The evening times., 1896-12-23
OF LOT HOLDERS
Trouble Over Improvements in
Congressional Cemetery.
DIRT DEFACING MONUMENTS
Hauling of Material for Filling in
Low sections Breaks Up Road
way and Anglers Certain Owners
of Burial Sites-Appeal Made TO
vestry of Christ Church.

The management and certain lot own
ers OF the Congressional Cemetery are at
loggerheads. The source OF the trouble Is
the improvements along the southern boun-
Diary fence OF the cemetery.
The cemetery lies on a gentle slope from
street street, between Seventeenth and
Eighteen streets southeast, to the East
erD>i,ranc,t along which it is enclosed by
q nigh boad fence, resting in the oozy
mud OF the stream.
To reclaim this southern edge OF the prop
crty the management, consisting OF the
owners, the vestry OF Christ NJ. E. Church
and the superintendent, Mr.. Charles w.
O'Neill, began, in July last, the work OF
grading a roadway paralleling the fence.
The material decided upon for this work
was the sandy loan eXcavatcd from Massa-
chusetts avenue, and to facilitate trans
portation TO the scene OF operations the
cemetery avenue on the extreme east, eX-
tending from street to the branch, was
used by the carts and wagons.
This avenue, prior to its adoption as
freight thoroughfare, was endowed with
the dignity attached to well-regulated
driveway and was bOrdered by rows OF
well-appointed graves.
Cause of Complaint.
1t was soon, however, apparent that
the avenue was fast losing its elegance or
surface and immediate surroundings, ow-
ing to the fact that some OF the dirt en-
route to the southern border was being
left behind to adorn the roadbed and the
adjoining marble and granite monuments.
This fact was noted by certain owners
OF lots II the cemetery, bat the matter was
left in allegiance, and the carts continuedthe
even tenor OF their way.
These grounds of complaint finally grew
into a strong protest from 10; owners, i'm
mediately arising from the dumping OF
carloads Of dirt around and about certain
graves in the central-south section of.the
cemetery.
As observed by n Times reporter yester-
day afternoon. the thoroughfare OF traffic.
the gravestones the roadway under con-
struction, and the group of graves seemed
bound together by a tie, or rather a trail,
of dirt.
In the section mentioned is large square
plat of ground marked off by terrace
four feet in height.
In triS inclosnrc are 254 graves, and Of
this number 2O9 are unmarked by any
stone. and in many cases are barely desig-
mated by = mound.
At the foot OF this group several cart
loads ofdirt have been dumped, preparatory
to grading that part OF the slope down to
the new road way, and in many cases lies
within n foot of the modest mounds of
earth.
Work TO Be Done.
1t is the intention Of the management TO
cover some of these mounds with from
a few incnes to two feet OF dirt in the
course of the grading
This fact has caused an expression ofin-
dignatlon on the part OF certain lot-owners.
who see nothing particularly rcprehensible
in the purpose. provided the work be care
fully done, but who are OF the opinion that
in a matter OF this kind the views of the
site owners should be consulted.
They maintain that a meeting of the
holders should be held, the matter laid
before them. and that they be given every
assurance that the contour Of the graves
shall be preserved
Thirty feet south is the recently inau-
gurateG avenue. that presents on the branch
side a sheer declivity OF twenty feet. a
nttgilN ~ bll' 'billi44tchS uNA4'li'-
of earth since last July.
II is the intention OF Mr.. % Neill to con-
struct series of cutters and sewers to
drain both the roadway and the grave
SITES and to effect other improvements in
the way of sanitation and beauty OF land
scape.
In reply to question as to whether
there We're reasonable grounds for com
plant in the premises Mr.. o Neill said
that there We're one or two lot owners who
were always ready to take issue with him
on his conduct of the affairs of the ceme-
terry, and that they had complained of the
accumulation of dust ON the gravestoncs.
but that the ma jority of lot holders APP
proved the improvements under progress
and could discern no special injury to
their property.
Superintendent's Comment.
while it is true said Mr.. O'Neill, that
the dust has gathered on a few Of the
stones, that need alarm no one, for when
we have finished the work of grading We
intend to thoroughly clean every stone
at al! affected by the dust
AS 10 the grading OF the sites in the
section referred to, Mr.. O'Neill said that
the work would be done with view to
the betterment of the sites, and that he
utmost care would be taken.
The reporter examined the monuments
along the avenue in controversy, and found
that heir appearance is but slightly marred
and that they have suffered no perma-
nent damage.
In general, the stones on the west side
of the avenue are not affected at all
while those on the opposite side were
coated with a thin layer of dust, lending
them grimy aspect.
Some few of the lot owners complain Of
thefts from their sites, and think a more
extended police surveillance should pre-
vail in the cemetery.
No blame is attached to Mr.. O'Neill, but
it is the general opinion that the owners,