Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-05-02
THE NATTER WELL usDnR wAr
The Old Grand Street Cemetery e
Become City Property.

The Old Grand Street CemeterS to
Become City Properly.
The special city meeting was called to
court room at 8 o'clock last evening, but
the room was not large enough to &C
cOmmOdate the several hundred present
and they adjourned to the district court
room.
Immediately after the call for the
meeting had been read and approved ex-
Mayor Boughton arose and offered q re-
solution that the act passed by the gen.
eral assembly Of 1882, in relation to the
old cemetery, be ratified and approved.
Mr. Boughton gave a concise and careful
review Of the case.
The question came up of the DISPOSE
ton of the cid Catholic burying ground
adjoining.
F. N. Ellis was of the opinion that un-
less the city could obtain the whole GEM
etery plot it would be best to let the
whole matter rest.
Ex-Alderman Kelley favored public
cemetery for that purpose.
Patrick Hayes protested against tax
ing the cemetery.
John Webster, one of those instrument
tai in securing the passage of the legis-
lative act, said that the cemetery was an
abomination. He favored removing the
bodies.
James Lunny, protested very vigorous
~ against what he considered a base
outrage. He said that one who would
remove the body Of a relative was a saw
age.
The Rev Father Duggan, in whose
parish the old Catholic cemetery is
located, was called on and addressed the
meeting as follows During my resi-
dence in Waterbury l have learned to
have full confidence in public opiniL n
Of my fellow citizens. l have heard it
expressed that there would be desecra-
ton in the removal of the dead. l have
at heart the sacred memory of the dead
Meadow street and see bones exposed in
the cemetery. If something is not done
in a short time the whole of our csme-
terry will crumble away. Let us deal
practically. Will it not take $1,000 or
81, 900 to build a wall? The Rev Father
referred to the finding Of bottles and
oyster shells in the cemetery, which
showed that it had been made place of
carousal. Speaking further he said: If
it be public opinion that a change be
made let Us bow to it. There is new
cemetery far from the center where the
bodies can be inferred. 1t is so large
that it will not be likely to be condemn
ed for 300 or 400 years. The legislature
says there shall be no more intermsnts
here and that the land can be used for
nothing but public purposes. The
bodies will be removed at the expense Of
the city and all remains respected. 1
believe that it is the wish of all our race
that we get something for the new
church, yet no money would make ME
do what think wrong to the dead.
have no fear our fellow citizens will do
us any injury at all and we all ought to
make a sacrifice for the public veal and
we will be done ample justice if it comes
to a matter of compensation.
John L. SAKE said that not one of
those who opposed the change ever
visited the cemetery. James Lunny
did not agree with Mr. SAKE and in
rather forcible language requested him
to shut up.
Mayor Baldwin at this juncture put
Mr. Boughton's resolution, which was
carried with one or two dissenting
votes. The meeting then adjourned.