Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-31
UNDERWRITERS.
STREETS IN THE CEMETERY.
The Vestry's Side of the Much-Dis-
cusscd Subject.

The vestry's Side Of the Much-Dis-
cussed Subject.
Speaking today Of the pending bills for
the authorization OF the use of streets in
the Congressional cemetery for burial sites,
Mr.. o. B. Hallam, one of the members of
the vestry of Washington parish, explained
to Star reporter that the burial ground Is
the property of the vestry. But ever since
the establishment Of the cemetery. remark
ed Mr.. Hallam. Congress had been interest
ed therein, SO that 1t had always been q
quasi public institution.
THE parish burial ground" stated Mr..
Hallam, "originally consisted of one city
square, No. 1115, situate between e and
and 18th and 10Th streets southeast. Short
ly after it's establishment the vestry do
mated 400 burial sites to the government,
and these have all been utilized. In 1S4S
Congress granted the vestry the privilege
Of using any parts Of streets between this
square and any whole square purchased by
the vestry.
"Under this act all the adjoining squares
south, east ana west Of square 1115 were
purchased and the intervening streets util-
lied for burial purposes. In 1858 the ceme-
terry was still further enlarged, and by an
act of Congress- approved May 1s. 1855.
The vestry was authorized, with the con-
sent of the corporation Of the city of Wash
ington, to take, inclose, and use forever
the parts Of streets referred to in the pend
THAT. 1t will be seen." continued Mr..
Hallam, was an absolute grant to the
vestry Of the parts Of streets named. There
was, however. in the act proviso that the
veStry should not sell the same, but that
the United States should retain and hold
such parts thereof as might be laid out for
burial purposes for the interment Of men,
hers of Congress, or such officers of the
m oh Yffn
Thus, the government reserved the right
to use the ground for burial purposes. This
right the government could assign to any
one else when 1t saw fit to do SO. and any
person who bought sites adjoining the
streets took them subject to this right"
Explaining that there had been filed a
above referred to, Mr.. Hallam stated that
the protest was signed by only thirteen out
of many thousands Of lot owners. The
claim that there was any guarantee that
the ground should permanently remain as
1t then was, Mr.. Hallam thought, is mani
festiy absurd.
1.-The legislation" he said, now pending
was recommended by the House District
was approved by the Senate committee. 1t
has in the present Congress passed the
House and has been favorably reported by
the Senate committee The streets referred
to are some so and some 100 feet wide,
there is an avenue, % to 80 feet wide.
along the center of each, and the veStry
has been compelled for thirty-seven years
to keep idle but sodded and in good order
the remainder Of the width-a heavy bur-
den. The only reason for the reservation
was that at that date, 1858, it was antici-
pated that the government might use the
ground for burial purposes; but experience
has shown the contrary, all members OF
Congress and government officers now be-
ing taken to their homes for burial.
while the interests Of the protestants,"
remarked Mr.. Hallam. ARE purely per-
sonal, they undertake to utilize what they
conceive to be public objections to the
closing of the streets by reason Of the ex-
pense that may result from their reopenfng
after the cemetery is abandoned. 1t is
already provided in the act OF 1858 that
no street shall be opened through the GEM
etery, and the pending bill provides that in
abandonment of the cemetery for cemetery
purposes all right to the use of the streets
shall revert to the United States. without
cost. This particular cemetery is not at
all likely to be ever abandoned. It's topo-
graphical situation, with reference to the
Eastern branch. precludes any necessity
for making thoroughfares.
1.-The vestry," stated Mr.. Hallam, rs re-
quired by the bill to contract to keep In
repair and good order all the government
property (several hundred tombstones and
cenotaphs) and to grant to the District the
right to enter the grounds to construct
large sewer. The bill Is approved by the
District Commissioners, and was long since
approved by the East Washington Ciu-
zens' Association as necessary legislation,
and do not anticipate any substantial OPP
position to its passage"