Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-21

A correspondent, IN communication
not intended for publication, while admit
,.uy taat our suggestions relative to the
>-aietery on South Brosd street, II carried
cut. would add greatly TO ,he attractions
+ O. tae CITY, protests il a mild way against
a.s'urbin< the dead Of that old bury!ng
Srourd. lie thinks it would DC sacrilege
t. p. tie baud OF progress touch the
tombs and tho graves tia; the public has
0aen taught so iong 70 regard as some
tE.GE sacred. Tis thinks that a certain
amount OF resp6c, is due to the feelings
Of t5oss Wbose ancestors are buried In
the Old graveyard. and that nothing
should be done 30 ooIiteTate this ancient
Landmark, even though its walls should
begin 10 crumbie and the briars and weeds
should hide the tombs and tablets, as
long as there exists any sentiment hostile
to ~ Improvement. He is not aware,
doubtless, that hundreds Of those who
were buried IN tie old cemetery were re-
moved long ago and that many OF the
vaults are empty-are, in fact, merely dis
ease-breeding places, where snakes ara
lizards resort.
For many years before the cemetery
was closed by law, as a burying place,
comparatively few persons were buried
there, because its space was not sufficient
TO meet The demands upon it. Many
prominent persons we're. therefore, buried
in the grave yard that existed near where
the Savannah Hospital now stands. In
terments were made there even after
the south Broad street cemetery was
finally closed. In that cemetery were
monuments, tombstones, vaults and memo
rails just as there are to-day in the south
Broad street cemetery. They were placed
there by those who had as profound re
spect for their dead as have any Of those
whose dead yet remain in the South Broad
graves, the tombs, the tablets and
monuments OF that grave yard? They
have wholly disappeared. Not a trace OF
them remains. They have been removed.
and in their places fine residences have
been erected. In fact, some of these resi-
dences nave been built more than twenty
years. Who is there now who is not glad
that that grave yard was removed. and
the place it occupied improved Doubt
less there were those who protested against
disturbing the dead when the improve
ment was proposed, just as there those
WHO are ready TO protest against
any disturbance Of the dead in the South
Broad street cemetery, but their protests
were not effective, and 1t is a very good
thing that they were not. Those who
wished 10 remove their dead from that
grave yard had the privilege Of doing so.
and remains that once reposed near where
the hospital now stands, found resting
places al Laurel Grove and BOnaventure.
Many graves, however, were not opened,
and those who occupy them, II their dust
is not wholly lost in the dust of mother
earth, sleep beneath costly homes or the
busy thoroughfares OF the growing city.
1t is proposed, however, to deal with
the cemetery in South Broad street 10 a
much more unobiectionable way than
taat grave yard was dealt with. The land
Of that grave yard was divided into build
ing lots, and sold by the fathers Of some
Of those who now cry out that it would be
sscrilege 10 disturb the south Broad street
graves, but nothing Of that kind is con-
templated with regard to the South Broad
street cemetery. All that is proposed is
hat it shall be improved, made attrac-
tive and re-dedicated 10 the public in the
shape Of a park adorned at each corner
and in the centre with handsome public
buildings.
Who is there to be benefited, what good
purpose can be served by giving over to
ruin and decay place that can easily be
made one Of the most beautiful and at
tractive squares in the city? Let the old
cemetery be improved. Take down its
unsightly walls. Drive out OF it the
snakes and the lizards. Plant flowers
and shade trees there. Let us have in it
fountains and statuary instead of tombs
and tablets. The whisperings Of lovers
and the sweet voices of children will not
disturb its dead or detract from the sa-