The New York herald., 1878-12-01
DISTURBING THE DEAD.
THE END OF THE OLD BUsHwICK GRAVEYARD,
LONG ISLANDS MOST ANCIENT BURIAL PLACE.

THE END OF THE OLD BusHwICK GRAVEYARD,
LONG ISLANDS MOST ANCIENT BURIAL PLACE.
The last relic of the "Od Bushwick Graveyard
raked up yesterday and dumped into the
cellar Of the old Reformed Church. where the
bones will be packed into boxes and slowed away
il the unoccnpied vaults in the adjoining church
yard. The old graveyard said to he the
first established Long Island has been used for
nterment within fifty years, and allowed to 20 to
ruin. il has long been eyesore to the neighbors.
The records of interments in possession Of the
Consistory of the old Reformed Church, which had
taken charge of it since 17il. and when interments
ceased about 1s2s with the erection of The new church
edi6ce the records packed away in a trunk and
in fancied safety allowed to remain in one of the
lofts Tho recent extension of Kingsland avenue neces-
STATED the removal of the remains as the line Of the
thorough is over the burying ground
Tie church accordingly took into consideration
the subject of their removal and made a contract
with Messrs Doran a Brennan, cellar dsgers. to do
tn. work. The fence had been torn down and de-
stroye years ago and naught remained save eight or
nine fractured hcalstones and a fragment
of railing around one of the tombs: these
aud all else spoke but of desolation and
neglect. The boys Of the neighbour rhood had
made II their playground. and many bonhres had
split and destroyed the ancient monuments. of
which, stolen by some relic hunter short time ago,
bore the date 1885, though the OF the decea
was ieeihie. Others Of the same period on the
mp rapidly they sncccssivcly disappeared. until
The very grasses growth
Around IL seemed furlorn ana losh;
The very IVY seemed to tarA,
A.ksnce that vrcatled the neighbsr
Sunk was the slah: the lead declined;
And let the rails wreck behind.
\" name; you traced a - = -
Part uf ahiirtion aud Uf heaven.
Aud then ol irony
You read IN istt-rr sharp and clear
Though lost - sight, tu nIory Gear"
TIE contractors ready In commence thor work
asked for the records that they might do the
proper shape and give each IT. proper box but
10 when the records lifted their receptacle
they tell 10 peccsthc church mice. poor things for
want of something btter t. do had minced them M,
thus extracting all that good from them
The disntcrnent was therefore done Bidsse, the
whole ground being turned 10 the depth OF six
feet and when plate fragment of coffin sufii-
ccntly large to show that all that little of bones
belonged 70 one corpse II was deposited by itself IN q
small box. but not more than dozen this dis.
tinction. The bones ~ the ground turned over
were picked mp and carried load after load, 10 the
cellar ~ the church where thev awaiting the
completion OF the boxes in wliicl they will be re-
packed and placed in the vauts selected for the
pose.
The closing Of the lob was witnessed yester.
day. Thr-. with rakca and q fourth with q
basket went fhe surface Of the upturned ground
picking mp The fragments. and the success OF the
movement suggested the fact thst numerous bones
that liad hitherto rested in peace now scattered
freely all terough the earth that had formed the
closure: and many ~ th. surrounding residents feel
indignant about the matter though thsy arkncwlcde
that the contractors did their work carefully as
possible.