The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-12-24
Permanent Up-Keep Of
Graves Is Serious Problem

weeks ago it is very difficult prob
lem for cemetery associations to
formulate plans which will insure the
proper caring of the lots and grounds
for all time. The Greenwood ceme-
terry association Of. this city is active
ly engaged in endeavoring to solve
the question in a satisfactory and
equitable manner. The following let
ter from the Layman Protective Gem
etery Association of Minneapolis will
prove of interest:
'"To the State Cemetery Associa-
ton,
Convened at st. Cloud, MINI.
Gentlemen:-Our recently formed
Layman Cemetery Protective Asso-
citation desires to lay before you the
motive of our organization, as a mat
ter which concerns you as an organ
ization, and personally each of you
and yours who believe that mans
mortal remains should be respected
and given decent sepulture.
Layman's cemetery was laid out in
the early SOS, later the area increas-
ed, and still later incorporated as the
Minneapolis Cemetery All or near
ly all of the incorporates are dead.
At the present time Lake Street its
southern border is rapidly developed
and is valuable property. The Lay
man heirs have formed a Land Com
pany and to all appearances are work
ing to obtain the real estate aided by
other powerful interests not active
In 1919, the Minneapolis Cemetery
Association having for this or that
reason let the grounds become un-
slightly, etc., it was reported "over-
crowded and unsanitary" neither of
which were apparently true, and pres
sure being brought on the City Coun-
Gil it was closed, and burial was for
hidden. This was undoubtedly void
so far as burial on private lots was
concerned-but who in the face of
death can stop to invoke the law. AS
a rcsult many bodies were removed
by those able to do so, and the con-
ditions at the Cemetery became much
worst. Last winter at the Legislature
an act was slipped through ending to
permit the city to take over the prem
Uses as park or playground. The Lay
man heirs at once made overtures as
to what they would do if given GER
tain parts of the premises in return.
The gist of this is that in all prob
ability the bodies of interested rela-
tives would be moved, the rest plow-
ed under as was done at the Maple
Hill Cemetery in this city, some years
since. Greed is at the bottom Of the
whole matter and it is to be regretted
that it must select the helpless dead,
the poor and the forsaken as its vic
! Tins.
Now we submit, that if this Gene
terry Is years in use, and still open
to burial under proper law (there be-
ing some 1000 graves beside the pri-
vately owned graves and lots), that
even our beautiful Lakewood and
your own burial places are not safe
from the grasp of greed, and will be
open to the same dissertation should
the property become valuable.
Our plan is to raise permanent or
perpetual fund to protect and main
tain this property as burial place.
This is difficult scheme to place
money and property beyond the reach
of thieves and vandals. We are seek
ing information on these lines, and
would highly appreciate any advice
you might give US. Also to protect
against such conversion of sacred
ground.
We beg your cooperation.
Respectfully submitted,
M. P. Satterlee, Pres.
! Layman Cemetery Protective Asso.
1926 Upton Avenue S.
Minneapolis Minnesota.
DIR. P. M. Hol, Sec'y.
POLL Chicago Avenue,
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
! P. S.-More than 1000 bodies are
buried there at this time. We have
over 800 members who own lots or
Igraves or represent deceased persons.
The Minnesota State Cemetery As
sociation elected committee to act
with, and assist the Layman Protec-