The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-24
AN OLD CUBAN CEMETERY
Santiago's City of the Dead RecOv'
cred From Decay.
Restored to Something Akin to Its
Pristine Beauty Under the Rule of
Most Ancient Burial Places in the
IsInnd-Its Impressive Monuments.

4
Islnnd-Its Impressive Monuments
SANTIAGO DE CUBA. June io.-Al-
though two years have not quite elapsed
since the occupation of this city by the
American forces the vast amount of i'm
provements everywhere can be seen at a
| glance. The streets are now clean and
neat. the sidewalks kept clear OF filth. al
leys and yards are free from filth. and, on
the whole everything presents healthy
appearance with decided air Of thrift.
| Probably in no place is the of the
American more fully shown than in the
sleeping city, the resting place of SANTA
| COS dead at the head of the bay, about
| one mile from the heart of the city This
| historical old cemetery. which contains
the graves OF many of Cuba's most Illus
trious men and many OF the Spanish
statesmen who from time to time nave
| been called to their last resting place
while on some mission to the Queen OF
| the Antilles" at tie time Of the American
| occupation presented a scene of wild dis
| order. The walls were falling down. the
| walks upturned, and the entire place over
grown with weeds and wild grass OF the
rankest kind, SO much so that the many
handsome and massive monuments were
hidden from view, and 1t was absolutely
impossible to locate the graves OF any OF
the dead without using scythe and grub
bling hoe to remove the tangled mass.
Now all this is changed and at this sea-
son the country presents beautiful and
impressive picture. The walls have been
put into good condition, the weeds re-
moved, the grass cut and the walks have
been cleared SO that it now looks like
what 1t really is. beautiful park. dotted
with handsome and imposing granite and
marble monuments elaborate in design and
construction.
The road to the cemetery has been
changed from the old mud path to really
passable thoroughfare that can now be
used for the many bicycles that have been
imported into the island from the United
States. The entrance to the cemetery,
which Is a massive stone structure that
has long been In state of decay and was
rapidly falling to pieces has been repaired
and to certain extent cleaned of its
growth of weeds and other tropical wild
grasses. and flowers have been planted on
the knoll in front of 1t which makes it pre-
sent very pretty appearance.
The cemetery proper is one of the old
est as well as one of the quaintest built
by the earliest Spanish settlers. 1t Is en-
trely surrounded by q wall twenty feet
thick, and about fifteen feet wide in which
are row after row of crypts or small
vaults. all of which have long since been
filed with the bodies OF the dead and seal
ed up never again to be opened. Some OF
these crypts are perfectly beautiful and
are finished in front on an elaborate scale.
While some of them are sealed plumb with
the wall others have the scaling placed
some eight or ten inches from the. edge Of
the wall and have In front plate-elass
door behind which is placed a memorial
altar in miniature. This tiny altar is in
yariably fitted out in its every detail with
the proper number of candles, crucifxes
vases for flowers. and tabernacle with the
hangings OF silk embroidered in the richest
gold. These are sealed in and are per-
fectly alright. Many of them were de-
stroyed by the American soldiers, who
during the war broke the glass and carried
off the affairs as souvenirs.
The space inside the walls has been filed |
entirely with graves, most OF which are
marked with the handsomest monuments |
obtainable in this or any other country |
The monuments are made of marble or
granite, exquisitely carved. Some Of tn N |
are adorned with the busts OF those whose |
memory they are erected to perpetuate, |
while others are made in the image of the
various patron saints, to whom prayers are |
offered daily for the repose Of the souls of |
the departed.
II has become necessary to secure addi- |
tionaI ground outside of the cemetery walls |
for the burial OF the dead. and during the |
war and for some time afterward great |
many bodies were buried on the outsiie |
of the walls, and the graves marked with |
simple slab.
The funerals here are not conducted as |
they are in the United States. Only the |
rich class have hearses and carriages. |
When some Cuban of prominence dies |
there is generally a very great ceremony |
in the cathedral AT the conclusion of the |
mass for the dead the hearse which Is a |
massive affair. trimmed in heavy black |
lace and drawn by little Cuban horses. is |
drawn up for the reception of the coffin. |
which is handled in all cases by body |
bearers dressed In long black coats and |
wearing beaver hats. Then the procession, |
with such carriages as can be obtained |
together with the rest of the mourners on |
foot, winds through the streets to the GEM |
terry. where the body is placed in tenn |
porary receptacle, to be buried later. !;
There is little or no service at the grave.
When poor person dies there is nona
of this ceremony. Mass is generally sad |
at the home of the deceased for the repose |
of the soul Of the dead and the coffin is |
then placed on the shoulders of four men |
and carried hastily by the nearest route to |
the cemetery. where it is placed in tie |
ground without further ceremony.
Most of the graves in the cemetery are |
decorated with a basket or bouquet of fow- |
ers made of glass on wire base. which is |
practically indestructible, and which lasts
for years. These are first blessed by TIE !
parish priest Many of them are beauti |
full.