The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-03
A NEW CEMETERY NEEDED.
BURIAL GROUNDS IN LAUREL
GROVE NEARLY ALL USED.

| Months Lower Grounds On the
Property Likely TO Be Drained-EN-
tension of the Cemetery In Any Di-
rection Impossible - New Map of
the Cemetery Has Been Prepared.
The recommendations that the heath Of
| fcers have for some time past been max
| ing 10 council and the park and tree COM
mission seem now of necessity on the eve
of adoption, and il may not be a great
| while before a new cemetery will take
the place Of Laurel Grove, or that con-
| siderable annex will be made to that beau
tiful city Of the dead. Laurel Grove is
rapidly being filed and now nearly all Of
it's available space has been taken up for
burial purposes I There remain but a very
few lots that have not been sold, and it
is thought that as short awhile as five
months will suffice for the sale of al. these.
The health officers have contended, that
the nearness of the cemetery to the resi-
dences in the nelghborhood will prove an
inevitable source Of disease. Much of the
ground that is now being used for inter
ments often shows that in years past bur-
ials have been made in it. This is es-
pecially noticeable when graves are dug
in the strangers cot. This opening of
the ground after the germs of disease
have been planted in it, is regarded as dam
gerous to the health of those who are in
the neighborhood. OF late the question has
taken on vast importance, and it has be-
come necessary that something should be
DONE Mr.. J. V. Kinnicken, the keeper
of the cemetery, has recognized the neces-
sity that exists for some immediate action
and has addressed a letter to the park and
tree commission setting forth the facts
as they exist. He informs the commits
sion of the great scarcity there is of burial
ground, and suggests that it would be well
to drain certain sections of the cemetery
In order to render it of use. The Sec
ton that it is particularly desired to have
drained is that Immediately west of Jas
sanine avenue This is about the highest
ground within the limits of the cemetery
property, that is not already taken up for
graves. In all other sections where inter
ments have not already been made, the
ground is entirely too low to admit of it's
use for burial purposes. When a grave
is dug even TO the slight depth of three or
four feet, the surface water is reached
and the ground Is then unfit to be used
for nterments
Mr. Kennickell accompanied a Morning
News reporter over the entire cemetery
yesterday pointing out the necessities
that demand either new burial ground
or a considerable addition to Laurel
Grove. 1t was observed that many OF
the private lots have been almost COM
pletely filled, and that in but very ~
places do there exist vacant lots lH
fact, the only place where these los .E
MT Aa cd DO 11r Toe
for short distance. AT the rate tn. luts
are now being bought, Keeper Kennicl1en
says that it will not be more than mat
ter of few months before they will have
all been sold. In the Jewish section there
are only few lots that remain unsold
The same thing that is true of the white
section of the cemetery is true also of
the colored peoples. Their burial ground
has been filled. and there only remains a
small area near the gate that has not
been taken up. With their part of the
cemetery, as with that of the white PEG,
pie, the extension is prevented on account
of the ground being too low. 1t is said
that the ground just west of the cemetery
is the lowest in the county. The slope
to this low place is gradual and abou.
half of the length of the incline is on
the cemetery property. From the line
where the incline commences the ground
is bad for burial purposes, the surface
water btihS Oily at Il ueDln Oh from TWO
to four feet. Only a day or two ago a
grave was dug in this part of the GENE,
terry, but water was found only three feet
below the surface, so that the idea. of
using 1t had to be abandoned.
The city engineer has prepared a new
map of the cemetery, from which the ex-
act location of all the lots can be readily
obtained No apparent system was for
merry observed in numbering the lots
the irons with the numbers upon them
having seemingly been stuck into the
ground with a total disregard for order
and the fitness of things. Instead of the
numbers running along in the proper ro-
tation. they are more often found in all
kinds of displacements. For this reason
it has been very hard to locate a lot, but
the new map has the lots shown with
the numbers.
Laurel Grove cemetery was opened to
the public for burial in 1853 At that
time the abandonment of the Colonial
cemetery was contemplated, and it fol-
lowed shortly after. Since it was opened,
it is estimated that $4,000 bodies have been
laid to rest beneath its shades.
The drainage of the knoll west of Jessa-
mine avenue, which is advised by Mr.
Kennickell as a means of securing an ad-
dition 90 the cemetery, will give, in the
event of the work being done, place for
the graves of the poor, and also for the
strangers lot. The lot for the poor is just
now on the slope that runs 20 the low
place described. and the moisture so near
the surface makes a change of the loca-
ton very desirable 1t is not thought
that system of surface draining for this
knoll would be found to be very expen-
sve, and the commission will probably
adopt the suggestion. To fill in the knoll,
the elevation of which is but very sliglit,
to the same level as that of the higher
ground upon which is the old section of
the cemetery, would be rather an expen-
sve method of achieving the same result
that it is thought the drainage of the knoll
will compass.
Even this work however, can not put off
the inevitable much longer, end a new
cemetery will be absolutely necessary be-
fore many months have elapsed. The low
ground to the westward prevents an addi-
ton, without filling, being obtained in that
direction, and on the other sides the
streets and adjoining lots with houses up
on them prevent extension.
The park and tree commission has con-
sdered the ACCESSIBILITY of constructing
vaults along the ravne that runs through
the cemetery. but the fact that ventila-
ton will be required through the tops Of