, 1859-02-16

10 The Honorable tAs Aayor and Azderme5 Of
lie s1.,s;.1 G4ty Of Chicago !" c0""0" Council H.
Your Special Committee, to whom was re-
terred the subject ot examining into and re-
porting upon tu6 providing Of new grounds for
City Cemetery. having hsd the same under
advisement, beg leave 10 report:-
The burial Of the dead or the preservation Of
their ashes hss in all ayes among civilized com.
munities been held Is a sbcred duty oil the
living to lhe dead The sentiment Of reverence
for tho graves Of their torefathera has even
strangely characterized and -basa- tb@ saoss1
beautiful exhlhitlon rof natural feeling IL
the untu:ored red Iua1, for this bo shed h,s
blood like water, and to these sacred spots he
clnpg With q tenacity and uoyisldin3 hrmuess
.ha. would do credit to .hs highest state Of eul~
tivation. The proudest monuments OF antlqut.
II also are those erected to the memory Of the
great aud good; and while others hare mould
cred, these remain to attest the reverence for
the ashes Of the dead Among the moderns. and
especially in the United States, within our own
adorned in the highest style Of horticultural art,
end sre the choicest ornaments Of our great cit
les. Not only do they contribute to the cultisa-
tion OF the moral sentment in community By
their Stiffness, but they throw halo Of cheer
fuInets around the last resting places oftAe dead
which cancnt but offer the most grateful conso-
latson to those who would mourn in 4ltent soil
tude for The dear friends whuse ashe} *6e1e quiz
etly 1epose. As place Of picturesque interest
and beauty, in many cities the cta,eterT takes
precedence with Travellers md strangers, and
they Gre Abe places Of pleasant resort - calisa-
| ted sud apprsctk.ye resldeht4..
[ . Such is not, aud nerer can be, made the pre-
| sent Cemetery OF Chicago. Il il now entirely
| surrounded by the residenoes Of our citi-
zens and the city cannot or. will not
| it q creditsble place Of interment The citizens
resident sud holding property In the vicinity.
arc properly Auxious tor its removal or At leGaE
for the cessation of BURIAL within the city limits
| From the mass OF evidence collected oy your
committee they are convinced that the health
| Of tbe city imperattvely demsnds that hereafter
no more lots should be sold for burialparposes.
and At as early day as possible all
further interments within the city limits
should cesse. The land occupied By the pre-
| sent cemetery will soon be, it it is not now,
needed for other purposes and demand has
purposes Of sepuiture for Public Park
| All the evidence collected By your committee
is unanimous in proof Of the urgency Of re-
moval Of cemeteries beyond the probable limits
Of extension Of large clties- For Chicago
] movement in this direction cannot commence
too soon. Indeed, your committee deeply re-
gret tnat the subject should have been Left at
| rest this long. 1t it is contemplated esen to
removs tbs remains of those now buried in the
ci:T cemetery, every additional busist increases
tho Ultimate difficulty in attaining the desired
| result.
In the performance Of these duties your COM
nittee have sent Tor and received great mass OF
pamphlets and communications from from the
pesal Of which, aud as Of the results Of their
examinations OF these they are forced to the con.
clusion that all experience shows that 1or tdc
proper adosnment aud perpetual pre*erratlon Of
cemetery grounds, tue care, responsibility aud ex.
pense should be assumed by private individuals or
corporations and not by ci;y gu' ernments-
City officers sod arpainte*s eanuot he expected
to take the pride and interest felt by individuals
| in the production Of that which ought always to
be standard of all that is beautiful An excellent
ia horticulture ornamental att. 4 rssGng place
for the dead which is to he preserved In all its
eauctity and without impairmcnt Of its beauty Tor
successive ages should never be placed in lNsl.
ton subject TO the chRnges Of Qe4igns and manag-
ment which attend tie annual change Of city olil
cers-or to tie whims and cap1ices Of political
parties.
It is further, 8 ttsquc1t occurrence for ind!sid.
usls owning cemstery lots to ieave legacles and
bequcsts for the perpetual preservation and adotn-
ment Of their last resting place earth, or t1a.
Of their friends The performance Of such trusts
cannot NTH propriety, II at all, be performed BY
city governments while they are reality accepted
aud performed By private corporations In yiew
Of these conclusioDs your COMMITTEES are happy
to learn that charter for Cemetery Association
has just been obtained by tho Legislature o1
Illinois By several respectable and responsible
will. without dslay, prepare \ cemetery for the
eitizens Of Chicago which. in point Of situnton,
selection Of grounds, laying ont and adorning,
will Be everything that the most fastidioua could
desire, aud which will give to Chicago place
Of sepultuzs which viii compete in Ill requisite,
with The most picturesque and beautiful cemete'
| ries Of eastern citiea.
The situation selected by tlese gentlemen IS fo1
accessibility, character Of sol, elevation, c4paoa
ity Of improvement and o5na@entanon. every