The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-29
TOMBSTONE DRUMMERs.

About Their Methods and the Present
Fashions in the Goods They Deal In.
From the Philadelphia Press.
"He's drummer for a tombstone factory
down east"
The speaker was young man whose dark
moustache was frosted with fine dust that
sparkled like silver here and there, where
the sun shone on it. His clothes were COW
| cred with this same powder, the dust that
arises from granite and marble working. He
was young stonecutter in a monumental
yard not far from Laurel Hill cemetery.
He was passing up the road. and from one
pocket In his oyercoat peeped forth the tops
OF several photographs of gravestones, mon
uments and shafts.
That's right resumed the young man.
he drums up custom for a New England
trm OF tombstone makers. They say that
some OF these drummers sleep In the ceme-
terry to catch CUSTOM" and he grinned
broadly at his CHASTITY joke.
There is great competition in the mouu-
mental and graVestone line, and there are
solicitors" for sepulchre markings, just as
there are for other luxuries. The repre-
sentatives of eastern houses, New England
principally, are very energetic, very untir-
ing, and at the same time unosteut atous
sombre, and sympathetic. They haunt the
cemeteries and watch for the record of
deaths in the newspapers. Within q brief
period after the funeral they call on the
friends OF the departed and submit photo
graphs of tombstones with inducements. in
business way. that will encourage trade
with their firm. One line they omit on their
cards, and it is: "Your patronage for the
future is respectfully solicited
philadelphia monument makers occa-
slonally employ solicitors, but it is not done
as general thing" said West Philadel-
phia marble cutter. Il had a young fellow
working on commission for me not long ago.
He had been in the marble business down on
Catherine street, but ne sold out and came
to me. told him to try his luck, and,
sure enough, he secured me $500 or S4OO
worth OF work. Then he brought in an or
der Tor monument to be put up over a
grave in West Laurel cemetery. 1t was of
granite and the price was $500.
II put itsup, paid the fellow 800 commits
sion, and then went to collect the bill. The
family OF the man whose monument had
made knew nothing of the transaction.
Said they hadn't ordered any monument
and wouldn't pay for it 1 had the solicitor
arrested, but all got out of him was the
$50 l had paid as commission. The monu-
ment still stands out there in the cemetery
and guess I'll have to pocket the loss"
why do you not go out and remove it9n
well, don't like to. There would be
the cost OF moving it, then Of working it
over, and selling it. and I wouldn't save
anything worth while in the long run. Be-
sides, you know we can't move monuments
and tombstones from cemetery for debt.
They tried to get a law through the legisla.
ture last winter that would permit marble
and granite workers to do this, but they
knocked il out"
There are fashions in tombstones as well
as in sealskin sacques or spring bonnets.
There is not very wide range to the fash
ion, but is pronounced. Just now marble ia
mot in 1t" in a monumental way. The
chonge from marble to grarite has been
going on steadily for the past year or two.
If were to cut fine marble monument
and put 1t out on exhibition in the front of
my yard" said an uptown sculptor of
memorial figures and tombstones, 81 should
consider it just so much money badly in
vested, If not lost. There Is little or no de-
mand for marble now. Granite is taking
its place. Whye Because in this climate
1t is more enduring; it is not 30 easily soiled
as marble, and is more easily kept clean.
There is constant demand for granite. and
II you look through the marble Yards in
Philadelphia you will find that IL predomi-
mates IN all the display pieces.n