Morning journal and courier., 1885-11-26
SOLDIERS, BURIAL PLOTS.

of Grand Army Posis-The Coffsfnito
 tee Recommend an Appropriation.
 A meeting of the special committee of the Court of Common Council was held in room 10, City Hail, last evening to consider the petition of Henry c. Merwin post, G. A. R., for the purchase by the city of suitable plots of ground in which to bury deceased soldiers who die without means with which to give | them proper burial. The committee consists l of Aldermen Spreyer and Brown and Coun- cilmen Embler and Fitzpatrick.
 Before hearing the petitioners Alderman | spreyer stated that the city owned twenty l burial lots in Evergreen cemetery and that | portion of them could be transferred to the 1 Grand Army.
 Acting City Clerk Loomis stated that he had ascertained that burial lots in the St. Bernard cemetery cost $30, $45 and $50, ac- cording to location. It was thought that the S45 lots were about what were needed, and those having the cemetery in charge had said that for the purpose of soldiers' lot they would deduct $5 from the $45 lots. The hearing then proceeded.
 Dr. J. P Phillips was the first to speak in favor of the petition. He said it would be 8 serious mistake for the city to refuse to grant the petition. Though the soldiers may have been incorporate and irnprovident ill life, yet the fact remains that when the soldier lies before tis dead 1t is our duty to see that ha .s decently inferred. Again. pro- , visions should be made so that his religious feelings before death may be respected. If he was . Protestant, let him Catholic in a Catholic cemetery, and | if Jew in Jewish cemetery. If we neg | lect providing for the poor soldiers we dis grace ourselves. The city have TO e.- cuse whatever for not granting this re- quest.
 Fred H. Waldron next gave his views on i the subject. He said that @ great naany times | in the past it had been stated in the posts I that an old soldier was dead, and that his l friends had no means with which to bury him. Unless the corhrades put their hands 1 in their pockets such soldiers would be thrown into pauper's grave. We feel as 1 citizens that we have done our whole duty as soldiers, that we have borne the burden and 1 heat of the day in our country's service and that Eve should not be called | upon, in addition to our other burdens and calls for aid for distressed comrades, to also l have the additional burden put upon us of 1 buying them a lot in order to save them from ! being buried in the Potter's field. While we | ask for the purchase of these soldiers lots by l the city, we hope that but few of us will die ] so poor that we must be buried in these lots; ! but if it should be so, we can die with the assurance that we will not fill pauper's l grave.
 John J. Brennan said. It is considered a 1 deep disgrace by old soldiers who have suf- l fered so much for their country to even 1 think of one of their comrades being buried | in the Potter's field. Whatever may have 1 been the dead soldiers habits in life, he has served his country in her hour of need l and danger, and we feel that when he is | dead he should have decent burial. Now l there are twenty lots in the Evergreen cenae- l tery that are ownsd by the city, and we have been told that they could be had for the asking We feel that it is no more than fair that plots should also be purchased in the Catholic and Jewish cem- eteries. Henry c. Merwin post has had to purchase three lots during the past year for dead soldiers because their relations or friends were without means to bury them.> We have but little money in our treasury and as rule our members are poor. The members of the Grand Army are willing to do their share, but they do not feel though they should
 be called upon to do all.
 l Alderman Spreyer said he was in full ac- cord with the prayer of the petitioners and he thought it duty that the city owed to the
 Grand Army that they should grant theil petition and without the least hesitation.
 It was suggested that ten lots in Evergreen, six in St. Bernard, two in Fair Haven and one in the Jewish cemetery would be suftl | cient.
 Senator Plunkett-I presume that the ask
 ing for these plots is sufficient to secure the ! granting of them, as the State and cities and
 towns seem disposed to grant the soldier any
 hiRe dbes hes feel that th5s
 us may occupy the position
 of poor soldier, and any of us may need
 even place ot sepulehre when we die. We feel that our comrades should have thei1
 wishes carried out by being buried not il
 ground designated for paupers, but in theil ! own selected ground. We think that S1 ,50C
 would cover all the expense that would be
 necessary, and an appropriation not exceed
 ing that amount might be made.
 | Lewis B. Brown said he was sorry that the
 question of religion had been brought into
 this question. He thought suitable place
 should be selected without any reference to
 the soldiers religion who was to be buried
 there. He thought the Grand Army should
 demand from the city suitable burial place
 for poor soldiers and he did not care where
 they located it. whether in the
 Evergreen cemetery, the Catholic cemetery or the Jewish cemetery, 50 long as it was a re
 spectable place. He thought that it would weaken, and perhaps kill, the object in view if we asked the city to appropriate money
 when they had unused lots in the Evergreen cemetery.
 Attorney E. c. Dow thought that, as New Haven owned these vacant lots in Evergreen | cemetery, it was no more than right that they | should set apart portion of them for the
 burial of poor soldiers
 l Charles B. Dyer thought that Mir Browns argument would be very good in q commu- | nifty where they were all Yankees, for they did not care much where they were buried l but in a community where other nationalities lived, whose religious convictions differed | from the Yankee portion. that their convic- tions should be considered He thought $60C for this year would be sufficient.
 ! Captain Gleason briefly stated his views | on the subject, which he said were in accord with the other speakers far as the pur chase of lots in each of the cemeteries named | was concerned.
 This concluded the hearing and the com
 mittee went into executive session. They reached the conclusion that it would not be 1 necessary to purchase a lot in the Fair Ha | ven cemetery. They voted to recommend that ten lots in Evergreen cemetery be trans
 ferred to the Grand Army posts; that six
 be purchased in St. Bernards cemetery and one in the Jewish cemetery. They also voted
 to recommend that $600 be appropriated for
 the purchase of the lots named and the nee
 essary sodding and curbing of the same. 1 Alderman Spreyer and Councilman Emblel l were appointed subcommittee to appear
 before the Board of Finance and ask that the
 amount named be placed in the estimates for
 the coming fiscal year
 ARes1dent for Thfrty-Five Years.
 Mrs. Ann Scully, resident of this city fol
 over thirty-fve years, died at her residence
 No. 46 Liberty street, yesterday afternoon
 The funeral will take place from her late res ! dence on Ii berty street, after which there ! will be mass celebrated at Sacred Hear
 church at o'clock Friday morning.
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