The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1886-08-19
TIE New CEMETERY.

THE New CEMETERY,
Up Haywood street, through the length
of Academy street to little way beyond
Prof Venable's residence, thence through
somewhat devious streets to the Encamp-
ment grounds, thence along their south
ern margin to near their western limit,
and then the road to the entrance of the
cemetery begins. It is a wide avenue,
winding in easy curves through the un-
cut forest, wide, well made, well graded
and following the easiest surface line.
A quiet thoughtful drive off perhaps a
quarter of mile brings You to the en-
trance gate of iron work over which is
thrown an arch bearing the inscription:
THE AsHEvILLE CEMETERY,
Designating the spot with unmistakable
precision. There is no mistake there.
But was such precision needed ? We are
familiar with the Asheville Bank, the
Ashevllle Bakery, the Asheville Lumber
Co., and other titles suggestive of the
business and the enterprise of the city.
But Is it necessary to carry these sugges-
tions into the resting place of the dead :?
The only occupation connected with them
is that of sorrow for their departure, ten
der care of their graves, and the perpetu-
alton of their memory by the gentle arts
of tasteful and pious decoration. Busi-
ness is left outside. True, through the
parting foliage we catch glimpses of the
city of the living. We see with our own
eyes that the dead and the living are not
far apart; we feel the force of the solemn
remindsr, Sin the midst of life we are in
DEATH" But we know that though so
near, yet in many respects they are far
removed. And certainly the associations
are widely different. and such difference
ought to 6e marked with outWard-sig
4niieanCc. We ike thett u ggestion of Mr..
Lyman that Riverside" should be the
title of the slcie1 sroS; appropriate from
the music of the word, from the pres
ence of the flowing waters, and because
the stream itself sending up the voice
with murmur softened by distance to
mingle with the wailings of the mourner
or with the gentle hush of the
subdued sorrow, seems to ask its
share in the expression lof emotions.
Passing under the portal the same, wide
drive goes down into the grounds, and
then their beauty aud appropriate loca-
| ton breaks upon the eye. A tract of
thirty -four acres breaks down towards
the south and west until it reaches the
river The surface is irregular, scanned
with valley or ravine or studded with hill
or promontory. The woods, of native
| forest trees, are cut away to utilize the
ground open up the scene, yet enough
preserved to answer all the use of shade
or effect. Below flows the river, and be-
yond, that never-failing fringe of noun
tains, from no point more beautiful than
here. Throughout the grounds are car
riageways reaching to every point, car
ried by the incest skill of the engineers
art, and along the steep slopes doubling
upon each other in parallel but reversed
lines. AS yet few lots have been sold:
but the work of decoration is going on,
and in time no burial spot on earth will
be more adorned by art or more enrich
ed by the beauty and grandeur of sur
| rounding scenery. So far the fact seems
scarcely realized by the citizens of this
place that fitting resting place has been
found at last for our dead, and that it is
ready for use; and very few have taken
the trouble to visit and learn how really
| fit and beautiful it is. 1t must be visited
to be known; and then we are sureitwill
soon be learned that what Mt. Auburn
is to Boston, Greenwood to New York,
Hollywood to Richmond, Bonaventure
| TO Savannah, Riverside will become to
Asheville.
A few interments have taken place in
the cemetery. Only one monument has
been erected, which stands on probably
the most prominent projecting point in
the grounds. This was erected by Mr..
J. Evans Brown to the memory of his pa
rents and kindred. 1t is plain block Of
blue marble surmounted with q sculp-
tured frieze. There are inscriptions on
each of the four sides. We give them,
not only as those Of the first monument
but as of large and well known family.
They are as follows:
1. Col. John Brown.
Oct. =, 1saS,
| Ann Brown,
| Dec. 26, 1S48.
l ss II
2. Maj. VIM. Brown,
Dec. 6, 1884.
Aug. Is, 1888.
8. Mary W. A. Brown.
Oct. 1s, 1858
1t. San s. Blown, C; A.,
Feb e, e 1852
4 A. Eliz zIbeth J. Carter,
nee Brown,
| Oct. z, 1882.
Capt: VIM. G. Brown, C. A.,
i July 9, 1862.