Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-07-22
WEST INDIAN CEMETERIES.
Some Spanish Customs in Regard 10 Their
Dead.


lBoatuu II fald.l
Under the seward side wall Of the
fortincatlons. with massive walls rising
above II on the south. andtho ocean
surges numbering 90 the northward. lies
the great Campo santo" OF San Juan.
a sentry turret guards the cemetery
gate. beyond which. disturbed by The
roar neither Of waves nor ARTILLERY,
many thousand crstwhllc residents OF
San Juan sleep their last ticrp. This
spot ~ not large. but. owing 90 the
peculiar methods " intcrment. every
inch Of space Is occupied, not once only,
but many times over.
In the nfst place. the graves dug ln
the level are rented only for u term ~
years. At the expiration OF the l1IHD,
out 20 what remains of the occupant
OF any grave, - 81 hiH or her friends
put up the "ncculul" Tor q renewal
What becomes uf the oFloied donli
Come over 10 the angles of the walls.
ana there YOU will nnd. piled ln every
corner, heaps Of m1Idtriug bones.
mingled with tattcrod grtve clothes,
long black trrwoa ana gfinnlug, ghaHt.
" skulls. Many ~ The graves may
silll be seen ynwning Wildly f1r other
occupants. These sinhif ur0 not Chlcu-
lated 10 inspire cheerful thoughts nor 90
improsl one with thn idea that Span.
iards ana spanish descended colonists
are over careful Of their departed
friends remains.
stu there are numerous nuc stones
ANA marbles here. murtuafy urns ami
portrait hust1. but these adorn tho
graves W the more fortunate rich. and
are leased In pcrpetuity. Many NJ these
nfc worthy u Inspection Tor their
bcnut NJ carving and their wealth ~
Imagery In cpltaph. since. here. aa loo
taNl N.Na al.
Gnne are frclted ana their vices lg.
norrd
Against the frownIng fnftrrs walls
nfu the cuiumbuflHr speak liter.
ally, the pigeon holoH.-lutl which the
Weather people arr thrust feet fura-
most, after they have given up the
ghost The Culumhnrlum Dr. long and
deep and nnfruw like an oll-fiHhlonod
brick oven, with u marble slab Tor a
door. which, after tho body has been |
placed Within " herurilcilly sealed ]
Ana there the dead arr lrfi 90 Hlmm0r /
In the dreadful tropical heat. but that /
may seem vastly bcttor than 10 bs |
planted ln shallow grave, with the /
dread certainty Of being 'reHurrUrtod' /
within three. four ur i've years. ana |
what there iH lott Of one tossed into nn |
angle 1T the walls.
Grief with the suanIhrda ~ short |
lived. II we may Judge from the con.
NlIuu OF iNFll ffulftfiANNs IN iNN j
tropics, particularly where one might /
expect greater care ON the part Of tho ]
nuthuutlcs. " only from sanitary con.
hldrrttluna attention 90 the departed ]
j. moro lax than iu the north Except /
Ia large cltleH. such nH Havana and
the city ~ Mexico, the spots selected
for tho lntCunent M the dead ate In
state uf wnfui neglect. The graves.
mostly Indicated by plain wooden
crosses, painted black. aud leaning 90
every point ~ the compass, nrr Hunkru
In while the open ults from which
those whose terms have expired have
been removed are numcrUurly inter
EporHcd.
Decay soon acts In. within the
tropics. not alone ~ ths mortal frame
but Of the artificial environments 90
Mood and the veaturrA The rldavrr
II hardly out ~ sight before the dpH-
tructlyu forces of nature are ut work
ana externally the graves ure sub.
ject to swift change; In q Few days they
are covered with carpet ui green,
quick Frt wing Ilnnu. and 10. the
course Z n fsafou Il loft 60 itself. thn
place of sepulturc II hidden out "
Fight.
''ha general neglect NJ cemeteries
n noticed throughout the West indies.
and particularly In the spanish ]
Islands. though In the English ppssuss
turs. such na Jamaica and iinrhnd1cs.
urr nnds pleasant contrast In Cleo
rhurrh.yarlH. which. adjacent
To neat little places ~ worship. are
carefully and devoutly cared for and
kent In order