The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 30, 1905
People Beautify Cemetery Grounds
Everything is Well Kept
Despite The Fact That Memorial Day Exercises were Held at the Armory Many People Went To The Cemetery.
Early this morning in honor of the soldier dead, the town was all a-glitter with the red and the white and the blue of the stars and stripes. Nearly all of the residence districts as well as the business portion of the town scintillated with the bright colors that represent the nation’s glory.
The dawn broke clear and bright – it seemed in honor of the day – and the cool breeze made conditions ideal for the memorial services. Nature herself was in sympathy and furnished flowers in lavish quantities for decorative purposes.
For the past week or ten days there has been a steady procession of people to and from the cemeteries, where they have been engaged in beautifying resting places of their loved ones. Oakland is today a bower of bright beauty. There is scarce a grave in the whole cemetery that is not heaped with flowers.
In spite of the fact that the exercises were held in the Armory instead of at the cemetery, the city of the dead was filled with crowds of people from early in the forenoon till late evening. The departed ones were not forgotten. Flowering shrubs and beautiful foliage trees were planted on the mounds and decorative pieces of all sorts were erected.
The work of the care takers at the cemetery this spring has been unusually well done and everything in perfect shape. There are no dead branches or fallen leaves on the turf, and the grass is as thick and firm as a carpet. The improvements that have been made in this line are noticeable and there is not much left to desire in the way of beautifying the place.
A large number of new monuments have been installed this spring and these too, add much to the general beauty of the place. The two cities of the dead – the Catholic and Oakland, were never in better condition than they are this spring, the wet weather of the past two or three years has put the trees and sod in the most excellent condition.
Tags: 1905, Memorial Day, Oakland Cemetery