Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1891-10-01
OAK HILL CEMETERY.
| IMPROVEMENTS AND CARE OF
BEAUTIFUL SPOT.

Inception of the Present Efficient Cemetery
Management-Mr. Towards Work as
Sexton-The only Park Bellows Falls
Has.
The cemeteries of these days are the
parks of many cities and larger villages.
The old dread with which people used to
think of burying ground has passed
away, and now only the most beautiful
locations and the most lavish expendi-
ture of money on grounds and decora-
tions will satisfy those who have friends
who have fallen asleep. Go into any of
the cemeteries of the cities aud the dis
play of wealth is only second to that in
buildings and their decorations for the
living The dead share the love of
their friends with the living every
where.
The lot where the Bellows Falls ceme-
terry is located was purchased Is years
ago or more. The lot contains 80 acres,
of which ten are now in the cemetery.
When the lot was purchased it was
covered with pines and other under
brush. For nine years the cemetery
was practically unused. Only a few
burials were made and the land was not
cleared. When grave was dug the lot
had to be cleared of trees and roots, and
brush had to be cut to get to the grave.
There was practically no cemetery and
few had any desire to bury dead there.
1t was too much in the woods and too
lonesome. Still the people did nothin g
and seemed to care little whether the
cemetery was cleared or not.
Nine years ago a burial had to be
made somewhere and the friends of the
deceased dreaded to bury there. Finally
they decided to do so temporarily. At
that time there was no sentiment in
favor of improving cemeteries and no
one cared
From the agitation which followed
that burial has come the present beauti-
full burial ground. The discussion be-
gan by an attempt to find out if there
was not some means to take the care of
the cemetaries out of the hands of the
selectmen and put it into the hands of a
society or board of commissioners who
would take more interest in the work
and care for the grounds better than the
selectmen would or could do it. The
state law providing for just such cases
was past but short time before and that
was taken advantage of and five COM
missioners were elected at the next town
meeting. One commissioner is elected
every year, so the board is practically
perpetual. The commissioners began
the work of clearing the land. A por-
ton OF the brush on the bank had previ-
ously been cut, and the work was con-
tinued as required. The commissioners
called for $1,000 appropriation from
the town for the first year, and possibly
for the second. After that, 5000, which
has been the appropriation ever since.
There was little hard feeling about the
matter by people in other parts of the
town, and by those living outside who
had friends buried in other cemeteries.
They felt that those grounds ought to be
included in the benefited yards. A few
men from Rockingham and Saxton's
River met the commissioners, and it was
decided as a matter of equity that the
money should be divided according to
the grand list. Bellows Falls has near-
ly two-thirds of the list of the town,
making it's share 1915. The Roman
Catholics have cemetery at the foot of
the hill, below the village ground, and
$50 is their share each year, reducing
the money to be expended on the village
grounds to 1925. This is used in paving
a man to care for the grounds, and, add
ed to the sum accruing from the sale of
lots and the payments for yearly grading
| the same, makes a sufficient revenue to
carry forward constant Improvements.
The cemetery itself is on level pla-
teau, sandy, with gravel bottom, con-
tanning about ten acres. Half, or more
than half of this is now occupied with
graves. This plateau has been smoothed
in rough places and graded where nee
essary, until it is level.It is laid out with
definite plan, and the grave portion is
extended, as circumstances require, on
the same plan. l.. S. Howard has charge
of the grounds and has done all the work
there, all the grading, the laying out in
lots, the clearing, and keeps it trimmed
like lawn all the time. He has grub
bed up $50 sapling pines and numberless
hundreds of other trees and brush The
result is one of the most tasteful, if not
the most beautiful ground in the state.
The general plan is for broad street
for drive through the center with a
drive the whole distance around it, The
lot is intersected by eight avenues which
cross the streets at right angles, giving
easy access to all parts of the grounds.
AS the size of the ground is increased
tnese walks are pushed farther out to-
ward the end of the ten acre field, until
eventually the whole will be graded and
laid out in streets and squares. Nearly
all the lots are square, few at the cor
ners being rounded to conform to the
bend of the drives. The drives and
walks are all graded and are kept care
fully raked free from all litter. Mr..
Howard keeps the entire ground as clean
as parlOr floor, allowing nothing to de-
ter him from keeping it in that way. 1t
is neat and clean always.
The views of natural scenery from the
yard are beautiful. From the ivy COW
cred summer house, with its shaded
seats, one can look off in three directions
on views of surprising beauty and
grandeur. Northward one looks up the
Connecticut valley as far as Ascutney
mountain, the range taking in the hills on
either side, and at ones feet the cluster
ing spires of our own village. Eastward
the village lies at ones feet, and is cir
cumscribed in its limits by Mt. Kilburn
and the very hill on which one is stand
ing. Southwark, the hills and noun
tains of southern Vermont and New
| HamnShira riSp in rauular tiers unfil tho