Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-17
HOMES OF THE DEAD
The Beautiful Places Set Apart
for Burial
BRIGHT WITH THE SUNSHINE
Improvements the Order Of the Day.
Where Improvements Can Be Made.
Stately and Enduring Memorials.

Nowhere are the grateful evidences
OF cominG of spring more marked and
more significant than in the cemeteries
OF this city. Seemingly nature is
kinder to the hallowed spots where the
dead lie sleeping. The golden sunlight
lies across the graves aud bathes the
headstones in its mellow radiance,
the merciful green v covering the
new made mounds; the early cro-
cuses and the pansies show their warm
flashes OF color, the first buds are un-
folding on the trees and vines, and
tender hands sr, preparing urns and
vases TO recelve the living tributes TO
the dead. Perhaps is 10 the force OF
contrast that gives 80 deep aud solemn
meaning 10 nature's re-awakening
amid such surroundings. The soft
wind watts to the ears the plxintive
strains Of SOME familiar hymn, the
sacred words Of consolation and hope
are answered by the glad notes OF birds
and all the place breathes out the
words.
I'm the m DIST OF life We are In death"
The group around some grave separates.
there comes the mournful sound Of
falling ciods aud one more grave
makes Its silent, eternal appeal to the
living.
Our First Cemeteries.
To those few remaining pioneers,
who remember Grand Rards when il
was hamlet of Indian wigwams and
log houses, the Evidences of public
generosity and artistic growth winch
one sees IN the cemeteries OF this city
are especially gratifying. They ire
slstiply recall the historic days, the
memory OF which 10 preserved only by
street signs. Strange, troubulous, brave
days they were, when the good Viez-
oczky, as his epitsph truthfuiiy says,
"by his cheerfulness in holy poverty,
by mis- suneriugs aud his prayers, east the
seeds Of truth ana virtue when ali
around was wilderness" In these
primitive days the fret burial grounds,
of which there Is any record, lay along
the east bsnk of the river, just below
where is now the Pearl street bridge.
There Were two such tracts, but they
were nothing more than Indian
mounds. The Catholic fathers were
content, howRyer, to be laid t.
rest there with the ill.fated race
for whom they had done so
much. The rudely carved cross
placed atthe head OF the graves made
these spots hallowc6 ground to both
white meU and Indians, aud for many
years the dead foffd resting place
where today are only factories. Back
from the river, Between Coldbrook and
Waibrdge etreets and cast of Living
stou was weird and dreary piece of
massh-land, surrounded by n dense
growth Of stunted trees, where those
who died early in the history of the
settlement were buried. Here, too,
was pest-house winch gave 10 the
place an uncanny tone, and old SET
tiers say that it was among the most
forsakeE spots that could he imagined.
At the corner Of Cherry street and
Maii>ou avenue was q burial ground,
which was used for few years by the
pioneers, and is now covered with cost
ly residences.
Our Cemeteries of Today
At present tins city compares we'll
with any III the northwest III the care
given by the municipality and by indi.
vidual, To pcrpetuatlng the memory of
Its dead and making their cemeteries
beautiful. Probably no man has done
more TO aid in the development OF the
cemeteries than Ransom q. Luce. Mr..
Luce has been member of the cene-
terry commission almost continually for
the last thirty years. To q reporter for
THE Herald he said: al can scarcely
describe the marvellous changes IN the
burial grounds Of Grand Rapids during
the past Thirty years. We need ut least
200 acres more for cemetery purposes
in Grand Rapids. This will have 10 he
q di stlnct ana separate tract in another
part OF tie city on the outs
krts, as additions 10 tho pres-
ent cemeteries are impossible.
A new cemetery will cost the city not
less than $30, zoo. There are now buried
in the Valley City and Oak Hill Genie.
teries about FIVE thousand bodies. The
Valley City was purchased in 1858. but
lay idle and almost unused until 1870.
l was severely criticised ut that time
for advocating the purchase of the
tract, and people asked why we didn't
20 to Kalamazoo TO get GENE terry
Oak Hill Was bought four years sgo
aud even that addition has not given
us room enough"
At the valley Csty Cemessry.
At tho Valley City cemetery there
have been many changes during the
past year. A niost beneficial improve
ntent is the piping the grounds
throughout, thus furnishing the lot
owners with city water. Formerly the
water was drawn from = reservoir
located in the adjacent Oak Hill GENIE
terry. The work will probably be COM
pleted in the summer. VIM. RIsh, sex-
ton Of the Valley City and Oak Hill
cemeteries. takes especial pride IN the
recent sodding of the paths between
lots. This makes the grounds much
more attractive and does away with
the unsishtly gravel paths which made
the walking very unpleasant. The
new "permlt ground" or. rs IL - les
euphoniously known. the ''potter's
field" has been surrounded by close
hedge of young evergreens. The old pot
ter's field, with Its quantity. vet
rsthctseslly, iuscribed tombsiones. ssill
remains . sadly desolate aud unsghtly
place. IL has been surrounded by a
high, tight board fence that serves 10
intensity the foraker look.
"ft seems hard, !" ssid Mr.. Rish. THAT
even in death these unfoftunstes
should be 80 cut of from the rest Of
the world"
The wkss-Nat- esss,s,s.
In the exact center OF The forty acres
comprising tie Valley City cemetery.
on . spot kne~n - The ''disasepd.'
large fountain has been erected. buiit
of peculiarly shaped rocks tn the rough.
a. has been denemsnstsd 81 b What,
net ~ hs. Luce. wha hss made no
snd of fun sf a. hus tns sestoa de
slafss tast vixen 10 has been ressfsd
~its vines ssa foliage plsnss. ss be tfss
tends. Il will 30 ore ef ths attractive