The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-08

The War Department Ring has profit
| ably speculated in the graves Of our dead
soldiers. The legendary demons OF Persia
who preyed on human bodies are incorpo-
rate facts in America. There are ghouls
in Washington who fatten OH the dead in
the national cemeteries. The number Of
these institutions has been carefully swol-
len up to seventy-seven. The War Depart
men has recently branched u National
Cemetery Bureau, and at its head is a
Captain and Assistant Quartermaster who
ought TO have a taste for fighting Indians,
but who prefers graveyards. These
seventy-seven cemeteries have been pro-
jected on plans requiring the expenditure
of immense sums of money, aud udini ting
OF correspondngly large jobbeIy and rob-
berry. Each has "a superintendent. These
superintendents are divided into four
classes, according to the size OF the cemc-
terry. The yearly pay Of the first class is
5000; of the second class, $40; OF the third
class $3.50; Of the fourth class, 500. All
the superntendents have assistants or
employees" A large number Of civil en-
gineers are hired to lay out the cemo-
teries and direct their improvements.
There is body of inspectors employed to
examine and report on their condition.
The work on these seventy-seven ceme-
teries is admirably designed for johbcry
in contracts and mat elias. They are all
to be enclosed with substantial stone walls.
Each Is to have lodge and necessary
outbuldings. Already this word necessa-
ry has been stretched over stables sheds,
memories, and pggcries. Without its in
terpretatIve aid greenhouses Of expensive
construction and pretty designs have been
erected in the p incipal cemeteries, and
will be built in some form in all. The
grounds are laid out artistcally with
winding walks, with trees and shrubbery
effectively planted, aud with flower beds,
trailing vines, and climbing plants. Where
the soil is poor, il is made rich by liberal
use Of purchased manures. The good soil
is made better by generous feeding. Each
cemetery is thoroughly and extensively
| drained. To irr gate the flowers, grass,
and shrubbery, permanent supply CT
water for each and all is got, frequently
| and necessarily at great cost
The present condition and improvement
of this large opportunity for specializing
| from the facts above stated; and what Is
coming is foreshadowed in the passage in
| the last report of the National Cemetery
Bureau which mentions 1.-THE adornments
which ii is proposed ultimately to intro
| duce;" in that which recommends that
Horticulture in the national cemeteries
be exceedingly limited for the present,
| at anu rate ~ and in that which, while
| postponing the creation by the War De-
partment of seventy-seven new botanical
gardens, on the model of the monstrous
humbug in Washington, assures our tax
payers that "a rich, well-kept sward and
graceful shade trees shall be considered of
paramount Importance"
| The graves of the known soldiers in
which BELKNAP's War Department Ring
| mas speculated, number l0l, 447 of the I'M
known, ltlG06; total, 3OGO53 To these,
constant additions are made by exhumiug
the buried soldiers from every Indian bat
tie Held, and every permanent or tempo
rary military camp in the United States.
The bugler who died at Santa Fe of de-
lirium tremens thirty years aao is just az
good as Gen. PHIL KEARNEY. He Is good
for percentage on a headstono and for
| other toothsome divvies. The headstone is
20 be OF fine-grained monumental marble.
neatly polished" and tastefully lettered.
Granite Is rock OF solid speculation. The