Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-03-04
. The Cemetery Question.

A few days ago we drew the attention OF
our fellow citizens to the great Importance
fp royiding efectually at the Town, meeting
OF Thursday for enlarged Cemetery aecommo-
dations in this town and for placing the
management of the cemetery grounds in the
hands of a special board Of Commissioners,
as the laws now provide. The Selectmen
have presented this subject ably in their re-
port Just published. MOTHER subject which
will come before the Town meeting demands
more decisive action than this one Of our
Cemeteries. Enlarged grounds must Be had. 4
for provision them can not be put of without
sublecting the people Of the town to great
and desfrued reproaci. The matter concerns
every family, every individual, without dis
tinctiOn OF sex, age. employment or con-
dition in life, and all alike. The reasons for
placing the control Of the cemeteries under
special board are well stated by the Select
men, as follows:
The selection, construction, development and
improvement Of public cemetery, answering
the demands Of 50 large q village as Burlington,
are Of sufficient importance to be committed to a
board Of officers, who shall have as exclusive
control Of the same as cur street commissioners
and school committees have Of the streets and
schools respectively. The system Of the arrange
ment and ornamentatiun Of a cemetery, rs large
as We REQUIRE, demands also a uniformity Of ac-
ton and official control, extending through Sc
res Of years, which viii be in danger Of being
seriously marred, if the board Of management Is
changed, or liable to be changed at each town
meeting. In addition to the brieftenure Of their
Office another objection TO committing the charge
Of such cemeteries TO the Selectmen IS found IN
the fact that they already Overburdened with
the multiplicity Of duties unavoldably devolved
upon them by the extensive affairs Of the town
For these reasons We recommend that or
cemeteries, or at least such new ones as may be
established by the town, be placed under the
charge Of five Cemetery Commissioners, TO be
elected at town meeting, and TO continue IN Office
five years,-their respective terms Of service to
be so arranged that new one shall be elected
each year 4 law passed by the last legislature
provides for the election Of such commissioners,
and gives them the exclusive control Of such
public cemeteries as the town shall vote TO place
in their charge. It becomes the duty Of the
commissioners to divide the unoccupied ground
OF the cemetery INTO lOts, Nalhss SivNeSs anu
other suitable places, after reserying sufficient
ground for the free burial Of such as may not
purchase lots These lots are to be sold from
time to time by the Commissioners, as they may
be required, and the proceeds are to be paid INTO
the town treasury, and there kept as a separate
fund solely for the purposes Of maintaining and
improving the cemetery.
The law recognizes the public character Of a
cemetery, and provides that If land cannot be
purchased for that purpose on reasonable terms,
it may be taken upon the appraisal Of disinter-
ested persons, as in the case Of highway or rail-
road The duty Of locating burial ground IA
such cases de,olyes upon the Selectmen. We
recommend that if the town vote 10 have adii-
tional cemetery accommodations, and appoint
Cemetery Commissioners, the Comm ss'ouers so
appointed be directed 10 act IN conjunction with
an fe. 81 q sar1afa~rY