Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-07-18
NATIONAL CEMETERY.
Notable Permanent improvements
Rapidly Progressing Under In
telligent Supervision.

The notable permanent Improvements
being made at the National cemetery in
Santa Fe, under the direction of quarter
termaster General Richard N. Bachelor
and the personal supervision of Supt.
Theodore Joseph, promise soon to make
that one of the most beautiful final rest
ing places of dead soldiers in the United
States.
A representative of the New MEXICAN
visited the place this morning for the
purpose of noting the progress OF the
work and was surprised as we'll as
pleased at what was shown to him. The
cemetery grounds, consisting of about
nine acres, are beautifully located in the
northwestern part of the city, immedi-
ately west of San Rosario cemetery and
separated from the grounds of st. RATHER
inc Indian school on the west by the
track of the Rio Grande q Santa Fe rail-
road, and slope gently toward the south,
SO that excellent drainage is afforded.
Col. Owens, civil engineer of the U. s.
A., personally made the ground plans for
the Improvements and the plans for the
buildings, fence and gates we're drawn in
detail by architects connected with the
quartermaster generals office. In accord
grounds have been graded and laid out
into walks and drives by Contractor NJ.
j. Nagel. Already much fertilizing ma
terial has been placed thereon with a
view to promoting the. rapid growth of
beautlfying trees, shrubbery and
grass, which will be planted at the proper
season.
Contractor Quintus Monier, with a
force of twelve teams aud about forty
men, is making remarkable progress in
the construction of the enclosing solid
stone fence and expects to have it COM
pleted by the 1st of September. The
main body of this wall is being built of
uncut, bluish-tinted limestone, with pill
asters every twenty feet, and it will be
surmounted with cut-stone coping, each
plaster being ornamented with hand
some cut.stone cap. The stone used for
the coping and caps comes from Cerrillos
and the most skillful mechanics are en-
ployed in executing this part of the work.
The main entrance on the southwest
| side of the grounds will be in the form
of bay, the walls receding on each side
on convex and concave curve and term
mating in massive cut stone pillars with
ornamental caps for the gates to swing
on. The gates will be of cast-iron and
will consist OF double-carriags gate,
twelve feet wide, in the center, and single
entrance gates, seven feet wide, on each
side. These gates will be exactly after
the pattern of those used in the National
cemeteries at Cypress Hill, New York,
Gettysburg and Chattanooga, and will be
very handsome. Naturally Mr.. Monier
takes great personal pride in the beauti-
full and enduring work he has undertaken
and is sparing no pains to make it fully
as attractive as contemplated In the
plans.
Digneo Bros, who have the contract
for the stone lodge and stone outbuild-
ings, are also driving their part of the
work with as many skilled mechanics as
they can employ to advantage and hope
to have the lodge ready for the roof
in the course of sixty days. The lodge,
built of cut stone with modern roof of
red thing, promises to be an architectural
beauty. It is situated on high ground
near the northwest corner of the grounds
and commands magnificent view of the
city, valley and the dreamy blue hills and
mountains on either side and miles to the
south. 1t will be 44x3O. IA feet in con-
tour a.d two stories high, with spacious
piazza on the south and west exposures.
The large cellar is cut out of solid rock;
the first floor will furnish large Office
and comfortable living rooms for the sup
erlntendent, and the second floor will
provide three nice sleeping apartments,
closets, etc. The t.stone trimmings
around the doors and windows will be
highly ornamental. The stable will also
be stone, but will have shingle roof.
twelve inch pipe has been laid through
the grounds from the northeast wall to
carry off the water from above, and FIVE
catch basins and four headings, connect
ing with the main pipe, will afford ample
drainage for the grounds within the en-
closure. The drainage from the lodge
and stable will also be carried off through
this main pipe.
A shapely flagstaff sixty-seven feet high
has been erected in front of the lodge
by Mr.. W. F. Dobbin.
When all these improvements are COM
pleted the National cemeterv in tLis citv