Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-01-27
How the Dead are Buried in
New Orleans,

Iiy VlruieDt and fatal, ana some VINO
were thought to be long since accli
mated have been attacked, and some
of them have fallen victims. We
hope it, has reached its climax, and
will now steadily decline; though We
know not the end. Some four hun
drod died last week. This sounds
|alarming. butit is small as compared
with 1853, when three hundred died
in a single day.
Our readers will inquire, "What
do we do with all these dead?-
Where do we bury them''' There
are in the city and environs fourteen
cemeteries. Some five Of these are
in The midst of the city, surrounded
Eby closely built ani densely popula-
TED streets. Owing to The peculiar
Iity of our soil, these huripi places
are peculiar. We cannot dig more
than two or three feet below the sur
face without coming to water, SO
that most Of the dead are buried
above gronad. These grounds are
regularly laid oft in squares. and
walks raised and covered wi il sheds.
Tue squares are built ur with mon
fuments. many OF them very splen--
did and very expensive, costing thou
sands Of dollars. There are a great
variety Of models and devices, many
of them Of rare and exquisite bead
tty. Around these tombs are beanti-
ful evergreens, intermixed with fair
and fragrant flowers, which grow With
so much luxuriance in our rich soil
and sunny cline.
The cemeteries below Canal and
above Esplanade streets, called the
French burying grounds, are regard
ed as the most interesting as exhi-
bitions of sculpture, where grief re-
cords its woe OF pride in imperisha-
| bic marble.
Around these cemeteries are walls
ten feet high and eight or ten feet
thick. They are pierced with three
or four rows Of tonbs about two and
a bali feet square. rising one above
the other, and having the appearance
; of the pigeon holes for letters in the
) post Office, though on much larger
i, scale. These are perfectly closed
With slabs anl air-tight cement at
one end. This is open for the inser-
ton Of the coiiin.
; The burial service at The grave is
) performed thus: The procession
/. moves ifon :he hearse to the walt,
! where certain one of the vaults has
: been previously selected : say No.
; 250-(they are all numbered. =
> The coffin is about two thirds insert
ee. and the service, whatever may be
it's character is then attended to-
This over, the coffin is pushed 10;
then the mason, with his brick and
> morter, trowels and hammer, begins
!, his work. The family and friends
u stand uncovered uuiil the mason i:
done, when the date and name are
: written in the smooth, soft plaster
u spread over the brick. and tho com.
. " pany depart, and leave the sleeper
' to his last aud lonel9 bed.
: One gets used to scenes ike this
= but at first it seems so business llk'
= = and mechanical; SO unlike any othe
y !, labor, any other piece Of masonry
- - and contrasts strongly with the burr
y al on the hillside, where the teri i
'e green, and the old trees spread thei
broad, green boughs,, and the littl
g birds in summer time sing reqnIem'
" aud the lone winds in winter tim
- - marmur Solemn dirges Ger the dead
~ The city authorities are diSeourasin
in interments in the cemeteries in tn
%. crowded portions Of the city: Som
,,s = three miles from the city, abou
II midway from the river to the lax
,;r there is a lew ridge Of land know
~ as Metaire Ridge. Here the cit
!, authorities are laying out among Il
fo live oak a public park, laRd bel
,lv Ithera is famous rac-cougse,) az
oa here most. of our city's dead are /.
sleep theiflong sleep. What stranl
= usest q
Of There are quite Q number of ceI
in4 eteIies laid out here, and here
10 ready thousands care, at rest
of these cemeteries are many rich a
iti- Ebeautifuf tombs and monumen
80 some OF them private, aud some t
property Of benevolent association
's 7'sgs1.- S.s s-sa..