San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-30
TO BBAUTIFY THE GRAVES.
A UNITED EFFORT BEING MADE
TO THAT END.
Eighteen Cemeteries TO be Changed
from a Wilderness to a
Garden.

| over hill at the east end of Commerce
street, hold in their embrace portion of
| the unnumbered dead that have departed
from this sphere within the bounds of
| San Antonio, in the past
These burial places, owned chiefly by
| local societies and religious denomna
| tions, have stood for years and scores of
| years, almost entirely untouched and un-
| attended. The vines that spring as though
| from grains of sand have grown, decayed
| and grown again these many years, clus-
| tering about the stones and fences, al
most burying the very tomb of man itself
| These quiet undisturbed spots, lost
under one grand natural sepulcher of
| flowers, shrubs and winding vines, are
| dear and unquestionably beautiful in the
| realm OF poetic thought. but to the
worldly mind, infinitely more welcome is
| the least vestige of the, individuality of
| the beloved dead--even though ii he the
| little earthly upheaval uuder which
| had been placed the remains of one
| whose individuality had helped give this
| life some of the sunshine which it had
! enjoyed.
That the graves of our dead. have fallen
| thus TO decay and have lost their Identity,
| can not be said, but there is no doubt that
| from lack of attention and care, such
| condition of things is rapidly approach
| ing. cemetery is filled with graves, no
| new additions are being made. and new
| mOuruers do not make their frequent pill
| grimages to the place TO help keep green
| the graves of the dead. Finally the GEM
etery, unmatched and unweeded,
grows dull and dreary, adding
| but gloom 10 the sober thoughts of those
| visiting the graves. Soon 1t is no longer
visited by the living and thus IL falls into
| final decay.
| 1t has often been attempted to place
he cemeteries, in Il proper condition
| by keeping them clear of
| overgrowtn, keeping neat the walks and
| green the graves, but there has been no
| uniformity in the matter. One or TWO
| societies would place their cemeteries in
| presentabe condition. bnt adjoining one
| would remain unattended and overgrown
by weeds and wild shrubs, but never has
| the movement to place the cemeteries
| in a clean condition, been general.
| This may have been due to a consider
| able extent to the distance OF the grave
| yards from the city, TO the bad streets
leading to them and the absence of street
| car accommodations. Now. however,
that the streets have been placed in good
street cars have been built
| even beyond the grave yards,
| large will DC the number OF people who
| will visit the same, citizens and strangers
| alike, and some united effort should be
made to put all of the cemeteries in a neat
| trim.
The cemeteries of the city are all stu
ated at one point except the Mexican Gem
| ctery which is located in the northwest
\ ern end of the town. They are the Knights
| of Pythias, ST. JoScph'S society, Odd Eel
| lows, Mason, Anchor Lodge, Hermann
| Sons, COlOred Odd Fellows, German CathO-
| lies. ST. Mary'S Catholic, Hebrews, Luther
|
| cemeteries, containing many thousand
| graves. Representatives of most of the So
| ciCtiCSand denominations controlling these
eighteen burial places were seen by
| LIGHT reporter regarding the matter,
| and We're unanimous in the opinion that
something should be done TO beautity our
| cemeteries.
The knights of Pythias, the Odd Fell
! lows, and the Hermann's Sons, are we'll
| ing TO do their share towards identifying
| and keeping in trim their burial plots.
| The MaSonS and the Polish, Jewish and
| Lutheren societies will fall into line and
| look TO the neatnesS of their cemeteries.
Their representa- tiveS were glad that
some uniform action in the matter, could
be brought about.
Judge Anton Adam, of the st. JOSeph's
| society was pleased that the LIGHT had
| taken up this important matter. Said he
| speaking for the several Catholic SOcie-
|
1.-The Catholic societies will be found
willing 10 do their due share towards
| cleaning and keeping in trim their ceme-
! teTies. 1t is No encouragement for one
| society to keep its cemetery when all of
| the adjoining plots are left unattended
| and overgrOwn with weeds.
If every society or congregation control
| ing one or more cemetery, should exert
| itself, and keep its plot in trim, clearing
| its walks and sodding the graves, we
could with little cost and but little eX-
ertion put Onr cemeteries in preScntable
condition. One man could easily beauti
fy a cemetery and keep it in constant
shape"
1T is to be hoped concluded Judge
Adam. that some uniform plan or effort
should be made in this matter, and that
the city and parties taking an interest
and pride in the conditions Of the place,
come to the front and help beautify the
cemeteries. And you will find that the |
Catholic societies will be among the FIRST |
and foremost in this good work"
President w. II. Weiss of the San An |
tonic street car company was also seen |
as To when his car line TO the cemeteries |
would be completed and how they would |
run. He informed the reporter that |
Jan. 18th. would see the line completed |
TO New BraunfelS street, even beyond the |
cemeteries.
.'All of the old track is TO be taken up |
and replaced by ent rely new material. |
The electric motors vail be running over
the line by the middle of January. At
first they will run from Alamo plaza To
the cemeteries, and will run regular and
often. When the balance of the motor
cars arrive. we will run from the city hall /
TO the cemetery for one fare. The track |
had been laid halfway TO the grave
yards, but the bad. OVer-grOwn condition /
of our cemeteries made them of very little /
Il 10 ~ . nuffV H.