Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-10-08
ELMWOOD CEMETERY.
Lost GraVss-The Living Searching
in Vain for the Graves Of their
Dsad-A True Tale OF HOr.
rOr, and Of the Septem.
Der Days.

rOr, and OF the Septem.
Der Days.
Appeal, SlhJ eai
On Sunday last a number of heart.
stricken citizens repaired to ElmWood
Cemetery for the purpose Of visiting the
fresh made graves Of their loved and lost
and spreading flowers on the earth.hi
locks that marked those sacred spots.
But to thar horror and dismay. the
graves Of the dead could not hA found,
notwithstanding the long aud patient
search made BY the mourners and by the
employees Of the cemetery. This is q
horrible TACT to have to disclose, because
it is well calculated to awaken the deep
est alarm in the minds of hundreds OF
citizens who had their loved ones inter.
red at Elmwood. II will be we'll 70 re.
member how the dead daily encountered
the graveyard, and how a hundred cofins
lay around Elmwood daily awaiting in.
terment, which had to be postponed for
days sometimes owing to the scarcity OF
grave diggers, the terrible death rats and
the sickness of those in charge Of the
cemetery during the gloomy days Of
September, when the feyer-pest gathered
in a hundred victims a day. Those who
died during those days, and whose rela.
tives had not lots to bury their dead,
purchased private graves in that part Of
the cemetery known as Chapel Hill.
The dead we're taken out, and the collins,
boxes, etc, we're laid down on the rank
grass, which locations, according to the
then superintendent of the cemetery aud
thoss having charge of the interments,
we're the exact spots designated as lots
number so.and so. The graves could
not be dug Hntil the next day, and the
relatives and friends of the dead could
not, Of course, wait to see their dead in
tered, Itturns outthat in these days but
little attention was paid to the manner
Of interments. Long trenches we're dug
and the collins we're placed therein, side
by side, regardless of the facts that, in
many instances, private graves with reg.
ular numbers we're purchased aud prom
ised to be furnished. How can the liv
ing now find their dead2 Can they feel
certain unless an exhumation takes
place. that beneath the sod son which
they kneel and spread iDimor telles rests
their own beloved dead2 Certainly
not. On Saturday last It would make
ones heart ache to have seen a gentle.
mar searching for the lost grave of his
wife at EImwood Cemetery. He had
purchased a private grave, bat it cannot
be found, and the horrible belief that his
wife had been buried 10 the trench or
ditch haunted the unfortunate man
as he wandered around searching aud
weeping. He had flowers to strew on the
grave, but be searched in vaiA. The
grave was lost. A lady at the same time
was searching for q private grave on
Chapel Hill, but that grave was also lost,
and the treacherouslditches nsar BY the
place suggested the fate Of the loved one
who died. The present employees at Elm.
wood are rew people, who we're not there
during the dark death days OF Septem-
Der, and they know nothing Of the past.
Many Of the old employees have died,
others are absent. AS one of the pre-.
sent employees said, ia September
everything was in a horrible condition
here; there was no order nor system fol-
lowed as to burying the dead, and many Of
those entitled to private graves we're put
in the trenches" The negro grays.dig.
gers tell tales as to how the dead vers bur.
led in these days, tales not well calculated
to assure the living that their dead were
buried in accordance with directions or
in such graves as had been specially pur
chased for sucA purposes. There is 40
one to blame probably, bat the horrible
fact exists nevertheless.