Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-03-24

HOW NEW CASTLE TREATS ITS FATHERS BONES.
In the northern part Of the town Of New Castle
is an old grave yard now called the Poter's field,
and principally used tor burying any stray bodies
found afoat in the river, or the bodies OF those
executed for crime. The last body buried there
was that of Carpenter, the half witted colored
man hung 10 defiance of public sentiment because
Cove Salisbury does not like negroes.
This grave yard has heen used as public bury.
ing ground fer hundreds of yeats. When the old
Swedish Fort was built nj New Custle, more
than 300 years ago such soldiers as died were
buried In a large lot north of the Fort, aud this
continued 10 be the Practice during all the years
the fort remained there. The ground thus USED
had never been set aside tor the purpose but
having never been taken up by any OF The settlers.
il became by common cnDseut public burying
ground, ard to this day it exists as common pro-
perry, without an owner, except one small ror-
ton within which there are several graves, which
Mr.. Elihu Jefferson has fenced i'll for the enlarge.
ment OF his lot adjoining, much 10 the indi2na'
ton OF the people. The locality isan interesting
one, and all the more il Is last disappearing
Many years ago tradition says, there was nn
apple orchard between the grave yard aud TIT
river, the front OF which was even with The pres
ent water front OF tue town, but year alter yeai
the tide has encroachcd more and more until th,
apple orchard has disappeared and also two
thirds OF the grave yard The boues OF those bute(
there being washed down into the bay. This en-
croachment has continued for years unchecked
and uuheeded apparently by the New C4st
people.
One Sunday, a few months ago, we had grea
storm which caused flood in the Delaware an,
the tide again swept in and undermined severu
feet OF the grave yard bank, and carrying AVA
the feet and large portion Of tue lex bones {
the skeletons of long row Of graves
We walked along This hauk al low tide, som
time ago, and saw twenty seven p ,irs Of bIma
thigh bones projecting out towards the river al
10 many cases saw portions OF the collins thi
had enclosed the bones When first deposited Their
The nexl great sweep OF hugh tide will probuh
uuearth the remainder OF this row Of graves, an
carry of, or leave grinning gu the beach, tro
]. twenty-five to thirty ghastly skulls, the skni
perhaps of the grcat-grand. fathers OF those W
now view these horrible facts with so much
difference. Tor the grave yard views not always
Potter'6 field. Alter The town became more THE
" settled, this began 10 be used as the comm
Burying ground for all the people, and contlnu
to be used so up TO at least 100, when IL seer
from head stone that Reuben Boon WINS burit
and 1t was possibly also used after that lin
The greater part Of il so used has now, howev,
been washed away. When the cholera ravag
mis- country some years ago, and The dreadful c
Bring out your dead' rang through the streets
the large cities, the little village oil New Castle d
not escape the scourge, and at one time III,
number of the victims were buried 10 q sim
grave, now marked by u large square dcpressj
In the centre Of the present yard. These boz
are for The present, beyond the reach of the
croacbing river, but must in time be laid bar,
no measure to ward of the tide be taken. Eve
now aud chen some one ogtates the subject a
tries IN secure action; but appeals for human
to dend bodies are treated as the sheerest scu
nentallsm by those whe witness with comp
tent satisfaction living bodies bound TO b
and dashed with the cruel cat-o'-nineiaile. %