A Public Disgrace

A visit to the city burying ground during the week impressed us with the salient thrusts of the humorist in his satire upon graveyards, graves and their contents.  In this instance, however, it is more applicable to picture the skeletons climbing the trees and dragging their headboards after them to prevent the desecration of their resting places by ruminating cows and inquisitive hogs.  The fear of the unfortunates is not groundless; a thing plain, too plain, and so easily to be noticed by the visitant to the last home of our beloved dead, a visit which can but create disgust in the mind of the observer for our cemetery and contempt for the parsimony and indifference of the people whose duty it is to show at least respect for those gone before.  Nearly every one in the city visits the graveyard, and most know of the tumble-down conditions of the fences supposed to protect the graves. 

Ignorance of the fact can not be pleaded by anyone who has lately been within a mile of that place, for the fence is prostrate in sections, the appearance of the balance favoring the belief of any early fall of the whole. The condition of the cemetery is, simply and plainly speaking, disgraceful in a City of this size.  Elsewhere it is the one spot held sacred by the people, a matter of pride with them, and in the care of which all differences are swept aside and hands joined in fraternal love and cooperation.  It is the place where strangers visit--for by the care of the dead can be formed an estimate of the appreciation of the living. Woe be the measure of judgment passed upon Corpus Christi, reached by reasoning from such a standpoint.  These plain words my be unpalatable to many.  It is this earnest truthfulness which must make them so, and they are spoken with a view to (produce a line of action, looking to correct this condition of) disgrace.  It is suggested that a subscription be immediately started for the purpose of properly enclosing the cemetery grounds.  No one individual can be expected to do this work.  All must help.  The Ledger will take pleasure in publishing the names of the subscribers and the amount they subscribe.  This is public matter appealing to the pride and respect of the city.  Let it not be passed indifferently.

 

Source: Semi-Weekly Ledger, Wednesday, April 27, 1881, p.3, c.3
Research by: Msgr. Michael A. Howell
Transcription by: Geraldine D. McGloin, Nueces County Historical Commission