, 1862-12-08
9EE TWO CEMETERIES.
<sNo1E, What Says Graeela0d 2s'

Ed.fCfS chicago If1Dluc
There are two points in your etitoria1 ar
ticle Of yesterday, to which, as am this
morning again especially appealed to, will
cl4ccffnlly reply. First, in reference to the
establishment of cemeteries gcnerslly, it has
bt en- eonclusiyely shown, not only in Chicago
but wherever the experiment has been tried,
that cemeteries committed solely to the
charge Of municipal corporations are wretch
eal; mansged, and are sooner or later either
abandoned or utterly neglected. Hence, the |
arc such as owe their existence to private en- |
terprise. All the cl,ief cemeteries Of our |
country hare so originated, and Laurel Hil1,
near Philadelphia, which is second to none Of
tl,cns, is, 10 my certain knowledge, conducted
precisely upon the plan Of Graec]and, the
lie inception Of flat enterprise to tie present
time. Now Il word rs to the origin Of Grace
land, which never before has been published,
and would not now be hut for the tenor and
appeal Of your article. a few years since, I
lad the melancholy occasion to secure for i'm
mediate use q lot in the old City Cemetery,
then the only place Of burial about Chicago,
and III Il condition sad to behold. As an ac-
con4Gaolation, $40 Procured for nc part Of
family lot On ss 1lugf a{ thor the xalue e. 1f
| time $500.
The neglected and actually repnlsiye condi-
| tion II tile cemetery induced my search OF
| land for 4 rural buTyirg ground, more remote
from and more worthy Of the city Succeed
irg in finding it, l employed much of my time
| III studying tie subject Of cemeteries, and OBJ
tanned from abroad the best works which had
| been published upon the subject. lily plan in
| its crude state was communicated to some Of
our citizens. {as they now well remcmber,)
iisbmcrt Of Rozchl. The Prcsi-
tlency III Roschill Cemetery Company sub
scGuent!y rendered to lie by officers Of that
Al
III my mind tlle subject Of another cemetery,
net that the grounds at Rosehifl were il!
adapted ur unsnittl 10 burial purposes, for
a1n glad 10 say the reverse is the case; but be-
t:lusc thought ftrn, as all agree now. that
our citizens would be benefited by having
| tro cemeteries between which to make selec-
| tons Would hundred gentlemen have
united with NE to purchase and lay ont
grounds for rural cemetery, I should have
chce1fully Joined upon any basis Of opera,
10 the public. After years Of thought and Ia
uor expended by one or 4 few Individuals in
s,bdring wilderness Of underbrush, gra-
ding, making miles uf roads, engaging the
best landscape gardening talent Vi the country,
and expcnding a little fortune in the purchase,
, permanent ine1osurr and general enlbel1ish-
11irnt Of cemetery grounds to say nothing Of
the hiring Of clerks, superintendent and
f | gardener, besides running 4 pnblie
and asf{9g Haggnt the t tao1 sf
IN enterprise, the results obtained are not ap1
to impress IN "outsider'' US having been 1T
| tended with tithe Of the difficulties and out
: lays that have been actually incurred. WheI
y the "tin,es" were most unpropitious will
e another and :: good cemetery already estab,
+ lished, and well under way, this undertaking
# WAS by many deemed bold and Of very doubt
: full issue. If any man or company Of men de
:. sire to test the correctness Of these state
I. ments, commend to him them the estab
| 1ishtp rnf nf t1nt nntuffarE and fhh nrfiy-
+ cooperation Of all willing to further the en-
it tcrrTise.
It An express stipulation inserted in the decd
d providing for the appropriation to this purpos
: in the exact language Of the deed, this fun
It 'tshall be appropriated in such manner an
T. by such officers or committees as may b
j. deemed best By the board Of managers, to IL
c sure to the Lot holders, economical and Judi
e cious disposition of said fund" The boar
,r Of managers, fully aware that for the first fe'
l. years, the expenses would greatly exceed th
,e ! 1efcentage Indicated, (although in Laurel Hi
st &hd other cemeteries it has i'll the end prove
,e iamQ5 Adequately, committed this matter
= my&personal management, subject Of cours
m ut any time to their withdrawal at the deman
H H the lt owners, &c. Iwould most gladl
50 trAnsfHto other hands the expenditure Of th
QAj fluid, Say to committee appointed by the Il
E GwAsrs, and acting entirely Iadepentda,nitly
~ ~ faion If tiff fnnd, and five times its smoun
: : : e. e. $ Fsssi'y and satisfactorily aseo'nts
Is Alikeeensit1e are your suggestions respec
% ing the baym2ht by lot owners to q comm
II tee Of their own selection, Of q certain su
& in consideration Of which (as in other ccI
M eteries wle&e the price OF lots is three tim
DO that adoptedin GTacc1and, } their lots shall
Is permanently kept in order without furth
% concern OF taxSp the proprictors- In the
.75 and any other plans for the permanent enbt
e GshmeDt Of the cemetery, and for the eacr
as9 security Of the possessions there, I haye, Ii
a yourselves q personal interest, and you N
% therefore rest assured Of the cordial co-ope,
. ton of Yours, very truly.
Isl THos B. BRIAN.
President of Graceland Cemetery Go,