Evening journal., 1889-11-11
AALF-FoReoTTsN eRAvgYAaos.
che City's Ruthiess Advance Has Caused
the DesecratIon of Many Cemeteriee.


she City's Ruthiess Advance Has Caused
the Dissertation of Many Cemeteries.
Great Caser dead and turned to clay,
stuffed in crack TO keep the wind
away Only few years and the grand
march of public Improvement win de-
mand the removal of these quiet abodes
Of the dead, and their places will be
taken by the happy homes of the living
and by business establishments" Thus
moralized gentleman yesterday while
passing the Wilmington and Brandywine
| Cemetery
The remarks reminded an EVENING
| JOURNAL reporter, who overheard it,
that few years ago there was some talk
of removing the bones in the Catholic
portion of the Brandywine cemetery, and
that while the Rev. f. B. DuVal was
pastor Of the First Presbyterian Church,
at Tenth and Market streets, there was a
movement on foot TO sell portion of the
King street part of the cemetery which
surrounds the church. The trustees
were only prevented from doing so by the
clamor raised by the representatives Of a
few old families whose ancestors aud
friends were buried there.
1t was also discovered. by inquiry, that
at least three cemeteries, that were form
erly in this city, had been covered by
improvements. The people who live in
the houses built over them, engrossed by
the cares of life and diverted by ambi-
bilious plans for the future, seldom re-
member, If they know at all, that the
foundations of their-residences are per-
haps resting on earth which is all that
remains of that people, which formerly
lived in the small town In the neighbor-
hood Of the cemetery. Few people will
object to removing cemetery, II their
friends are not to be disturbed Few ex-
cept those who have been attached to the
departed by some very tender ties, have
much feeling for the dead at the best
That witty but smutty Irishman, as
he has been called, Dean Swift, said that
people returning from funerals were
among the happiest looking people he
had ever seen. And other people. no
doubt, have noticed the same thing
Who has not remarked how the funeral
carriages hurry away from the cemeter-
les, running racesg Who has not re-
marked how interested the occupants of
the carriages were in trying to beat
every one homer
The Presbyterian denomination form.
erly had cemetery within the boundaries
of, Walnut Poplar, Fifth and Sixth
streets. This was the cemetery belong
ing to the Second Presbyterian Church.
The same building which this eongrega-
tion worshiped in then is now occupied
by the German Baptist at the south west
corner of Fifth and Walnut streets
The Potter's field was formerly located
on the corner of Eleventh and King
streets aud it occupied all Of that square
north of the Baptist Cemetery (which is
still there) and south of Eleventh street.
The residence of George Read Riddle and
several other fine houses were after
wards built on this site and the works OF
the Wilmington Dental Company are nov
on the same ground.
At Front and Justison streets, where
the foundry of the Harlan and Hollings
worth Company is located, was formerly
the private cemetery of the Broom
family, once very prominent family il
what was the village of Wilmington
Under the cold earth in these cemeterie
were laid those that were dear to the
friends. but a generation grew up tina
knew them not and the digging up 0
their bones was in some instances
source of many CHASTITY jokes and in n
case apparently was the dissertation NOR
than the subject Of idle curiosity
Thus the dead have to make way 70
the living, and while some kind .heartel
souls may protest, dead mems bones hav
very little sympathy from those who dil
not know their possessors in the flesh
and are not interested in keeping thei
tombstones standing as sort of guara1
tee of their aristocratic lineage.