The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1907-12-04
Are Burial Ceremonies of
Filipino Babies.
A SMALL PASTEBOARD COFFIN
Carried Through Streets on
Mothers Head-Pige0n-
hole Cemetery.


the little Filipinos succeed in wealth
ering a single year of existence there.
Their pathetic little funerals are one
Of the common street sights Of the
walled city.
4 writer in the Manila Times tells
Of one which seemed to be a strictly
family affair. The mother carried
on her head the little pasteboard
coffin covered with bits of red, white
and blue cotton batting. She was
smoking a cigar, and behind her
trudged four or five children, suppos-
edly surviving brothers and sisters OF
the little life which had failed to
make good.
They were chattering unconcerned-
". and save that the mothers head
was topped by coffin instead OF
basket, might have been on a trip
to market. The Filipinos are said to
love their children, but with a death
rate of from fifteen TO thirty babies
a day perhaps custom does somewhat
stale their grief.
This little procession was rather out
of the ordinary, for as a general thing
the coffin-of pasteboard-is placed on
a board tied to two cross sticks and
is carrie oy two, or perhaps four,
small boys. A rich mans funeral is
very different sort of function.
First comes the band, that item be-
ing considered indispensable to funeral
grandeur. 1t is stated that, in spite
of our receiving the story with evil
dent suspicion, it is nevertheless fac
that "Therell Be Hot Time is Il
favorite tune upon these occasions
Dixie" is said to be another, and
"IIiawatha" had long and intense
popularity.
Following the band is a four-horse
hearse with black figures at the cor
ners, each labeled with large pla-
The hearse is attended by functionar-
les in hemp wigs, fur-trimmed coats,
knickerbockers and shovel hats. II
the family is not rich enough to affor
a hearse, the heavy biers are carried
by relays of pallbearers.
AS for the Manila cemeteries, they
are not what they were before the
American occupation. 1t was Gov Tar
himself who described the wall vaults
as the places where the dead are
"pigeonholed for further reference.
These wall vaults are like some OF
those in the New Orleans cemeteries
and were rendered necessary by the
same cause, the swampiness of the
ground in the old city.
The principal cemetery used to be
that of Poca. 1t was round and was
ornamentod with a terrace and balus-
trade above the vaults. The wall con-
tanning the ''pigeonholes' was about
eight feet thick.
The place was quartered by two al
leys crossing in the center and there
WAS also a chapel where the Govern
ors General and high prelates were
buried. Children were buried, if one
may use so inaccurate term for the
process, by themselves in what was
called the "angelarium.'
This cemetery was built in 1910 and
until the typhoon of Sept. 26, 1908, wa
as attractive as such a place could be
The face of the walls was ornamented
ed with a great many columns and thu
inner alleys and circle were beautiTu
with fine old trees. Many of these
were destroyed in the typhoon.
There were "pigeonholes' for l,1Si
bodies. so that evidently rotation il
office must be followed If the cemetel
was to serve a perennial use. Thi'
rotation was secured by a system o.
renting the inches instead of selling
them outright.
The fees varied from twelve shilling
for a child to "a for an adult, the
rent to be paid in advance every five
years. These rentals provided the funt
which supported the chaplain, who
dwelt across the way, and also paiC
other expenses of the place. If a
the end of any five year period an
othere4 was not forthcoming the ole
tenant was promptly evicted to MAKE
room for more profitable occupant
Before the Americans came thes'
dispossessed parcels of bones were
taken back to the outer wall anc
thrown into sort Of fosse between
two walls. This fosse was called The
"deposito,' hut was promptly desig
mated 1.-THE bone pile" by our soldiers
Every visitor to Manila secures
picture OF the bone pile" as it was
when the Americans took charge. soor
after that event II was ordered that
tba homes he covered with earth and