The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-06-03

SllCllL ud1lS VI OEdl4.
A fifteen minutes ride from Main
street on the Third street car brings
visitor to the city cemetery.
If the visitor is in full possession of
his faculties, in other words if he is
not the occupant of one of those
sombre carriages that has the distinc-
ton of conveying its human freight on
the last terrestrial journey, journey
that is attended by much display per-
haps, but in which pomp is divorced
from pleasure, he at once seeks the
guardian of the domain.
That guardian is an angel. There
may be doubts on this point but a
visit viii verify the statement. He is
not an angel with white wings or a
flaming sword, neither can it be truth-
fully said that he has one foot on land
the other on the sea. He is an angel
nevertheless and an amiable one, for
after you assure him that you have
not come 10 stay but merely to look
about and perhaps arrange for per
manent quarters he takes pleasure in
showing you the premises.
The hberality, the largeness of view,
that characterize the west, are eX-
eiIplified in the extent of this city of
the dead. 1t covers an area of more
than 100 acres, of which 100 acres are
fenced and 80 acres plated. There are
5000 lots, in each Of which from ten to
twelve bodies can be inferred. hence
that silent city on the hillside north
east of this, can accommodate a popu-
lation almost equal to that of the one
it oVerloOks. a quaint book of records
on the fly leaf Of which is inscribed the
words Record of the Dead and be-
meath the name of one OF the first sex
tons, Jesse 7. Little. The first recorded
interment was that of Mary Wallace,
the tWenty-month-cld daughter Of
George Z. and Melissa Wallace which
occurred September q, 1913. For some
years after the laying out of the ceme-
terry which was done soon after the
arrival of the pioneers, the price Of
surveying and recording, was ali that
was required and ii was generally sup
posed that whoever laid his dead away
had a title to the spot. The first
record of the sale of lot was that
made to Anthony WINS. September %,
1856 The record further shows that 81
595 burials have taken place in the
cemetery TO date. It is interesting to
note. too, the names of some of the
earlier sections, those of Jesse c. Little
John Kay, George B. Wallace and
Alexander Hill. The first regularly ap-
pointed sexton was Jacob ellison, and
the one whose tenure of office was
longest was Joseph E. Taylor, the well
known undertaken who performed the
duties of that position from 1864 to
1888. Mr.. Taylor says the burialS in
the earlier days were necessarily crude
and recalls the fact that the first
hearse used here was of home manu-
factu7e and was made in 1863. q. E.
ANGEL, the present sexton, has - IN in
charge since the sixth Of April and bids
fair 10 be one. Of the most enterprisinS
of the number.
Mr.. Angel has the work well in hand
and has taken an intelligent survey
Of the conditions and needs of the
cemetery. He is a stickler for decorous
conduct in a place sacred TO the dead
and insists on doing away with the
custom Of Jog trot" driving through
the place. The small hoodlums who
help themselves to flowers from the
graves expect, and receive, stern treat
ment at his hands. He is in favor of
more shade and will set out a large
number Of trees. The reservoirs were
in bad condition this spring and he
promptly had the leakage stopped by
new walls and floors Of concrete. The
TWO reservoirs with a total capacity of
10000 gallons do not furnish the ceme-
terry with the necessary amount Of
water Owing to their position the
pressure is not sufficient, and the sex
ton believes that an extension OF the
upper pipe line from City Greek will
remedy the defect. Though more water
and more shade are crying needs, the
lack of a properly designated system
of streets is felt Lots and single
graves may be in some remote portion
and il is almost impossible to direct
person to them. Guide posts would be
Of great advantage and a simple sys-
TEN Of nomenclature, for instance us
ing the numbers in one direction and
letters in another would be great
Improvement Former sections have re-
ported the need of such an aid. While
in the main the cemetery is in good
condition, there are quarters that are
sadly neglected owing partially TO the
lack of water and shade, but more TO
the neglect of owners of the lots Neg
lected graves are not confined to the
cheaper portions of the cemetery A
rank growth of weeds hides the inscrip-
ton on more than one massive and
costly tombstone. This criticism, that
has not merely local, but general ap-
plication, is an unhattering comment
upon the higher civilization OF WHICH
everyone is proud TO be an exponent
Decent regard for the opinions OF the
living If not for the memory OF. the
dead. should lead the owners of such
lots 10 pay the small amount necessary
for the care of the same
The cemetery is confined to no sect.
Every domination is represented there.
There is a subdivision used by the
Catholic church for the lnterment OF
its dead. There is Bnai Birth quar-
ter also where the Hebrews lay away
fhe bodies Of those who have gone be-
fore. In a sunken, unsightly spot near
the southern boundary is the section
sacred to the tCelestials'' and here the
bones of their departed rest, until they
are taken UP. polished and sent across
the Pacific, by some of their survivors,
10 a more appropriate resting place IN
the land of the Yangtse Kiang and
Al the highest point in the cemetery,
exposed to the fierce rays of the sum-
mer sunshine and the equally pltlless
winds Of winter, is the Potter,s field.
Here are supposed to repose The re-
mains of the penniless, though there IS
a doubt as to whether every unfor-
tunate who lies there was pauper. II
is said to be no uncommon sight, that
of a funeral procession of fair num-
Der of carriages with other evidences Of
reasonable means coming TO a halt at
that desolate spot.
MAN wants but little here below"
while of doubtful application in life, is
fitting as applied to him when he has
grown weary in life's journey and lies
down to sleep. That last narrow bed is
pitifully cheap, considering the multi
tudinous wants of the living. One hun
dred dollars to twelve dollars, according
to location, will purchase a family lot;
81 a single grave for an adult, 81 for
child. In addition to this there is a
charge of $3.50 for the care of a lot for
one season, and 81 for the care of a
single grave for the same length of
time.
Among the recent improvements. or