Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-10-11
TOMBS OF LIVING MEN
FINAL RESTING PLACES PREPARED
FOR NOTED MILLIONAIREs.
Expensive Mausoleums Marked BY Severe
Z Art and solidity-Impressive and Mas
/ i've Stone Structures Into Which No
GhouI May Mako His Way.

Art and acknowledgements and Mass
i've Stone Structures Into Which No
GhouI May Mako His Way.
A tour Of great city OF the dead, like
Greenwood or Woodlawn, is well calculat-
ed to impress one by the vast sums that
are being spent of late years in monu-
ments sarcophagi and tombs, some reach
ing as high as $3.50, 900 for single mauso-
leum. But the most striking thing about
the great cemeteries now Is the tombs be-
ing built by living men who seem to have
been forcibly struck by the adage, "If you
want a long life, prepare for death"
Charles It. Yerkes, the Chicago cable
king, is fond of his mausoleum in Green
wood. 1t Is the acme Of concentrated So
lidity. Nothing, it Is claimed, could be
more indestructible In the way Of masonry.
His plot cost him about ell, 900. 1t is
beautifully located, near Ocean Hill and
within q stones throw Of Henry Ward
Beecher's last resting place. 1t is built OF
crystal granite, light In color, with fine
grain, and Is 80 feet 9 inches in length, %
feet wide and 90 feet 6 inches high The
pure Grecian STYLE after the Parthenon,
was followed. There are eight columns,
with Ionic capitals and four pilasters.
Within six pilasters Of marble support
marble ceiling, which Ia divided into TOUR
panels In the center rest two sarcophag;,
the outer one being Of polished granite
aud the inner receptacle, for Mrs. Yerkes,
being Of heavy bronze. The stained glass
windows were imported.
The bronze entrance doors are as burglar
proof as the great New York clearing
house. safe, according to the builder. They
are double, and 1t would take an expert
safe breaker at least 10 hours to gain an
entrance On the door fronts are lions
heads and grille work. The name " Charles
r. Yerkes' IL carved above the portal.
William Fl. Webb has carefully planned
his tomb. Mr.. Webb made the greater
part Of his fortune in shipbuilding. Not
long ago Mr. Webb erected on beautiful
spot on the banks OF the Hudson an acad-
envy for the training Of the youth Of the
country In the art Of ship construction.
This academy and its endowment cost him
5000, 600. There are q series of beautiful
bronzes In Mr.. Webb's tomb, showing the
different stages Of the shipbuilders art
and bronze models Of some of the great
warships launched at the famous Webb
shipynrds on tho East river, near Sixth
street.
The Webb mausoleum is 22 by 40 feet
and has ten separate tombs. The entrance
Is through massive bronze doors, of which
II Is said there Is none more beautiful in
any mausoleum. The interior Is artistic
ally adorned with fine marbles and stained
glass windows OF great beauty of color
lend additional richness to one of the most
refined and beautiful examples of mortu
ary architecture in the world
What Is perhaps the largest and most
imposing mausoleum in this country was
recently completed in Salem Fields ceme
terry, Greenwood, N. Y, for Banker Jacob
Schiff. Mr.. Schiff Is known chiefly for
his philanthropy. Mr.. Schiff's mausoleum,
in which will also rest the members Of tho
Loeb family, to which Mr.. Schiff is relat-
cd by marriage, Is In q purely classic de-
sign, executed in granite, and it cost very
near $3.50, 900. 1t is SO by A feet and
32 feet high. In addition there Is u grand
colonnade on both sides leading to the
massive bronze doors. The mausoleum
walls are absolutely proof against body
snatohers for IL would take them several
days, It is claimed, to chisel through the
granite blocks weighing 10000 pounds on
the average. The interior Is decorated in
most artistic manner. This grand tomb
is now empty.
When that great philosopher, Dr. Chaun-
oey M. Depew, seeks his last resting place,
II will be in handsome mausoleum erect
cd ut Peekskill. Over the entrance Is DR..
Depew's name and since Its completion 1t
has been visited by numerous tourists.
DIR. Depew's wife now rests in this beauti-
full tomb. 1t is purely classical In design.
The roof is formed of two mammoth pieces
OF granite, Weighing together about 100,
900 pounds. The interior is artistically
finished In several varieties of marbles and
contains 10 catacombs. The bronze double
doors are exceedingly neat in design. DIR.
Depew's mausoleum cost him about $25
900. The entrance faces the west and it
Is in one of the most beautiful spots in
Hillside cemetery, two miles from Peeks-
kill
The friends Of DIR. Clark W. Dunlop
claim that his tomb in Woodlawn Is the
handsomest one in the country. 1t is oc-
tagonal In shape and OF Moorish design,
costing about $780, 900, including tho lot.
All the interior walls are Of costly marbles
In several varieties. There are three large
stained glass windows and tho floor is ex-
ecuted In mosaics. There are bronze por-
trait medallions Of DR.. Dunlop and his
wife. There are only two vaults in the
tomb. The tomb is Of granite and there
Is very elaborate carving about the en-
trance. There is 81 feet of granite APP
proach, one large platform stone being II
feet by ~ feet and weighing 80, 900 pounds.
The total height Of the mausoleum is 40
feet. 1t is unoccupied.
There Is one silent tenant now in the
mausoleum planned by Banker Giovanni
p. Morosini, the body Of his wife. This
superb temple Of the dead is in the form of
the Greek cross and is Of modified type
OF the Byzantine school Of architecture.
The Morosini lot Is 1000 square feet, and
this beautiful work of art occupies the
central space. Mr. Morosini studied out
every detail with the greatest care in COM
pany with prominent firm Of architects.
Two lions couchant, resting on blocks Of
granite, from which they, too, are carved,
flank the doorway to the right and left.
The foundation for the structure is Of solid
rock. 1t would be an almost impossible
task to tunnel through 1t. Every prccau-
ton is taken against body snatchers, and
1t Is Mr.. Morosini's intention to keep
constant guard in front Of his tomb. Jay
Gould's tomb in Woodlawn Is now closely
xl.,.ll H..