Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-07-06
MORNINGSIDE.
BrattlebOrO's Attractive New Cemetery.

Its General Features Described, with
the scheme OF Development which the
Management has In View.
The new Morningside cemetery has now
reached such a stage of preliminary devel-
opment as TO make clear the general fea-
lures which are in contemplation, and the
possibilities of the enterprise. In the way
of methodical development of features
which nature has made ready at hand 1t is
the most important enterprise which has
ever been undertaken in Brattleboro. The
tract of land acquired by the association
from the Royal G.. Wood estate comprises
100 acres 1t extends from South Main
street on the west to the foot of the high
bank above the railroad track on the east.
The northern border lies at the foot of the
bank which slopes down from Prospect
Hill cemetery, and the southern boundary
is in a grove of pines well down on the
Vernon road. While the whole tract be-
low the enclosing banks is mainly level
land which has always been under cultiva-
ton, it is sufficiently rolling and broken to
give it a very pleasing diversity, with OPP
portunities for striking landscape effects.
The soil is a deep sandy Ioam, with thick
bed of gravel beneath.
For the present the two sets of farm
buildings have been retained, and on the
first floor of the old Wood farmhouse there
has been fitted up an attractive superintend-
ent's office, with a waiting room on the
opposite side of the hallway where visitors
may make themselves as comfortable as
they choose. A large wall map shows the
tract and its proposed development as
whole, and there are numerous smaller
maps of the various plots. The scheme of
development comprises the construction of
avenues, the division Of the various sec
tions into plots, as "Sylvan plot" "PiDedale
plot" Laurel plot" "Fairvew plot"
and so on. At various points suitable por-
tions are reserved for ornamentation, which
will be done with view to the general eff
feet. The main avenue, which has been
appropriately named Morningside avenue,
skirts the outer border of the whole tract,
and is over two miles long Other cross
avenues wind about and connect the vari-
Gus plots and sections. These avenues
have all been laid out and built to the full
width of "a feet. In all they are 10 miles
in length.
The sections as laid out are 30 in num-
Der. These are connected by eight-foot
gravel walks and every lot is in turn ac-
cessible by a three foot path. The shaded
avenues run through bits of natures own
woodland and are rarely attractive. The
main entrances are from South Main
street by carefully graded driveway, and
from Vernon street. There is also an en-
trance near the foot of the hill on the Yer.
non road The general effect, as seen
from the superintendent Office, or from any
central point, is that of a broad stretch of
gently broken lowland, skirted on every
side by thick woodland growth. At
suitable place near the centre of the main
plot, there has been erected a receiving
tomb and chapel, "a by 81 feet in size,
built of Dummerston granite, with wide
granite porch and massive granite pillars
in front. The interior is finished in Yer
mont marble with side walls of white enam-
eled brick. The tomb contains AZ cata-
combs. The space in front, IL by "a feet,
provides ample room for the holding of
burial services. The windows are of
stained glass. Directly in front of this is
heartshaped plot which will be made
one of the main features of decoration.
In the Iavine to the south, skirting the
high wooded bank, will be a sylvan lake
some 300 rods in length.
The purpose of the management is to
provide here a burial place to meet the
needs, in price and otherwise, of all the
community. The regular size of the lots
is ~ by ~ feet. A section toward the
lower end has been laid out in by 10 foot
lots for single graves. The total sales to
date have amounted to about 1000 square
feet. On point at the south, looking
down toward the Connecticut river and
the site of old Fort Dummer, and out over
the Massachusetts hills, W. a. Chids has
erected a granite tomb. The large lot in
the rear of this has been bought by Mrs.
Fuller. Late this fall she will erect there
an imposing monument in memory of the
Ex-Governor, and his body will be taken
up and reburied there. Within few
weeks DR.. LawtOn will erect sarcopha-
gus monument on his lot.
The comprehensive scheme of develop
ment thus outlined is in charge of f. Es-
tabrook of Bennington, who was engaged
as superintendent last spring, and the re-
sponsibility for the work placed in his
hands. He brings 80 years of practical
experience to this task and rapid progress
has been made.
The officers of the new association are:
5. E. Lawton, president; j. j. Estey, vice
president; Susan E. Clark, secretary; C.
S. Clark, treasurer directors, S. e. Law
ton, j. j. Estey, II. H. Wheeler, F. W.
Childs, G. S. Clark.