The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-07
PARIS DOG GRAVEYARD
A Cemetery in the Metropolis for
the Canine Family.
Mans Tributes to One of the NobIest
Friends of the Human Race
Touching Epitapbs on TOmbstOnes
The Idea of Buryfng the Animals
Hygienic as Well as Sentimental.

The Courier des Etats Unis' prints a
description of the great dog cemetery at
Paris. The following is q translation OF
the 'Courrier's" story:
The dog cemetery of Paris raises
its monumental facade Ca triple grating of
forged iron. surmounted by stone arches
pTettily cut OUT at the further end of the
bridges of Clichy and Asneres, in the mid
die Of the lie des Ravageurs. Notwith-
standing the dramatic recollections which
this name eYokes (do you still remember
Eugene Sue. his MYSTERIES de Paris" and
the adventures there of the Martial fam
ily?) the new cemetery comes TO view,
pleasant and peaceful
Strictly speaking, it is a sort of large
garden, laid out with flowers; it has roses.
daisies, geraniums, besonias, violets. and
perennial plants 1t is fragrant and beau
tfful there Some pagan necropolises must
have had that gay aspect, that air of at
Effectiveness and amiabieness which leaves
no place for the idea of death
In the warm light of a certain morn
ing" writes N. Serge Basset, lit was not
without pleasure that | took a walk along
the alleys filled with flowers, from among
which emerged stelas marked with affec-
tionase inscriptions, like so many attesta-
tions of human kindness and feeling
i was accompanied by the director of
the cemetery. NJ. George Harmois, the edi-
ter Of several technical publications. While
walking along he told me the story; it is
worth reteiliEg, With perfect modesty he
commenced:
. 1t had long been my intention to open
P cemetery for dogs 1t had always been a
heartrending sight to NE TO see the COM
panions of our joys and our sorrows thrown
into the sewers, or into the Seine, CT upon
a garbage heap. Il seemed 10 me that 1t
befitted man to pay some little tribute to
the lower animals that had lived around
him and loved him. But alone l could
never have been able 10 bring about the re-
aliza-ion OF my projects. How were the
funds to be raised? Where was the ground
for the graves to be picked out2 How were
the pTejudices 10 be overcome. Then
Nine. Marguerite Durand, the directress OF
La Fronda," was fascinated with my idea
and she sent II forth in her journal and
made II success 3"
While We were talking we walked a
little way into the burial ground Here
We were before its principal monument
1t was raised TO the memory of the dog
Barry and ii is as much an honor to the
statuary, Mr.. Henri Edeline, as to The
worthy people who desired TO glorify this
memory On base of snowy rocks. sur
mounted by a reproduction of the famous
convent of Mount St. Bernard the valiant
animal, Barry is springing forward, bent
beneath the gale. carrying on his back q
child that he has just snatched from the
avalanche. A short inscription sums up
the merits and the history OF the heroic
creature:
He saved the lives of forty persons.
He was killed by the forty-first."
Behind the syubolical monument the
whole cemetery stretches away It is di-
vfded into two parts the first still vacant.
Is all covered with sweet-smelling flow
ers; the second is rediyided into different
quarters In one place, scattered over
with stellas are the quarters OF the big
dogs; farther on are those of the medium
sized ones. and nearer is the place for
the little ones. The spaces 20 the right
and left are reserved for animals Of diff
ferent kinds.
For since the place was opened" said
NJ George Harmonis. many persons have
been bringing US the dead bodies of ami
mails that had been their companions
See. over in that corner are the birds.
l came closer, pleased that he had
thought of them. Do you know anything
more melancholy than a little mass OF
feathers with a half open beak projecting
and stiff, with outspFead wings. in the
mud on the highway? How well off they
must be under the big trees Of the Gene
terry, sheltered from voraeious beasts, those
happy songsters OF yesterday!
To perpetuate the memory OF some or
them the affection OF their owners has de-
yised, instead of heavy headstones, little
cages of silvered bars. And on them are
touching and naive Inscriptions: TO Pier
rette,'' ITO Fiji, 4" ITO Gazouilli our poor
little Goldfnch He was found by US with
his eyes knocked out one day when We were
coming from school two years ago,-Paul
and Jeanne"
DO not consider that any parody Of hu-
man BURIAL said NJ Harmois. We are
not engaged, as has been charged against
US ignorantly. IN luxuriously buTying ami
mails while there might be found so many
poor people to be helped! Mo- that is not
what we wanted to do. Our object was
twofold: first. a hygienic object, for, you
know, the dangers from the decomposition
of the bodies of animals thrown into the
water courses, or upon the public high
ways-when they are not buried by night
in the cellars, or, what is more serious,
Just covered with earth, in the squares.
Even from the point OF view Of sentiment
something Is due to the dog that aids u.s.
that serves US, defends us, consoles us, and
often saves life"
] could not repress smile. Ny ques-
toner, noticing 1t, exclaimed with
vivacity:
you doubt it? Come this way. You
shall see.'
And he brought NE into the central al
ley. To the right and to the left were