The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-24

In cheap times It L. apt TO lie less mi rlous TO
them Tran wnen marble work r can make a
hg DrOht 10y dtvefting his chisel intDthe head
stone line.
Unfortunately for the trade In tomhstones a
period OF business depression now happens to
coincide with time IN the undulaiing course
of gravestOne fashion when plairness Il the pre-
vailine taste. One Of the largest broadway
tombstone makers says int the Dubiic taste ia
headstuncs ami monuments Gibbs and nOws
between elaborate ornamentation and severe
pi tnuefs IN waves ten or twelve years long.
The public tuste at pres mt he says, ieans To-
wud ulainnes-. or course, when cheapuess
suits the peoules purse aud III fnness their
taste. the two things reUnfurce one another IL
an assault ON the tombstone manufacturers
profits.
In tho monument line. ns DISTINGUISHED from
tho hetdstOne line, thugs look II httlc hfiluter
Tor inc manuiartuiets. lhcre ~ rreyh'ilng
aud ped stalls 70 popular, IA well as columns
and crosses Of the unrest classical prop riiOns
nd orders. This gives the Tombstone ar Its a
chance To Cxercls. their nost costly skill They
nave books fu Of engr wings OF Grecian gods
aud gOuuesscs. Ornameuied and plain crosses
Nc., ANA they VIII 10 the shortest notice draw
sheithes showing the hereaved tHtfous how
asurts representing "Ilopr." "kesignatOn."
" Innocence" parity" &C.. viii look when
doii" ~ marble aud erected over The graves Of
their friends.
lie falling OF In the nronts Of the trade ap
near 10 be largely owing 10 shifting among
the classes Of customers. There - u rush to
ono end Of the trade-thc cheap eud. said a
largc dealer. People who two wears a-o would
not look at a LcadstOns. now can't ahOrd any
thing better no percentage OF decrease IN
nlCts II haid To Tx. lN some cases u may aver
age 20 per cent" IN Others not uer cent. but
the great source ot loss T. the demand for che ~
articles. The ulices Of headstones range fr.m
so q so to $40 and Of monuments from tluO
To 5000. " any otner puce that lavish grief Or
eStravagont desire OF display may Oc wiling
COUNTRY ToMBsroNEs.
The country trade IA. perhaps. more EXEMPT
from the effect OF hard times thin that IN the
The vicinity Of inland cites. rudef tastes
have ALWAYS prevailed. In many sedues.
tered hamlet, out Of hearing Of railroad
whistles, the tombstone art reformation has
had little cr no influence, and tue
sturdy farmers. whcn the, have turned their
last turt"w, ARE lana To rest uehind the weather
beaten wooden church or under the clump OF
Trees IN some untillaule. windy. out-ot.tnc way
knoll Of ground, where their furefAthers sleep;
AMI the spot IL marked with another ruue,
stained stone II b rs uncouth, and unco-ilN as
the other stones tuat project Out ~ We til
grass around IT, leaning TINS way or that Just n,
tue frost has pushed tnem. OF course the trade
10 such tomn-tunes Is not much afec ed bI hari
times Most oi the country deal - order tNeir
tOmt,tones ready sawed from tue City uathlc
shops ana " prices are down 80 much ~ be l-
81 custom any way. And TINS comparative sta
biiliv OF the country trade helps the citN dealers
SO far rs II insu.es them constant demand ipr
rough cut marbles.
THE EXPORT TRADE.
brief sketch Of one ot two almost uni, Hing
sources Of income for the tombstone makers
VIII give The reader all tie d formation he needs
10 enable lin To form a correct idea ~ the con-
ditiun OF this important industry lrshnlen
are prONerbially generous and IN no way more
80 than ~ showing Respect to the dead. lni-
propensity Tor iunera expense creates con-
stint demand for IT ihordte aud costly monu-
ments ANA hendstonrs. said one tombstone
maker few weeks ago. An lrishman will
spend his last penny to erect a monument over
dead riend or fciative.' But the thing thht
most interests the ton OstOnc m kers l. the tact
tnAt II mas grown to be a custom fur the Irish
men VINO nave come to TINS country aud got
flfh or well to 40 mere, To send to- Ireland costly
tump-tuues - be erected there over the graves
Of tneir friend, or members Of their families.
\ similar export trade, not OF great IN Knit
tudc, however, exists win Cubu and some OF tue
south American count les ;and monuments aud
tomhstoneS arc occ tsionaily sent To various l. e.
totein countries u mark the graves OF Amefi-
cans VINO have died abroad. But perhaps the
most cuuOus thing q all l., that tom hstOucs are
sent rom here 10 Egypt. 80 ~ ell ut are the
works OF our tombstone makers that "vf II
E-Npt, the land OF monuments and tomb
where he preservation OF the memory of tue
dead Mas tho work Of the greatest kings ana
sculptor, l. not ashamed to have Amer. cau
tuWpstones erected IN her sands.
- much has been accom- pli,hed In forty years
ana although tho tinIes are hard, ana money ID
scarce. there IS no fear that the art tuat has
made Greenwood, ana Calvary. and hundreds II
other te tutitul cltl,, Of tue dead 80 q tractlNe
as me finest parns. Will not survive tue se,eftsi
business depression. or that the y lpul taste
tor artistic tOnpstonts vii ever IAN to be graft
l.s