Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-02-07
THE OLD sWEDk,S 5 SALE.
A Presentation OF the Facts by DR..
Horace Burr-why the Property
was sold.

a Btatement OF the reasons hnu motlVes
by which majority Of the yestry OF
Trinity parish ore actuated in the sale Of
o strip Of ground on the southerly side Of
Holy Trinity Church yard TO the corpora
tion OF the p. W. & q. railroad.
For 40 years the vestry of Trinity par
ish have attempted with varying and par
tial success to provide for and sustain
religious worship in the old church.
Until the last three yeers the work was
conducted as missionary operation but
since then there has been an arrange
ment by which committee nominated
by the congregation and appointed BY
the vestry have agreed TO be responsible
for tie necessary expenses, the yestry re-
linquishipg to them the net avails from
The property though legally the vestry Of
the whole parish is responsible for all
salaries and expenses.
Tho time has come when there ia no
prospect Of any considerable income
from tho cemetery os the lots are nearly
all sold and there Is but little ground
that con be used for individual graves
without disturbing tho ashsB OF past
generations. Those who are acquainted
with the past history Of tho efforts to
keep up the old church taking into the
Rccouut the fact last stated and the
character Of the n6iehborhood feel that
though there is a comparatively hopeful
siata of things at present yet looking to
The future there is uncertainty and it is
the earnest wish OF the vestry and others
that permanent fund should be pro-
vided, the interest Of which shall be set
apart forever for the repair OF the church
and churoh-yard and koeping up services
in the venerable old building.
30 far but 81 800 has been secured by
legecies. THE sole reason for the'present
sale is TO add $4,000 more to that-thus
making good beginning for sufficient
fund 10 insure permanance for the work
which, owing 70 the locality and the
phitting population of the neighborhood,
cannot be reckoatd upon with any
certainty fer coming timo.
II Is the intention Of the vesiry to 90
place this fund that 1t cannot be tahen
and the interest cannot be used except
for the old ohuroh.
As 10 the fapls With regard TO the
ground. The southwest end OF it is posi-
lively known never TO have besn used 70,
burial purposes. The northeast part OF
it was originally low ground and was not
used As burial place and has been fiiled
in with waste earth within the last few
years. II is claimed that some poor peo.
Pile were buried when II wRs on Level
with the railroad by consent OF the
authorities but il such was tho oase then
there were no marks of graves ard thsy
lie far below the present surface and San
never be disturbed by the laying of the
track. As to objsotions;
/. II ia said that bringing the road one
track nearer will cause more noise and
| disturb the worship 10 tue church, but /,
is believed that the inush higher wall
| which tho company agrees 20 Guild aud
keep in perpetual repair will dull The
sound OF passing trains. Ia thi3 conusc.
tion it may he we'll to answer an ergone
aus claim made by some that the railrosd
is hound 10 keep the present wall in
repair, which 10 not so, as fSr great
part Of the way the ground has boon
raised by uH since the wallwas laid aud the
wall has been kept mp by the vsatry OF a
! large expense.
Q 1t is said that it is unjust to the
owners of lots, but the line will not GO
near any lot in the ground, and al
graves will he as well protected az row.
8. II is said that IL will decrease the
gale of graves and diminish the income
of the church from that source, but thEi
is what should be done, as already Ole
gravts are being opened and desecrstet
TO make place Tor new, which should no
he permitted, and there is but litGlt
groupd that has never besn buried in re
mainirg.
1. That 1t is aelling consectated ground
but o large number Of those who Ere ths
most 6trenuou6 oppnsera OF the action o
the vestTy have admitted that they would
approve the sale if larger sum had beer
obtained or tine proceeds would be ap
| piled according TO their wishes SO that i;
Is after ell not matter of conscience
but OF more money or of different appli
cation.
8. That Il establishes precedent fol
selling more ground beresfrer, but the
vessry Go not 30 consider it, but l0oh
upon il as q means OF protection for the
real burying place, as there will not bo in
the near future sufficient income from
the cemetery to keep the walls and fenc'
in repair, as buriall in the lots bring ne
income to the vestry or church, and ther,
is no power to tax the lot. holders or tht
! NAsdIEhuhLhE Vi tA&Snb bhAASet ia hAV NSAa~ "
or graves.
6 That II is desecration of the grays
of the dead-but on the contrary it is K
stop desccration by providing an inocm'
to taxa the place Of that which has to G
considerable extent been derived from
hurials in the old part of the ground
with the liability of disturbing the re
mains Of past generations of members o
the church--fos the graves fer tho fra
hundred years and many OF the more re
cent ones having never been marked b!
any stone IL Is impossible to tell by til,
appearance of the surface what lies I'M
derneath.
Some of those most in favor of the sal
are owners OF lots and expect TO be buriet
in them, while many who arc making th'
most ado about il have no connection BY
ownership with the ohurchyard.
The vestrymen of Trinity parish ar
not in any way benefited by the sale ex
cept as they are connected with and inter
ested in the old church and churohyard
the welfare Of which is officially com
mitted to them, and they have no motiv
for their action except the discharge o
what they believe conscientiously TO b
duty devolved upon them by their po
sition as the legal representatives o
Trinity parish, OF which the congrega
tion worshiping in tho old church Is
component part and the whole member
ship Of which have au equal and undi
vided interest and ownersbip in the ol
church and all that pertains thereto.
HoRAuE BURR,
Senior Warden of Trinity Parish.