The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-22
CANT USE CRAVE
EXCEPT FOR ON {
carton Heights Gets Favorable
Report on Bill TO Stop Gem
ctcry Congestion.
FUNERAL PROFESSIONS CUT
Co1orcd People Agree TO Send
Committee to Represent the
Mourners.

Not often is the length Of a funeral
procession the subject of dispute De-
fore the General Assembly, but such
was the case yesterday afternoon When
a few old colorod people VINO own iots
in the colored cemeteries In Barton
HEIGHTS. known as Hams, Cedarwood,
Union, Methodist, Sycamore Epenezer
and Mechanics. appeared before the
Senate Committee on General Laws and
humbly begged y few feet OIL earth
there for their Gods acre." when they
have served their appointed time. 1t
came out in tho course OF discussion
that the people in Barton Heights OBJ
feet to the nile.lcng professions or the
colorcd brethren and sisters VINO turn
out for "the last sad rites.
No longer VIII the dilmal dirse
alarm the citizens of carton HeiShts,
nor the procession of the sisters In
their white kerchiefs add picturesque
ness to the funeral scene. For, obc-
dent to that law OF progress which
iecrees that small bodies shall do that
which used to require large ones, the
colorcd folk will hereafter appoint a
"committee' to take the place of the
| old time procession. SO much In ac-
adolescence 10 the popular demand in
Barton Heights.
| Too Many Graves.
| !. Louis O. Wcndenburs appeared &c
| protest against allowing burials III
| these old cemeteries unless the IN
1 terments could be made where mons
| had been made before. The Oldest OF
| these cemeteries, he pointed out, datee
/ n 1,a oil 1
| the space where 1900 only ought
4 to have been buried, some $1,000 are
at rest. In digging graves. old ones
| were opened up. and sanitation Is the
| basis of the plea OF Barton Heights
| against allowing any more burlals ~
| these cemeteries
The colored advocate, Giles Jackson
| presented the case of the lot owners
In the old days the cemeteries hat
| been far out in the country, hut th'
growth of the city sent white people
| out to Barton Heights. Many OF tn
| lot owners were very aged. and hat
| claimed that such lots ought not t
be coniscated.
emit Get Written Proof.
! Tho objection to the present law Is
| he said, that written proof Is required
| TO show that where a grave is pro
| posed to be dug no one else has bee
buried. "The Niger has got no rec
ords." said Jackson. 1.-The white ma
never started to teach him to writ
till Just little while back. Don
you worry about Niger digging u
the dead people-you know as wei
as I do that the colored man Is goin
to be done left when they dig up
dead mans head
City Attorney Gardner. OF Barto
Heights. said that the colored buria
J problem has been a standing munic
, pal question. He asked that the la
| remain as 1t is, on the ground OF san
tation, and because the length OF tn
funeral professions disturbed the pee
pie in his town.
r Several old colored men spoke briel
t ly, assuring the committee of the
: good faith, and one sray-haired VIZ
man said that for thirty years ST
had owned lot in one of the grave
F yards, and for all that time had chez
: ished the hope that she could son
day lie there among the relatives ar
friends OF ''old tines
: 1t was decided by the committ'
G that the bill should have a favorab
!, report. Hereafter, if the bill become
: law, funerals will be permitted
places not used before.