The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-10
NEW YORK BAY CEMETERY.
LOT OWNERS hsTONIsHED WHEN MR..
BUCKMdSTER VOTED.
Matters OF Interest TO Those who have Hela-
lives Buried In ~ DiIapidnted Graveyard
A Law Lately Passed by the Legislature.

Matter. OF Interest TO Those who have Heia-
tives Buried In - Diiapidated Graveyard
"A Inv Lately Passed by the Legislature.
Tho New York Bay Cemetery has furnished
bone OF contention oven in the New Jersey
Legislature. Tho lot owners have been in
Torment for several months past For over
twenty years tho Cemetery Association has been
controlled by the Buckmastcr family, who claim
TO hold about 5000 lots. and to cast 5000 votes
accordingly. the charter from the New Jersey
Legislature giving the right to one vote for
every lot. The lot owners aver that Buckmas-
tor lots are chiefly in meadow land outside OF
tho cemetery proper, and unfit for burial pur-
poses. At all events. they sufficed for Buck
master. the elder. to control the elections oil
trustees twenty years ago and to-day they
enable his son, Charles Buckmaster, who sue
seeded him. to carry out the same purpose he
keeps the Office Of the association at and 7
Dey street.
" The attention Of lot owners" said one Of
them yesterday. was called to the matter some
months ago when the annual assessment OF %
each was sought to be levied on them for keep
ing the grounds In order, as authorized by the
charter Many OF us refused to pay. because
the grounds had not been kept in order. The
surface water had been allowed to lie on tho
high ground. without any attempt at drainage.
and tho fences and walks were in n dllapidated
Jersey City papers nm advertisement announce
ing that an election for trustees would DO held
Vt the company's ONCE in New York ton days
hereafter, and number OF us resolved to bc
present and endcavor to SECURE soma repre-
sentation in the Board OF Trustees, or other
wise effect some reform In the management OF
,ticket. and went ovcr ON the DAY appointed lana
tthe hour set down for the election wa found
nobody In tho Office but boy. Ina few min
uftcen or twenty gentlemen present. was very
II our number. Mcssrs. Henry j. Hopper now
he Democratic candidate Tor Mayor OF Jersey
James Dickson, mnrble worker. all Of Jersey
jity. together with Superintendent Mills Of the
" eleven trustees. We declined the oiIer. and
allied for the election 10 proceed. We had quite
respectable vote, what with our own, and the
proxies We had secured but Whit was our sur
prise when Mr.. BuckmHster stepped forward
md voted on over 1900 lots. and declared his
This Ticket included the three names he had
graciously cons nted to allow US, After we re-
tired, II occurred to me that an election held in
New York city for trustees under a New Jersey
charter was not legal. and at my suggestion an
CITY. at which Messrs, George II. Hitler 4
Cedar street wholesale druggist Samuel Hem;
John c. Duncan. a New York newspaper man,
were appointed a law committee II Becoming
desirable to obtain a list of the lot owners. and
to see how the affairs OF the association had
been managed. some Of us went over and asked
leave To examine the BOOKS Tor the purpose.
But Mr.. Buckmaster utterly refused TO permit
t., w.. su9n'iti me question Of the Legality OF
Jersey charter y Counsellor LOWS Of Jersey
City. and he decided that US there had been no
election held for trustees in New Jersey since
tho incorporation of the association, there had
mover been a legal election.
-" Thereupcn the three gentlemen whom Mr.
Buck muster had consented TO put on with his
trustees notified him that they could not serve
not having been legally elected. and Mr.. Lewis
was employed 10 draw bill u be presented to
he New Jersey Legislature TO meet the cns.
Mr.. Hitler and other members Of tho commit
b becSme law Srs 'Se OF the
1t provides that wheEe any cemetery com
tn OF ,rnsps r os d'Scorered 70 bs
lts charter. IT shall be- lawful to proceed To hold
an election. after giving ten days notice; and
more than one hundred lots .'''" ''''''' WV %
Advertisements have been issued calling for
pcrint.ndents office in the cemetery on April
10. at o'clock p; NJ, that being the only office
that after that election the New York Bay Gene
tory Will no longer be run as the private prop
erty OF the Buckmaster family.
Our purpose 10, as soon as We obtain con-
troll OF II. TO adopt the system upon which Green
and ornamepting T. and setting its walks and
fences IN order. first-class cemetery. The two
dollars lot now authorized 10 be assessed will
1900 lot owners. We have found that fer s soms
years past there has been no President and no
Treasurer OF the association. Mr.. Buckmastet
mas acted as Secretary, and has done Just rs ht
pleased, We have ascertained. too. that while
the deeds We have received from him profess t.
give us a clear title TO our lots. there is mort
gage on the property 10 which they are subject
and II is high time that the affairs OF the GENE.
terry wsrs, put IN other hands.
Mr.. Nils. the superintendent OF the Gene
tery VINO attended our meetings discovered i"i
The lrsttim thHth name had figured as one o
Mr.. Buckmhslrrs dummy trustees for sevrra
years past. AZ soon NJ Mr. Blu kmastcr armed
tnht We were taxing action In the matter he 60
all the maps oil the cemetery from the supcrin
tendents onlce. and has kept them III New
York ever SINCE"
Mr. Charlcs buckmastcr when told OF tn,
charges relative 10 his being the exclusive
onlceholdor Of the association. said;
" II would be Impossible to explain all tina
sort OF thing. The cemetery sold all it's lot
twenty five years ago. All these questions ar
intricate. When this election In held, or sut,e,,
quently. every question will bo settled. So ia
pleasure Ia have the thing Strengthened out.
there II anything rocked about II. These gen
tcmen have generally acted On the supposito
that was uniriendly 10 their purpose. Ca TIA
contrary. II gives me pleasure TO have any i'm
prQyement made in the cemetery IL pOs- die.
The object oil the prov sion that no on
should vote on more than one hundred lots wa
aimed az me. II may be- iHir or II may not;
will have TO inquire into it, But wh,n H."
came ana took part H. the election in w NOr
tod III, IN Il gave me pleasure To sec them;
was the FIRST tim" IN thirty years that had srt
anyhpdy tahinE any inter- - IN tho matter, m
picked nat frur or ite cot tucm and nut IN -
IN III" manu- cement. 20 rs e. have the benefit {
their a !V.rr,
1t rs trui LAT they asked to see the book
and toH inrn. II re- grr the hoohh, you ca
see them At ..uy timr. But they want ii tu tan
copies Il a. M, nnl Itrid them wasn't pr,
pared to have llrm iu that So far u- IN, MAJ
agcment ~ 'hcrrm'irry is on Hcrurd. | have u
ambition that WAY ~ ulL | have g Il votes 3,
2eOo loi-. Thrfe are probably 10000 lots s u
Tor inlcIunu's. and n the uplEhbOruJJl
10000 individual ntrmcnts."