Daily camera., 1897-08-07
STYLISH TOMBSTONES.
Fashions IN Monuments Change as
Times Go By.
The Simple Designs of Other Days
Give Way to OstentattOus Obe-
lisks and More Ornate Work.
manship on the Stones.


trousers, so do they change in monu-
ments and tombstones. 1t is far cry
from the pyramids of Egypt to the
gravestones of to-day. Great as this
contrast is, probably greater would be
noted in comparing the modern tomb
stones wich follow man hundreds of
years after the pyramids were built.
The pyramids can scarcely be con-
sidered in the same light ds the tomb
stones which are used to mark the rest
ing places of to-day. The Egyptian
structures were built from radically
different standpoint than that which
in later years caused the erection of
something to mark the resting places OF
the departed.
The earliest accounts OF marking
graves tell of the placing at the head of
the mound little slabs of wood or small
pieces of stone. Sometimes the stones
were so small that they projected only
a few inches above the ground. From
these have grown the beautiful monu-
ments which are seen in the cemeteries
to-day. Although the wooden markers
We're almost synchronistic in origin
with the small pieces of stone they have
not yet entirely disappeared. Even to-
day in some cemeteries in Chicago will
be found wooden crosses that have not
stood in place so long that they have
rotted and crumbled away. However,
these relics of the old custom are few
and far between.
Over in England IN some parts of the
country the custom of erecting wooden
crosses obtains. After the wooden cross
the tiny little square stone slabs of
slate came into favor for marking
graves. These slabs of slate were not
very large at first, but were gradually
increased in size until they were three
or four feet in height, almost two feet
yiu width and two or three inches in
thickness. These slabs were often
placed IN the ground without the use of
any base or foundation stone. In some
cases, however, they were cemented in
slot cut in a much heavier piece of
stone. When these slate slabs were
used it was the queer custom to carve
skull and cross bones upon them near
the top. In. New England many of these
will still be found standing, although
badly worn by the weather.
Then came change in the style of
the material used. Slate became passe
and marble was used for many years.
Some years ago the style began chang
ing, both in regard to the material used
and the form in which it was carve.
Marble was displaced by granite, and
instead of the fiat slab the square or
rather rectangular shape came into use.
At first this style was rather plain, but
gradually becam. more ornate, and
many elaborate carvings are still
erected to-day. In the last few years
radical change has taken place in the
style of finishing monuments. While
several years ago nearly all monuments
were highly polished they are now
finished, in most instances, with the
hammer, with little or no polishing.
Some are not finished at all. having the
rough appearance of just being broken
from the quarry. In few instances
monuments are given the hammer
finishing with polish at the corners
and edges.
AS to the styles at the present time,
there is something of divergence of
opinion. There is little doubt however,
that.the sarcophagus style is by far the
most popular. The obelisks are, of
course, used almost entirely for monu
ments which are of a public or a semi
public character, but for the marking
of graves which are private the sar-
cophagus monument is much more
widely used.
''Oh, yes, we have great changes in
styles in monuments, just as the ladies
! have in their dresses and men have in
their neckties," said prominent dealer
in monuments the other day. "The
changes are in shape, sizes and materials
Just as they are in garments, with this
difference, however, which you will
readily understand The changes do
not come with such rapdity as they do
in clothing. There is also this additional
difference, that old styles are not i'm
mediately displaced by new ones. The
old ones keep their places, for you see
people couldn't afford to take down an
old monument and put up new one
every spring just to be in style. The
changes only affect the monuments
which are being made at the time that
the new style comes in. Then there is
another matter which must be taken
into consideration. Some styles OF
monuments are more popular at GER
tain cemeteries than they are at others,
and of course those who visit any given
cemetery and see no other will conclude
that the best style is the one which they
see most of."-Chicago Chronicle.
Foreign Ships.
According to the striking figures just
published at Paris by Vicomte d'Avenel,