The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-11-01
NEW ORLEANS CEMETERIES.
A Lottery Mans Revenge Changes q
Race-COurse into Cemetery.
TT atfer in Nay Vo,t Tirnac

q
Letter in New York Times.
Any stranger here in search of curl
osit;es is pretty sure to go back again
and again to the cemeteries, just as /
am going back to them, for they are,
without exception, the most interesting
points to visit. All the other New Or
leans curiosities may be duplicated in
other cities, but there is nothing like
the cemeteries anywhere else in
America. They are SO full, so well
kept, SO curious in their arrangement,
so quiet and restful, that it is pleasure
to go into them.
One of the oldest of the French
cemeteries is in the heart of the city only
a few blocks from Canal street 1t is
inclosed with high stone wall, and
the entrance to it is through narrow
gateway. The graves are all above
ground, as they are in all the New Or
leans cemeteries, and the little burial
houses are SO close together it looks
impossible to find room for another
body. There are several large vaults
belongin to benevolent societies, and
two or three are filled with bodies of
Confederate soldiers. Narrow walks
wind among these dwelling houses of
the dead, with which the entire
inclosure is filed. The inscrip-
tions on many of the tombs
show that tie occupants came years
ago from the French provinces, but a
fair proportion of the names are Ger
grave shows some mark of affection,
with its bouquet of flowers, festoon of
Grape, rosette of black beads, its tiny
cross, or font of holy water. The
French do not forget their dead friends.
There are graves in this cemetery so
old that the plas' er is crumbling away,
that still are ornamented with fresh
bouquets of flowers. But this old
French cemetery in the middle of the
city has not the charm of the newer
ones in the suburbs.
About three miles from the center of
the town, straight out Canal street,
there is village Of cemeteries whose
population must equal, should think,
that of the city. 1t is just pleasant
walk to them on fair day The first
to be reached bears sign over the
gate 'Temene, Derech, Rest" the next
is the Lutheran cemetery, then the
Jewish Cemetery of the Congregation
Dispersed of JUDAH" St. Patrick s
cemetery, which probably is not filled
with Frenchmen; the beautiful Fire
mems S eemetery, and the "Odd-Fellows'
Rest. The last to be reached in point
of distance is the largest of all, the
Metairie. This word was sticker, and
it took me a long time to find out what
it meant. l asked several gentlemen
whom l met on the broad gravel walks,
and they all to d me it was race-track,
but the exact connection between a
cemetery and race-track was hard to
see. 1t was plain enough, however.
when | heard the story.
few years ago Metaire was the
fashionable race-course of New Orleans
owned by club composed of number
of prominent citi. els. The president
of the Lou sana Lottery company de-
sired to join the club, but the respect
able gentlemen connected with it did
not care to be mixed up with any
4-11-44 business, and promptly
| black balled him. He made effort after
| effort to get in, but was black balled
every time. At last he grew indignant
and said to them:
It's not much of a. race-track, any
how. | will buy it and make cemetery
| of it."
He kept his word. Before long the
sporting club was in difficulties, anc
the lottery man got possession of most
of its stock. AS soon as he was able
to control it he tore down the grant
stand, laid the whole place out il
burial lots, and the old race-track is
now the fashionable cemetery O
New Orleans No choice lots, how
ever, are reserved for the lottery com
pany's victims who spend their las
dollar for quarter tickets and die in tn,
poorhouse. This connection of
swindling lottery company with
cemetery is beautifully appropriate
leaving nothing to be desired but al
aims house on one side of the bi,
arched gateway and Jail on the other