Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-11-07

correspondence from FraAce--
French BurIal-GrOunds-PeFe
LA Chatse.

lew days ago, IN company Win some
friends, ! visited Pere Ia Chaise, probably the
most woh derful battle-ground in existence n
place Of the most absorbing interest, on ao-
count of historic associations, but Of es-
pecial interest to an American, on account OF
the curious customs and objects, which attract
the attention of one coming icom country
which has not had time to write It's history by
its monuments, nor u nationality so distinct
as to render its customs conspicuous among
those of other nations; least of all, those con.
nected with the church. Long continued usage
throws a shroud Of sanotity over thessusauces
of people, the more when under tho super.
vision of powerful priesthood, making il al
most sacrilege to innoyate upon them trust
that the following account Of the burial
grounds and the funeral ceremonies Of Paris
may not be wholly without interest to those of
your readers, who have not had the pleasure
of this one of the most curious sight of this
wonderful city.
The capital of the French possesses three
"Cties of the Dead, whose inhabitants num-
Der about AS many as those Of the living city;
Mont Parnasse in the south, "Mont Mnrtre'
in the north, and in the east "Pere Ia Chaise,
so called because the site was formerly the
property of an old Jesuit priest, Lachaise, the
coniessor of Louis XIV, who had erected
country villa on the spot where the chapel of
the cemetery now stands, In 1904 the place,
some eighty acres in extent, was converted
into n burial-ground OF late years it has be-
come almost custom to bury persons of rank
aud distinction here 1t may be well, before
entering the cemetery, to give the reader
slight idea OF the ceremonies and regulations
established in regard to it,
The grounds, being rather small, when we
take into consideration the immense number
of burials which take place here daily (from
| thirty to forty as have been nformed) it
has become necessary to inter those who do
not possess sufficient means to purchase lots,
| in what are termed the "Fosses communes,"
or immense bitches, where often from forty ~
| fifty collins are placed, side by side. Permis
sion to have grave remain untouched for the
space Of five years, must be bought from the
city at the price OF fifty francs and after
the allotted time, falls TO the city again, and
the bereaved must content himself, must learn
to forget the beloved departed, father, mother,
or sister, as it may happen, and have all ira
ces ef them obliterated. Thus, at the end
Of every five years, these tombs, called ''cOH-
cessiOnS tsmpOrdires receive new inmate.
To hold grave as perpetual property (''coi-
cessi0a. perpetuits'), }, for the small space of
|
francs is demanded, of which four hundred 90
Ito the city and one hundredto to the "asylums
for the poor !" one fourth OF the payment to
be made Immediately, the remainder in ten
years IL not paid at that lime, the sale is
considered like any ordinary business trans
action, and the bargain being broken, the
property falls to the city.
All hurias in Paris take place under the
auspices of company called Enterprise des
Pompes funebres,' whose charges are regula.
ted according TO the splendor of the eeremo-
MES Thus, man may be buried first class
second, or any intermediate class between the
first and the ninth the price of frst-cass
funeral being l., 1874 francs, that of the ninth
class only eighteen francs. Ii is thus with
every thing in France, the Government exer
cisiug certain control in every sphere o
business as well as in matters pertaining Ia
church or State When man dies his rea-
tives go TO the police, aud order first, second
fifth or ninth class funeral, according to the
amount OF their legaces or their grief, as the
case may be. They have nothing further to dc
in the matter the whole affair being oonduc-
ted by this quasi erpress company, (if | mSy
. be allowed 80 10 express myselD and the
priests What a contrast between this ant
beautiful, touching ceremonies of our owr
/, land
1t was fine day as we rode out to "Pert
Ia Chaise," past the "Place de Ia Bastile,
where bronze column, one hundred and City
q four feet in hight surmounted by glded i'm
a age of "GtOry' marks the spot where the
martyrs of the July Revolution Of 1890 liz
l buried One Of the most wonderful sights nov
) unfolded itself TO our view, as we entered th'
"Rue de la Roquette, which leads to the por
tai of the cemetery, 70 the right and left
c throughout the whole length OF this street
n for more than half a mile, are shops, wher
monumental, tombstonea and marble slabs o
all descriptions are on show and for sale. In
terspersed with these, and constantly lncreas
: ing in number as you approach the entranc
" of the battle-ground are other little shops
h whose doorway windows aud whole fronts ar
g literally covered with flowers, wreathes, cross
d es Of paper and beads-"souvenir of ever
4 shape and color for the decoration Of tn
n tombs. After passing the curious-lookinl
Ia narrow street, we reached the immense gal
y of "Pere,la Chaise, bearing the Latin nscriI
d ton, "Sci0 guod RsdemptOr Dieus piUet, et 4
a. nopissimO die de terra reSurreetus sunl--spe
a iLlorum immortdlitate plena est-gui cred
3 IN me, etiaHisi mortilus tuerit, UiDeL" At III
At entrance sits the porter, or gate-keeper, A
ID soon as funeral procession reaches the gat,
10 he gives q shrill whistle, twice for an ordil
le airy grave, three times for grave on tim
Mt AMI fourtimes for a perpetual purchase Ther
le are alwsys a number of "guides' loungin
Id about the entrance, who will conduct yo
er through this labyrinth of paths They al
ne careful to show you many places of little
es no interest to a stranger, in order to prolor
rs his stay, and thus regulate their charges a
IT, cordng to the time
n. We enter, and the "Ciiy of the Dead" is b
70 fore aud arOuad us, with its streets aud /