Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-06-09
LUXURIOUS HOMES OF THE DEAD.

s0NStNSS0 ''>'''-
There Il No Fairsr Cemetery In the World
Thsu Msntsvideo.
fMontcvidco Letter 20 Pittsbure Dispatch.l
One OF the sights OF Montevideo which
the traveller must not miss is the Gene
tario Central" or principal cemetery,
situated long way from the city's busy
centre, near its south beach, within
sound of the murmuring sea. Though
its natural beauties are not so great as
those OF Greenwood, Mt Auburn.
Spring Grove, and many other cities
of the dead in the United States,
and though q few tombs in each OF
the latter may equal any oil
these in point OF elegance, yet, taken as
a whole, there is nowhere in North
America such an aggregate display OF
wealth in any one burial-ground-such
luxurious interment of dust to dust las
here. This is by all odds the finest in
South America. 1t has monumental
entrance and very costly and elaborate
chapel, which alone represent the OK.
penditure of $1,000.000. The chapel
has an ornamental dome, floors and
inner walls Of the purest marble, beau
tiful alabaster altar csndelabra and orna'
ments OF gold and silver, and basement
Of equal elegance. wherein some of the
more illustrious dead-snch as bishops
and presidents-are inferred.
The cemetery is divided into three
sections and surrounded by walls % feet
high, beng a continuous series OF vaults.
one above another, each vault having an
opening just large enough to let in a
casket. Each of the innumerable little
inches is fronted by marble tablet
bearing in letters OF black or
gold the names of those whose
mortal remains we're deposited in
side. So precisely alike are all
of them, save the slight differ
ence in lettering, that if it be true
spooks walk abroad at "the witching
hour when graveyards yawn," it must
be as perplexing for each to find his
especial niche again as for the occupants
of those endless rows OF red brick
houses with marble steps, slike as SO
MANY peas in pod, that characterize
certain streets in Philadelphia and New
York, to distinguish their own doors
when coming late from club or cancus
in the befuddled condition that some
times confuses shoe buttoncrs with latch
keys.
TO reach the upper cells collins are
wound mp by means OF portable step
ladder and elevator combined-a creak-
ing apparatus that swings and jolts and
bumps the cadaver about in shocking
manner. while the pall-bearers skip up
the ladder to receive it and shove it into
the narrow receptacle. The whole sur
face of the walls is garlanded with
fresh flowers and hung with wreaths OF
iuD,orteiles and decorations made OF
black and white beads and long stream
ers OF ribbon, all of which show to the
best advantage against the white marble
facing.
But, alas As everywhere else In
Spanish American, the vaults are not
owned absolutely by families. but are
rented for term of years. or for as
long time as the friends continue to
nav a stipulated amount per annum; so
that the helpless dead are not sure OF
"long home, however much display OF
wealth may be made at the time Of inter-
ment. In case the family move away or
die without having left provision in
their wills concerning the grave for all
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-hoor, 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, crowded close together. with
narrow, well-paved streets between.
Such an array Of splendid monu-
ments and exquisite works of art,
done by the sculptors of Rome
and Milan, may perhaps be equalled in
some European cemeteries, but certain
ly nowhere else in the western world.
The vaults are all built up from the
ground, of marble, or alabaster, bake
oven shapes or In the form of temples.
and most Of them have plate.glass doors
back of the gilded gates OF open
wrought-iron, plainly showing the in-
terror. The inner walls are covered
with pictures and other adornments,
profusely decorated with flowers IN cost
ly vases, and everywhere are crucinxes
and burning candles.