Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-12-11
GuANAJUAvOa CEMETERY.
4 Queer Block Of Ston- Crypts on q Noun
tain Side-Cofiins For Rent.

4 Queer Block Of Ston- Crypts on q Noun
tain Side-Cofiins For Rent.
p. Fl. Mack of Inyo county, who is
engaged, with Patrick Reddy, in some
aiming enterprises in the strange little
rate Of Guanajuato, Mexico, 1000
lliles below FL Paso, tells remarkable
story of the queer burial customs in
the ancient city OF Guanajuaso. the cap
ital Of he little state, place $50 years
Id II is at the old city, in the heart
If Mexico, where the burying ground
is, that Mr. Mack is interested i'll the
mining enterprise alluded TO.
The burying ground is on high
point of a mountain near the town.
said he, land is nearly 100 yards
square 1t is inclosed by wall IL feet
in height and 5 feet thick, and in the
walls are pigconholelike places, OF
crypts for the bodies, i
when man dies, his relatives can,
on the paym ut Of $40, get him put in
one of these crypts. The ends are sealed
up, and he Is allowed TO stay thel fof
five years. AT the end of that time, il
the relatives come forward and Pay
800 more, the remains are allowed &c
remain there perpetually. IT, however.
the relatives have died, moved away OF
fail TO put up the 500, the remains are
taken out, carried away and put into
great yard near at hand, where remains
have in like manner accumulated anc
where bones now lie 20 feet deep. There
is flight of steps leading down into
4 passageway which is 300 feet long
At the end of this passageway is great
excavation for the cast off bones. 1t is
here that they are piled to such an inn
mense depth.
'There are TO be seen arms, legs,
skulls and other bones at pleasure or to
your horror, just as you take it. Not
many Americans have ever been there,
and Of those who have including some
lady tourists, "a number have tainted
outright. The sight was too much for
their nerves.
There is a potter's field aside from
all this as part Of the burving ground
already told about, and this consists Of
trench i'll which bodies are buried
three deep without any kind of coffin.
"This being a burying ground and
managed by the authorities, the collins
that are used are owned by the munich
pality, and it simply rents the coffin for
use till the body is slowed away in the
crypt told about awhile ago The collins
are used over ar.-,i over, and one of them
may have previously had 20 bodies i'll
it. 1t is kept as amy other receptacle
would be and is used as long as it will
last.
There is another adjunct to this re.
markable burying ground 1t is this
AT the bottom of the stairs, on both
sides of the 300 foot passagcway. which
Is more properly a tunnel, are mummi-
fled bodies They are sealed up in the
holes on each side, and they dry up in
such way rs TO be preserved. Ar
American down there managed TO steal
one of theseSbodies, as he thought il
would be quite curiosity to exhibit.
He got the body out in some way and
got clear to Guadalajara with it before
he was discovered and brought back.
The tow of Guanajuato was found
cd in 1915. AT one time il had 90. OOC
Inhabitants, but now it has 90, 900.
You can imagine the vast number of
deaths that must have occurred in this
ancient town since il was started. and
this is the only burying ground they
have. The deceased citizens have all
been slowed away there San Fran
cisco Call