and Coriell is TAG. The next lot on the
West is 472, on the North GA and on the Eas
452 and on the South the grave yard-and mex
South of grave yard is 462 d 463. No. 74
(next to which TAG should have been found) i
the Lot occupi,d by Nadeau Rogers d Co
Steam Mill and Bushes ware house, and is
+ large lot extending from to streets, and fron
anding to Iowa street, and is as large as 3 Lot
on the opposite side of Iowa Street.
Some incline to the opinion that the Sout
part of this lot TAG should be 745 and the nortl
part Chs lots No. that has been buried an tn
grurs yard,) TAG, then the next in order would
be TAI which is the Guerin Lot and lies rex
above on the landing.
1t is but proper to remark that the above
mere speculation, bat it is the way most person
would have ranged the numbers. Some of thu
old sdiggers' present thought the range jumped
too far that time.
ID. S. Wilson moved (Which was carried un
anirnously) that the City council be and ar
hereby instructed to claim all the ground here
tefore enclosed as burying ground and to en-
vestigate thoroughly the titles set up to part
thereof, and how these titles were obtained.
And then the meeting adjourned.
H. S. HETHERINGTON.
Secretary