The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-03-06
URUGUAY'S RICH CAPITAL
A Cemetery Surprising in Decoration
Any Burial Groundin North America.
ADJUSTMENTS of the Arstocracy-Flrtatio
in Public Places-The Richest Hospital in
the World Supported by a Lottery.
Special Correspondence of the Sunday Journal

Of MOnteyideo which the traveller must
not miss is the Concentrate Central, OF
cemetery. situated q long way
from the clty's busy center. near its south
beach, within sound of the murmurIng sea.
Though its natural beauties are not SO
great as those of Greenwood. Mount Au-
burn. Spring Grove. and fhany other cities
of the dead in the United States. and
though few tombs In each Of the latter
may equal any of these in point of ele-
gance. yet. taken as a whole. there is no.
where In North America such an aggregate
display of wealth in any one burial ground
such luxurious Interment OF dust u dust
as here. This is 10y all odds the finest in
South America. its nearest rival being
the splendid cemetery of Santiago de
Chili-both in startling contrast to
the horrors of many bone-strewn Campos
Santos We have shuddered at on this south
ern continent. Montevideo's Field of
Saints" (the literal rendering of the CON-
mon name Campo Santo) has o monu-
mental entrance and very costly and
elaborate chapel, which alone represent the
expenditure of q million dollars. The
chapel has an ornamental DOME floors and
aiabaster altar candelabra and ornaments
of gold and silver. and basement of equal
elegance wherein some of the more lllustri-
Gus dead such as bishops and Presidents
AFRO inferred. The cemetery ie divided
into three sections and surrounded by
walls twenty-five feet high. being a con-
tinuOus series of vaults, one above an.
other, each vault having an opening
inst large enough to let IN O casket.
Each of the innumerable little inches
ia fa1 hU hes
ing in letters OF black or gold the names of
those whose mortal remains were deposited
inside. So precisely alike are all OF them.
save the slight difference IN lettering. that
If 1t be true spOoks walk abroad at "the
witching hour when grave-yards yawn," it
must be as perpleXinR for each to find his
especial niche again as for the occupants of
those endless rows of red brick houses with
marble steps. alike AS SO many peas in a
pod. that characterize certain streets in
Philadelphia aud New York. to distinguish
their own doors when coming late from
club or caucus in the befuddled condition
that sometimes confuses shoe buttoners
with latch-keys.
RENTING THE RESTING-PLACFs
To reach the upper cells. collins are
wound up means of a portable step-ladder
and elevator combined, q creaking appa-
ratus that swings. and jolts and bumps the
cadaver abOut In shocking manner, while
the pall-bearers skip up the ladder to re-
cetacle. The whole surface of the walls is
Rarlanded with fresh flowers and hung
with wreaths of immortelles and decora-
tions made of black and white beads and
long streamers OF ribbon, all of which show
marble facing. But. alas, As every
where else in Spanish America,
the vaults are not owned absolute
~ by families, but are rented for term of
Years. or for as long a time as the friends
continue to pay stipulated amount per
annum. SO that the helpless dead are not
sure of . long home" however much dis.
play of wealth may be made at the time of
interment. In case the family move away,
or die without having left provision in
time to come. or from failure TO pay the
rent from any cause. the remains are
evicted and dropped into the common pit.
and the vault rented to other Corners.
The ground floor. so to speak, of the vast
cemetery is fully occupied with private or
family vaults (owned. not rented). all of
them very costly and elaborate, with mar
row, well-paved streets between. Such an
array of splendid monuments and exquisite
works of art. executed by the sculptors of
Rome and Milan. may perhaps be cQauled
in some European cemeteries. but certainly
nowhere else in the Western world. The
vaults are all built ND from the ground, of
marble or alabastcr. bake-oven shape or in
the form of temples, and most of them
have plate-glass doors back of the
plainly showing the interior. The
inner walls are covered with
pictures and other adornments. profusely
decorated with flowers i'll costly vases. and
every here are crucitixes and burning
candles. l noticed several tombs fur
nished like parlOrs, with carpeted floors
and upholstered furniture. and in one was
q startling oil paintin of the Blessed VIr-
gin seated on a raft, which Heated in a sea
of flame. engaged in the philapthropic
work of pulling souls out Of purgatory.
The agony depicted on the faces OF the
poor things in torment, who are pleading
for succor with uplifted arms, is warranted
to haunt the most hardened for many q
day. and forcible argument in favor of
masses for the dead is set forth in tho Vir-
gins attitude. who is portrayed as watch
Ing the prayers on earth and eifecting res
cues accordingly.
do not imagine that Uruguayans mourn
their dear departed more deeply than the
people of other parts of Sonth America.
where cemeteries are neglected. 1t is
merely matter of fashion; in MOntevide go
the style has gone to such extremes that
not unfroquently families impovetish
themselves IN making the irresponsible
dead keep up gruesome rivalry. vieing
with one another In pious luxury and mag
niticence of surroundings. Considering the
crowded space, the vegetation of this cem-
etery is remarkable. Besides tho usual
yews. and willows. and cypress trees, there
are blossoming shrubs of many kinds.
while the multitude of garlands and DO
4uets OF cut flowers, continually renewed.
burden the air with their fragrance; and
the distant voice of the sea sounds like q
requiem.
FILTRATION AT THE OPERA.
According to the ways of life-"from
grave TO gay. from lively to severe"-most
strangers on the route to town. after a
visit to the cemetery. are driven around
by tho great opera-house, Teatro Soils,
building. with pIllared portico in front
and q pair of huge oval wings, the W hole
covering an entire square. One of the
wings serves as a splendid wine and bill
lard saloon; the other contains the Ma
tiOnal Museum. On the second floor of the
main binding is a foyer of truly 'magnifi-
cent distances" furnished with tab les and
chairs for those who wish to smoke and
drink. The oyel-shaped auditorium is
very handsome. capable OF seating
four thousand people. with five
tiers of boxes decorated in red
white. green and gold. The fourth circle
is the cazuela gallery. reserved for ladies
alone. after the peculiar fashion of all
Spani sh- American countries. as we'll as old
Spain. Not even an arch bishop or n dlcta-
tor could gain admission TO the sacred pre-.
clncts of the caZuela: and night after night
il is filled with the beauties of Monteyideo
escorted thither by their husbands, fathers
or brothers. who leave them at the door
and 40 away To spend the evening as they
like elsew here. or take seats in the gentle.
mems gallery above. but being dead sure to