The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-01-11
IN A QUIET NgIeHeoaHoop
Buying q Lot in tho City OF tho Dead.
Casio in n Cemetery.

Caste in n Cemetery.
'fYour first real estate2 Sad, sad But
we've all got to come to it. But isn't 1t
satisfaction to have few feet in well
kept place like thisa Why, grow fonder
and fonder Of it every day. Surveyed
and built up most of it myself, you see.
There's monument for you'll How Is 1t
to your liking2 Pretty heavy. Alb, but
it's iasting-no stained surfaces, no ginger
bread work tocrumble of. Take my ad-
vice, young man, and when you buy
your monument don't invest in marble.
'Taint worth twopence ton. except to
the dealers. Nothing like granite"
The superintendent led the way along
the eastern limits of the cemetery and
then paused as if to get his bearings. His
strange combination Of business tact and
harmless gossip made the reporter feel
little like grief stricken purchaser OF
burial spot.
Snow, let me see about what you'd
naturally want" said he, eyeing his COM
panion critically, as if sizing him up so as
to save himself needless trouble. "You
see everybody has his special likings, and
we have to sort Of estimate customers
tastes before showing him q lot. All
sorts of people apply to us, and we havc
to use good deal Of tact and Judgment
so rs not TO offend present lot owners or
new customers. We have to discrimin-
ate even in the gravel If negro comes
to me I've got to sell him lot. but Two
also got to put him in his natural ele-
ment. If didn't there would be Ned to
pay"
''But that, should think, is a difficult
task. Suppose such q person as you refer
to wanted fine lot in what you call an
aristocratic neighborhood, how would
you get around the matter7"
'Oh, bless you, that's easy enough.
Nobody knows what lots are for sale but
myself; and if q man selects Ht where
don't think he belongs, why, the lots
already sold. See2 1t doesn't look just
right, but it's got to be done. What
would ono of your wealthy aristocrats
think if should sell little lot next to
his big one, and the owner Of the little
lot should erect a $25 white bronze tomb
stone right under the nose Of his 81, 900
granite monument War in the camp
right offI I tell you there isn't popu-
lar cemetery in Chicago that hasn't its
South Side and its West Side, its Michi-
gan avenue and its South Clark street.
You notice in laying out the cemetery
we group n number Of big lots in tho
most conspicuous places. Caste lines are
inevitable, even in q graveyard.
"Well, show me lot where n poor
devil of scribe would naturally belong"
said the reporter.
eyes, in just minute. Going to
bury wife or childs Oh, not married!
But I suppose you're going to be. Now,
here's some nice slightly lots at 500.
But then there's no provision for growth
of family or extensive local inn
provements. Being buried here is
a good deal like having standing
room in theatre; you kind Of feel
as though somebody were going to tramp
ON your toes all the while. And if you
should become as rich as Jay Gould you
couldn't put up q monument. The lots
too small; you'd have to be content with
headstone. want to sell you n lot
that you'll be satisfied with hereafter and
your children be proud Of"
''Let me see something q little better,
then," interposed the apparent purchaser.
tI'd advise you to go into new sub
division, where the improvements that
have been made are good, and bide fu-
ture developments. 1t is here Just as il
is down town. New streets and slbdi-
visions outshine the old ones. Now,
here's mound"-by this timc they had
arrived pretty nearly at the west side OF
the cemetery-''where the lots are large
and open. There's plenty of room here;
the grade is high and the drainage good.
But seldom bring the likes Of you here,
because it's a sort of foreign settlement.
You notice how tho sens and 'oskis,
and dts predominant. You'd scarcely
feel at home here if I'd sell you lot. Be.
sides, the locality has one great and per.
mancnt drawback. Yonder arc the
single graves in plain sight. You
wouldn't like to live always in sight OF
the poorhouse, and you'd scarcely want
to be buried in view of potter field. No,
l know you wouldn't be satisfied here.
You'd better put a little more money in
your ground and get something that will
rise in value rather than deteriorate. All,
have it. Just come over here"
The superintendent led the way to the
southeast, near pretty expanse of wa,
ter. Consulting his book, he picked out
particular lot and pointed it ---' With
Now, here you are," said he. 81
couldn't show you anything better in
the whole cemetery. Price moderate,
neighbors of q high class, near public
drive, where you know things will
always be kept in order. This lot will
be worth twice its present value q year
from now. One hundred and twenty
five dollars and room enough for dozen
interments besides monument. You
can't !do any better. Just let me put
your name down for it now and you can
arrange the details at the down town
office. Look at the monuments going
up all around you here. Can't havo bet
ter data by which to judge Of the local
ity. Right across the driveway yonder
Is one OF the largest lots in the cemetery.
We've put fanccy price on it just 30 as
to induce some capitalist to buy It and
| put up an expensive monument. Thatll
lend additional tone to the neighborhood
and all the lots around will feel the in
fuence. 1t would pay to buy this lot
purely as business investment, '-Cbi-