The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-10-03
THE GRAVEYARD ELIXIR.
why Gravediggers Live TO an Advan.
ced Age.
The Cemetery superindentents Say Thai
Burial Grounds are not Unhealthful.

The American Association OF Gene
terry superintendent was called to order
by President Charles Nichols, of New
ark, N. j., yesterday at the Michigan
Exchange. The President is man
short of stature, with finely.shaped
bald head, fringed with silver gray hair.
He wears clay down" collar, black
necktie, large diamond stud, black
clothes, neatly fitting, and mutton
chop" beard of gray. The organization
Of the superintendents Of cemeteries is
entirely due to the work of Mr.. Nichols,
who labored for several years to accom-.
plish this SCENE.
A. w. Blain, OF "Elmwood," this city,
opened the session by reading a paper
on Cemeteries Within City Limits"
He defended the location of cemeteries
within the limits Of cities, on the ground
that there is nothing in them or result
ing from them that is detrimental to pub
lie health" The idea that cemeteries
are in any way injurious to public health,
like many other fne.spun theories, has
been scattered to the winds by the light
of science and investigation" said the
speaker, "for the results Of these inves.
legations, which are based on numerous
weighings Of corpses made in several
hospitals, and Of the most authenict data
Of the chemical composition Of the
human body, show that the noxious
gases emitted from graves are indefi.
nitely less considerable than has been
supposed"
In the discussion that followed, several
of the speakers told Of men whose lives
had been spent in cemetery work, such
as exhuming bodies, digging graves, etc.,
aud who to-day are old men, physically
sound, but bent with years Of toll. 81
never knew grave-digger to die while
young" said L. ]. Wells, OF "wood.
lawn" Brooklyn, N. Y, "and most of
them live on the grounds, even drink.
ing the water from wells adjacent to the
graves" That there is nothing un.
healtful about cemetery was the un.
animous opinion of the members of the
convention.
"What Trees and Shurbs are the most
Desirable for Cemetery Decoration ?"
was the subject ably discussed by ]. q.
Baker, of "Forest Hills" Boston. Mr..
Baker is good.looking man Of medium
height, with brown hair neatly smooth
ed over bald head, an abundance of
brown whiskers and mustach, eye
glasses, which he continually took of
and as often replaced during his talk,
and the air of business man who
knows what he's talking about. He de.
tailed his experience with trees, shrubs
and hedges, giving his brothers of the
association valuable pointers about the
kinds to use and how to use them sue.
cessfully.
T. Mccarthy, of "Swan Point" Provi-
dence, R. l., delivered, with considerable
vim and no little humor, a paper on the
Responsibilities OF Cemetery Superin.
tendents."
Landscape Gardening in Cemeteries
was thoroughly discussed by F. Enrich,
of "Woodlawn," Toledo. He considers
too much decoration as worse than too
little, and wished more artistic judgment
would be used by the lot owners.
monuments and Headstones" were
discussed by o. @. Simmonds, of "Grace-
land" Chicago. He would like to see
the time when material monuments will
be done away with. "Will man be re.
membered longer because of monu-
ment of stone?" asked the speaker.
'Is not mans life better monument
than an ungainly pillar of stone which
destroys all the beauty and symmetry Of
landscape gardening" Luz
A paper OF "Vaults," by ]. @. Cline,
"Woodlawn," Dayton, O., was read by
the Secretary. It was mostly in relation
to the correct mode of constructing q
vault.
A portly, handsome man, of Do, with
gold eyeglasses, latest style "stand up''
collar, white low tie, diamond stud,
wavy gray chin beard and well.ftting
AAihCO hADOAe COocy 6oV uP WhCh pAiO
Secretary announced paper on "Fun.
erals" by L. L. Mason, of "Lakeview,"
jamestown, N. Y. The latest styles of
funerals and how the should be con
Quoted by the undertakers were men,
toned, and a fine sketch OF a solemn,
slow moving funeral train was given in
language replete with poetical sadness.
A committee of five members was ap.
pointed by the President, on motion of
F. w. Higgins, ito prepare set OF rules
for the government of cemeteries, which
shall be recommended for adoption by
cemetery authorities"
New arrivals to-day were: A. w.
Blain, of "Elmwood," this city; J. F.
Mabin, of "Oakhill," Owosso; q. K.
Blakesley, Of Marshall, Mich; J. H.
Vance, of Erie, Pa; Josiah Smith, of
"Mt. Evergreen" Jackson, Mich.
The association was again called to
order at 2:30 p. M, by President Nichols.
N. O. Wilder, Of "Spring Grove" Hart