The San Francisco call., 1896-01-11
LOTS MAY NOT Be SOLD,
Report of the Street Committee
in the Cemeteries
Matter.
THE ASSOCIATIONS PROTEST.
Right of the Supervisors to Legis.
late Questioned-Legal Measures
May Result.
THE ASSOCIATIONS PROTEST.

The Street Committee of the Board of
Supervisors decided yesterday to report in
favor OF the proposed ordinance prohibit
ing the further sale of burial lots in the
cemeteries within the City limits.
Representatives of the various burying-
grounds were present to protest against
the measure being favored. For the Laurel
Hill Cemetery Association Giles H. Gray
appeared and presented a strong plea for
that organization. He urged that il the
sale OF lots were cut off the larger portion
OF the income necessary to keep the ceme-
tery in order would be lost to the associa-
tion and the burial ground would fall to
ruin and decay.
He claimed that if any fault was TO be
found with the sanitary condition of the
cemetery it devolved upon the Board OF
Health and not the Board of Supervisors
to remedy the matter. He maintained
however, that Laurel Hill Cemetery is
conducted with a view to following the
latest sanitary methods to the fullest
extent.
John F. Cowdery appeared for the Odd
Fellows Association. He produced sta
tist.cs calculated to show that cemeteries
are apparently conducive TO the good
health of the residents of the districts in
which they are situated. He called atten-
tion to the fact that in the Twelfth Ward,
where the cemeteries are situated the
death rate is lower than in any other Sec
sion of the City.
Mr.. Cowdery produced an affidavit to
the effect that at a reCen. gathering which
the advocates of closing the cemeteries
claimed was a big mass meeting only
twenty-five persons were present, includ-
ing the newspaper reporters and the pro-
prletor OF the hall. This he claimed showed
that the ajority of the Richmond prop
erty-owners were not in favor of closing.
He called attention to the fact that the
proposed legislation would not apply to
the City Cemetery, and that it would re-
suit in unjust discrimination. Sanitary
considerations, he said, could not account
for the measure, as in the lots already sold
IN the Odd Fellows cemetery 10000 bodies
could be buried, and that the only result
would be to prevent the sale of the sixty
lots not yet disposed of.
The Richmond property-owners were
represented by Charles H Hubbs, who
argued at length that the cemeteries were
detrimental to the health of the district,
and that while statistics mi ht be brought
TO show that the Twelfth Ward has lower
death rate than other portions OF the City,
1t was not because the cemeteries were
located there, but because of it's natural
advantages. He claim ed that the property
OF Richmond should also be considered, as
the proximity of the burial grounds kept
people from locating there.
w. w. Allen also spoke in favor of the
measure. claiming that from a legal point
of view the board had every right to pro-
hibit the sale of lo,s. After a short con-
ference the committee decided to advocate
the adoption OF the measure, and will so
report at the next meeting of the board.
Supervisors King and Dimond opposed
the favoring OF the ordinance, and there is
prospect of lively fight before the meet
ing of the board on Monday next
The cemetery associations will also take
steps TO test the right of the board to pie
vent the sale OF lots in case the ordinance
is finally passed by the Supervisors.