The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1910-10-06

temporary Resting Places OF the
Poor IN Mexican Cemeteries.
The average Mexican cemetery Is a
grewsome spot The one at Masamo.
ras is no exception TO the rule. says q
letter from that city. The bones OF
the dead are treated with little res, ect
By the municipalities or men In con-
troll Of the different burial grounds.
The poorer the person is in worldly
goods. the more ignobis will be the
treatment accorded his bones when he
has passed the way Of all flesh. OF
course the people OF wealth or even
moderate means are able 70 have their
bodies cared for In a more or less
luxurious manner after death. It is
the lower class whose erumbling re
mains are shifted about from place to
place. and finally fall into dust, and
are scattered to the four winds.
The bones OF the dead are usually
piled in big heaps in the cemeteries OF
the larger towns The bodies are
given room IN regular graves at an
nual rentals When the rent lapses
the body IS moved from its resting
place to give room for some other
bodies The bones Of these disposses-
sed tenants are cast into the refuse
pile, where they remain until carted
away and scattered over the land as
IL they we're so much garbage. Il IS
rare that a body Of the poorer class
is kept in grave more than two
years
Until recently the bone pile in the
cemetery al Matamoras was large. Il
was carted away to give room for
fresh accumulation Of non-paying ten
ants Of the graves. In one corner Of /
the cemetery are several cheap caskets
which are used from time &c time FOR
temporary resting places OF those who
can afford to pay the stipulated rental
In some Of the cemeteries Of Mexico
are interesting catacombs that have
been in use for two OF three centuries.
Guanajuato Is widely noted for its
catacombs. A large underground
chamber IN the cemetery in that city
is filled with solemn rows Of standing
skeletons. Some Of these bodies are
mummifed and are Of lfelike appear
ance This chamber Of horrors was
formerly a favorite visiting place for
curious-minded American tourists.
The grinning skeletons occupied a va /,
riety Of poses, the keeper Of the Gene
terry deriving no little amusement in
exercising his ingenuity in making the
silent occupants Of the cavern as ter.
rifying as possible to the visitors.
When Guanajuato became the scene Of
great mining activity a few years ago,
saused BY the advent Of many Ameri- :
ans, the newcomers made protest to
he government authorities Of the hor. :
flying spectacle in the underground !.
.hamber In response to this protest
he authorities issued an order that
hese skeletons must be clothed 50 az
o hide their sh1mmering bones from
he eyes Of the visitors to the place a
The effect Of this order Is to make q
he occupants Of the chamber more p
,rotesque and terrifying than when j
heir nokedness was exposed. Each a
skeleton now wears a fuII 7
uit Of clothes, which hang Jimmy b
pom the bones. Some wear hats that Al
re tilted at rakish angles. IA
The big pile Of bones that formerly e
coupled one Of the Guanajuato cham. =
er Of horrors has been removed ana e.
u effort is now being made to Keen y
he place in ct condition for the recen NJ
on Of American and other visitors. q
/.