The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-01-25
The Cemetery Question.

fi tff fftrt Itii
---~-------<-~-~--~~..--
The Cemetery Question.
Mr.. EDIToR: A change in the Local
ton Of the proposed Cemetery seems to
be exciting the minds of our citizens at
this time, and |, propose to add few
words to the many that have been spo-
Ken in regard to the change. A sug-
gestion has been made and circulated
with an energy that the Board of Man
ayers would have done well to emulate,
that the Cemetery ground as heated, is
bar to the improvement Of the east
end Of town--that the building lots on
Main street, as yet uninproycd, are
few-that Green street from the Wash
ingfon road 10 the Railroad did not fur
nish enough lots, or, if enough, not
desirable-and that Church street should
be extended to the Manchester road,
and anew street laid out, parallel with
Main and intcrsecting Court street and
the Manchester road, south To ac-
complish this the ground now enclosed
for Cemetery must be sold also the
old burial ground which generations
past had provided and where their bones
lie crumbling and whose substance has
enriched the soil we now propose to
desccrate
The ostensible object Of this is said
to be, that it will increase the value Of
the adjacent property and afford room
for mprovemeut--to realize funds in
the exchange that is to give the Com
pany the capital wherewith to ornament
the new ground yet to be selected. 1t
strikes me this is a fallacy. For the
place our fathers and our children have
trod and where they have been buried
should be an ornamental attraction that
all other beauties, however desirable in
the connection, would seem Insignificant.
But let Us examine into the financial
part Of this project, for that seems to be
the popular idea When the stock is
al paid, and the present bills betrayed,
with au enclosed emincnee Of, say Z
acres, including the old burial ground,
aud no furtherexpense than the location
of the burial lots, avenues and ornamcn-
tation of the grounds, the Cemetery
Company will have in hand say $500;
with a surplus Of (6) six acres, yielding
an annual income Of $50, or, II sold at
same rates.. $3.50, in all $500, with
which 10 commence work, The new
Cemetery projectors would purchase
six 90 acres, (which, contrary to former
opinions, they say, is quite enough
which We will put at $1,000 We will
now remove the present fence; take off
the panels. dig out the posts, haul both
20 the ncw selection, plant and replace
the same. Mechanics say that il will
cost more to do this than was paid for
the labor 10 the first putting Of it or,
say 5000. We must now commence the
work Of death We dig in the solid
clay and sand 2x6 and possibly few
scattering bones dro.tuft ofhdr are all
that tell Of human greatness or Of mans
decay Where is thcresg The moist
eued ground indicates that Il is part
aud parcel OF itself The carriers take
what they sec, aud cart it through the
streets aud of in the distance, where
the eye of affection may but seldom see
the hillock that marks the spot One
thousand t$l00O) TO move Who win
contract toexcayato--lill up---haul-s.-dig
and fill up again, with the grassy mound
on top, for less than two (52) q head -
Here We have $1,000 more We are
nov in the new ground at distance
from the payements Of your city, and
one must be- madc-takc the nearest
point--at an exceeding difference in the
cost Of 500. We have now $4,000.
The new enterprise projectors state that
$1,000 can be realized from the sale Of
tho present ground. We will have
when this is laid out as proposed, 40
lots or 20 acres-giying 3! acres, in
Guiding the dust OF our former citizens,
for streets and alleys. When lots on
Green street were sold at $50, on the
most desirable part oflthat street, near
the central points of the city, can we
expect 70 realize an average Of twice that
amount for lots not so central Can
yoh sell icrty building lots Immediately,
for it is only by dispensing of them
when there is o pressing demand for
lots that that price could possibly be
obtained for them. If they cannot all
be Sold now, we are ina worse condi-
tio2. > financially, than before, and if
forced on tho market we believe that
what they will bring at auction will not
reach the high mark set. Four thous-
aud dellars 10 be realized, less thirty
three hundred expense, leaves seven
hundred dollars in hand, with six acres
Of Cemetery ground at distant point,
and no hacks. On the other hand if
13l acres is too much, sen six acres and
you have at the least calculation twelve
hundred dollars id hand and seven and :
a half acres for your Cemetery and the
5000, which will be Of course available
for either, aud therefore not counted.
an'I A SToCKHoLDER.
-. a - 'ss.s .