The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-05
MAY CONSIDER BoNAvENruRE.
Various Views as to Need for IA New
City Cemetery.

tify cemetery.
The announcement Of the decision or the
Evergreen Cemetery Company to offer
Bonaventure TO the city is Of interest IN
connection with the fact that 1t is evident
that Council Is inclined towards the pur-
chase Of a new cemetery, although no steps
have been taken IN that direction as yet.
1T Is expected. however that the spe-
clal committee on cemetery, apo nted
some time ago will shortly make IT'S re-
port, recommending that the city take
steps to provide a new cemetery. The
question Of available sites will then come
up for consideration and this question will
doubtless be referred 10 a committee The
Evergreen Cemetery Company has taken
time by the forelock IN calling atten ION
to its very desirable property.
Some Of the members Of Council who
were spoken to on the subject were inc.in-
ed to regard the price named by the com
pany, $4,000 as too high. in view OF the
fact that il would probably be necessary
for the city 10 acquire additional ground
in order 10 provide for future contingen-
cies. Acting Mayor Tiedeman, when sock
en- to about the matter, said that he had
not looked into the question and was not
prepared 10 express an opinion as to the
availability of Bonaventure as public
cemetery
II 40 not know how much available land
there is adjacent nor the price at which II
could be obtained" said Mr. Tledeman II
do not think eighty-nine acres a sufficient
area for new cemetery as a number Of
lois have alreadS been sold"
Alderman Thomas was inclined to look
favorably upon Bonaventure as city
cemetery. There are reasons why !
would prefer Bonaventure," he said. cit
is already wen known and in favor with
the people of Savannah as a cemetery, and
whether the city acquires 1t or not many
of our citizens will prefer to inter their
dead there IL Is easily accessible from the
city and the land lies in such a way
that whatever drainage is needed can be
done at a minimum cost. There is ample
ground adjacent suitable for cemetery pur-
poses which could doubtless be obtained
by the city for enlarging Bonaventure.
No matter where the new cemetery is To-
Gated, It will be necessary for the city to
continue to care for Laurel Grove for
number Of years to come, and with a Gem
etery as accessible as Bonaventure Il
would be an easy matter to consolidate the
work Of caring for the two cemeteries.
There Is a good deal of sentiment about
the matter Of interring our dead and the
places where they are inferred aud ] think
the majority of those who will be unable
TO obtain lots IN Laurel Grove would pre-
fer to bury their dead in Bonayenture."
Alderman Thomas said that it would be
out OF the question to debar the lot owners
who have untitled lots IN Laurel Grove
from continuing lnterment there which
means that the use of Laurel Grove for
cemetery purposes is likely to continue for
an indefinite number of years to come.
Alderman Thomas should be something
Of an authority on cemeteries He at
tended the second iuterment in Laurel
Grove in 1853. There have been in the
neighborhood of G00O0 interments in the
cemetery since and yet Alderman Thomas
is not an Old man Laurel Grove" he
said, lis not what would be considered
an eligible site to-day Stll my remon-
brance Is that IL only took about six weeks
TO get Il in readiness for use A vast
amount of Improvement was made later.
however. The Ogeechee road then extend
ed to CASTOR street It was a very rough
corduroy roadway, which stopped some
distance before the cemetery was reached.
From there on was a succession of mud
holes around and through which the
funeral professions picked their way.
There has been a great change in the APP
pearance Of that section of the city since
Laurel Grove was opened as a cemetery"
Health Officer Drummer said that he was
In -Iavor OF the city's securing new Gene
terry, but he preferred to leave the dis
cussion OF sites 10 Council.
q am opposed to paying $3.50 an acre
for cemetery sites" said Alderman VIII
lams, when spoken to about the matter.
Surprising that there are still eighty
acres unused in Bonaventure that is what
1t would cost as at the price named by The
cemetery company"