The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-11-21
CEMETERY FAIR AND SUPPER.

In another column will be found
the advertisement of the Rapides
Cemetery Association announcing
their purpose to have Fair and
Supper at the Town Hall, on the
nights of Wednesday AID Thursday,
Decem Der 9th and 9Th proximo. In
this laudable undertaking we hope
they Will meet with the success their
efforts SO well merit, and that they
may be able by means of their Fair
to secure the funds necessary for the
improvement of the pubic burial
ground in Pineville. We think we
can safely promise on behalf of this
community that it shall be so and
that the public spirited ladies and
gentlemen who have gratuitously,
and at no little expenditure of time
and trouble undertaken to remove the
reproach which the condition of the
common burial ground since the war,
has put upon the whole people of this
parish, shall be properly encouraged
and their appeal shall have a suita-
BILE response.
In this connection it may be ap-
propriate to say word as to the his
tory of this association. 1t is well
known that the grave yard in Pine
vile has been used as such by all
our people for half a century or more,
and that every family in the Parish
has there its representatives who are
sleeping their last Sleep in this
city of the dead. After the war it
was in most dilapidated condition,
there was no fence, the grounds had
grown up in weeds and uDderbrush,
private yards were being rifed of
shrubery and ornaments, the iron
ratings were being sold as old iron,
hogs, goats and cattle were being per-
mitted to use the grounds for pastu-
rage, and worse than all, reckless
persons were disintering the remains
of those buried long ago to make
room for new graves in eligible pla-
ces. To stop the dissertation of the
graves, and to repair the ravages of
war and long neglect, a few ladies
and gentlemen, without regard to
church or creed, formed themselves
into an association, obtained a char
ter, and for the benefit of the public,
acquired the land by donations from
its owners which was readily given.
They issued stock and collected sub
scriptions enough to enclose the
whole grounds with a good fence,
and to nearly build a Sections house.
For year they have been entirely
out of means to complete the house
or even to hire Sexton, and they
find themselves about to be forced to
abandon the enterprise for want of
friends, unless they get help from
the public. They desire, we are told,
to. finish the house, whitewash the
fence, lay the grounds of into walks
and squares, repair and preserve the
many graves, some of them of fami-
lies who have all passed away and
have fallen into decay, tobe able to
employ suitable sexton, and gener-
ally to improve, beautify and orna-
ment the grounds so as that they may
no longer stand as a lasting reproach,
but instead be creditable to the peo-
Pile of the town and parish. They
have already done much with a little
assistance from the public and they
propose the Fair and Supper as ad-
vertised, to enable them to carry out
their designs. We are informed that
there is not salaried officer in the
Association, and the character of the
ladies and gentlemen who have charge
of the matter is guaranty that the
money realized will be properly ap-
piled.
Their appeal is made direct to the
public, on whose behalf they labor,
and they ask for contributions of
fancy articles, cakes, meats, goods
and wares of any kind that have a
money value. They ask also for the
personal interest of ladies and gentle
men who will give their services on
the occasion. The announcement
elsewhere will show to whom contri-
buttons may be made, and to whom
applications as to the arrangements
may be made.
Let everybody resolve to give all
the help they can, and even though
it should be small individually, col
lectively it will amount to a great
deal. We predict that the Fair will