Cairo evening times. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-18
A VISIT TO VILLA RIDGE-.SOME
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.

On Saturday last the writer Of this article
paid his first visit to Villa Ridge Cemetery, the
resting place OF many who in life were citi-
zens of Cairo. While there we witnessed the
burial of a little girl, over VIII ose head but
eight summers had passed. Buta week before
the subject of burial had visited the grave of
her little brother, and spread upon it an offer
ing of flowers. Without warning she was
taken from earth, and the ebulitions of grief
which we witnessed at the grave were heart
rending. 1t was indeed affecting sight
the lowering Of one SO young and interesting
into tho cold but narrow bed prepared for
her-and to hear the loud lamentations of the
mother the heavy breathing Of the father, and
the sobbing of bereaved sisters brothers and
friends as they heard the earthly clods rattng
upon the coffin which contained the inanimate
form of her whom il life they so dearly
loved.
Our attending the funeral was but incidental,
not the object of our visit, and when the last
sad rites were performed We turned our back
upon the spot so relgously consocrated by
tears which welled up from parents hearts, and
rambled through and over the Cemetery
grounds.
1t has always been to us source of mourn
ful pleasure and interest TO visit Cemeteries,
sean the names inscribed upon tomb.stones and
monuments, notice the proportion Of large and
small graves, and note the manifestations OF
respect or neglect paid to the homes of the
dead by surviving friends.
In the cemetery at Villa Ridge We noticed but
one monument erected, that one told where lay
the body Of John W. Green, who on the 9th
day Of November, 1864, was killed by the fall
ing of timbers hurled upon him by the Storm
kiLg as he was passing into his own door. He
was the proprietor Of the " louisiana House,
and the intelligence of his death touched the
hearts Of all who knew him. There were a
few tombstones but not as many as we expect
ed to find.
The portion Of the grounds, occupied by the
Roman Catholic dead, is by far the most pic
,uresque and beautiful. 1t contains twenty
acres and is enclosed by fence Within the
enclosure are quite u large number of graves
and surinounting each is a white head-board
representing a cross, upon which is inscribed
the name of the sleeper to whose memory it
was erected few have marble ad-stones,
but the greater majority are wooden
To our surprise we found the cemetery proper
without boundary marks and open as u COM
mon, inviting cattle to roam at will over and
upon the graves, excepting only such lots rs
have been enclosed by living proprietors.
Upon enquiry we learned that the ground be-
long to our fellow townsman, DIR. Arter, and
are by him sold, in lots or blocks of fifty and
one hundred square feet, to purchasers, and
that no one is charged with the duty of fencing
the grounds or of protecting the graves from
desecraticn. This is certainly not as it should
be. Nothing speaks higher or louder for the
civilization Of people than well protected and
improved cemeteries, and it is not at all cred
table to Cairoites in not being able to point to
better receptacle for their dead.
Villa Ridge is the only proper place in the
vicinity of Cairo for burial ground. The
Cairo burying ground, ''known as the ''Ceme.
terv of the Lotus is situated upon slightly
elevated spot oe ground few hundred yards
from the Mississippi river, and six miles dis
for cemetery for several reasons
lst The roads leading to 1t, during the rainy
season of the year, are difficult of passage, be-
cause of the mud.
ID Because the roads leading to it, lying
over much of our lowest ground, are 70: weeks
and months, every year, nearly impossible be.
cause of the overAows.
3D. Because, during such overfows, the
grounds can be reached only by the use 0
skiffs OF steamboats,, at an expense too grea
for the poorer class Of our population.
4ti Because, during the extreme height o
oar annual floods, only the apex Of the small
ridge, or elevation, running through the ground
is above the food and this elevated ground
having been nearly all taken up already by
those in fair circumstances in life, there is nc
place left above the food to bury the poor
5th. because of the annual food the grount