The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-20

In Tuesdays meeting OF the City Council Ad-
mnistrator Marks called the attention OF the
Council TO the report Of DIR. Holt about certain
unhealthy localities la this city. The report
al uded to Ia the one for the year 1873. and the
part that has attracted the attention Of Admin
istrator Marks seems to be that relative to the
Locust Grove Cemetery, or P0tter's Field. DR..
Holt, In his report. says:
I, myself making an inspection, witnessed
the burial Of a corpse. the grave WIS pre-
pared by uneOvering coffin, opening It. rakiDg
the bones together and throwing them our
breaking no and ptiziDR out the Old CONN ADG
depositiug tho new In the mould Of the former;
When laid In it's uncertain resting place the I'D
of tho boz. like that Of the one. pr ceding, Was
two inches below the surface Of the earth. To
hide 1t the earth formerly removed Was pied
UPON the coffin In o mound about two feet nigh.
In this covering | counted the skulls OF three
former occupants, besides observing other
bones fnnumerabl- SO filed with bones was
the earth IA to make the use OF the spade sX-
tremely difficult. Another coffin lid warped
by the sun. displayed In hideous reality the
body Of q poor wretch who had died q fey
months before; the seneh WAS disRusfiI gy
percep ibe. The whole surface OF the ground
was strewn with ribs and small bones
like pebbles, upon the bills. Here ana there
hugo thigh bones served rs head and foot
stones to the unknown dead.
Tue citizens living in the vicinity presented o
petition TO the City Counci March 3D. l87!; where
rible facts relative 10 this graveyard: how, tina
in the summer season the stencil from human
bodies pervaded their homes; that, whether
eating or sleep nR. indoors or out, they Were
ever In an atmosphere heavy with exhala'ion'
from the dead. They pictu ed the disgusting
sights presented and forced upon the gaze o
themselves and Of their children.
They referred 10 their pitiable conditinR dur
Ing an epidemic, When the putretying deat
were piled In heaps. under blazing sun. wait
ing burial, and the over bur dened earth reek 81
with rotting human flesh. while clouds of file
5warmed b lck and forth upon the graves. anC
upon their tables
Thy urged in this prayer their constan
dread Of the infectious and pestileGtial disease
whose victims were brought from all parts o
the city and buried in their midst. hardly GOV
evered from their gaze.
The neighbors assured me that hogs repeat
eddy made their way through the Dickete
| fence, and even declared 70 me thai they ha
graves. and Tevel in their carcasses the live
| long night. filling themselves with humal
| FISH to faften on IL. Whether this statement b
| true or not 1t Is certain tn were frequently II
/ this graveyard, anu the collins, sometimes no
/ below the level OF the surface. were often mad
bare By the rains.
| Adding danger to the disgusting features 0
| broken up, as described were in constant ~
mand to be used as fire-wood for cooklDg an
| for the construction Of yard f-nees by ceftal
| degraded whites and Legroes In the dlstIc
| | earnestly recommended the srieeuon " :
site for potter field in the neignDoInooa :
the cemeteries, far in the rear OF the eensIo !
the city. ont of sight Of habitattons ana GltGctI
approachable from all parts Oh the CITY "iIno1
having to traverse It's Icing b. ..L,..h
The City Council was about U eseaDIIsn nc
pauper graYey ard. This De ition. u numerous
signed was presented at the Ilty Hail. a1a. .