Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-05-25
ABOUT THE CEMETERY.
Some Important Considerations Con
corning the Proposed Association.

corning the Proposed Association.
To the Editor Of the Reflector:
Most Of your readers are probably
aware that a proposition is pending
to have the city convey the ABILENE
cemetery to private corporation
and that the matter will come up be
fore the city council at its next regu
lar meeting on June second; ant
while do not wish to be understood
as even suspicioning that the parties
who are manipulating this scheme
are governed by anything but the
most honorable and patriotic motives
| seems to me that the other side d
the question should be stated and
that vigorous protest against the
proposed action Of the mayor and
city council should be made.
Under the statutes OF Kansas there
are three ways by which cemeteries
may be laid out and controlled, and
in my opinion, the control by Q
private corporation is the least de-
sirable Of the three.
Chapter 2S5 Of the Laws Of 1881
provides that townships may ISSUE
bonds and levy taxes for the purpose
Of providing for cemeteries and keep
ing up the contingent expenses Of thu
grounds.
Chapter 100 Of the Laws Of the 1877.
authorizes,the mayor and council o.
any city Of the second class to pur
chase, pay for and hold lands fol
cemetery purposes, and to provide
for paying the expenses thereof.
The general corporation act Of 1865
authorizes the organization Of GENE
terry corporations with power to &C
quire land, divide the same into
cemetery lots and subdivisions fol
the purposes Of a cemetery sand &
tar the property for The purpose Of IL
general Improvement"
Aside from private subscriptions
there are but two ways to maintain
the expenses Of keeping up GENE
terry: one by money derived from tht
sale of lots, and the other by money
derived from taxation. 1t will be
noticed that both townships and
cities, under the law, have authority
to levy taxes upon all the real, per
sonal and mixed taxable property
within the municipality for the pur'
pose Of maintaining cemetery
while a private corporation is only
authorized to tax the property Of III
cemetery Itself. In case of a private
corporation, after all the lots have
been disposed Of the only legal means
of keeping up the cemetery would b.
to tar The lOts.-
The power to tax a piece OF rea
estate, whether it be cemetery lo'
or a farm, must necessarily carry
with it the power to sell the property
taxed in case the tax is not paid BY
the owner, or the levylng of a ia,
would fail to accomplish the purpose
intended, that is the raising of money
If a person acquires title to a lot il
township or city cemetery, the it'll
so acquired remains in the owner hi
heirs and assigns for burial purpose
forever; and cannot be Invested b,
attachment, execution, taxation o.
any other process of law; but in cas-
of private corporation it would ap
pear from the statutes of this Stat
that il, through the removal or dealt
of the owner, or the extinction OF hi
family, or from any negligence on hi
part or that Of his heirs, the take
levied by the corporation on the 10
should remain unpaid, that his it'll
might be Invested and pass to strang
ers who could sell or use the lot wit
but little, If any, regard to its previ
Gus condition or use.
Property owners Of Abilene hav
paid large amount Of money by tax
alton for the purpose Of acquiring
cemetery; those who have purchase
lots have bought and paid for ther
with the understanding and expects
ton that the title acquired would b
perpetual, and it would appear that
strong argument might be mad
against the city now attempting t
shirk the responsibility of maintain
ing the cemetery
There are many other reasons an
arguments against the pendin