Towns in Saratoga County are applying for funds to  get the old
cemeteries in better shape by righting and repairing some stones.
We are fortunate to have had a monument company who has been
great about advising us at no charge and who in turn has been
hired to do the work that we cannot, especially when it came to
putting up the big monuments with their lift trucks and cranes.

There are several options for the town to decide in putting them
in order. Cost for the work is dependant on their choice. Most of the
very old stones that have broken off may be set in front of the base
in a shale/gravel base to keep them upright but will allow them to
give if vandals, fallen tree or any force hits them. They will go over
but generally will not break more. In most cases, these would be
cost prohibitive or impossible to restore the original because of
the break. Another option that I like to see is to place a plaque
or monument with all of the known buried on it because that is
going to last long after many of the stones that are there now
are gone. You cannot have the dates but all of that information
should be placed in several places to be sure that it can be found
in the future.

Stones that are broken may also be placed on their backs
on a bed of shale/gravel with or without sand and surround
the edges to keep them together but also be visible to prevent
mowers from hitting them. This is just one option and that is
what those taking on these projects must decide depending
on quantity of work and how much you can afford to do.

I have typed up all of the suggestions by this company and would
email them to anyone. They are about to put this all together in
a form that gives options for each situation depending on the
how much you want to do. This will help in making decisions
about a project.

After the cemeteries are in order, either the town will do the
mowing or they have brought in prisoners a few time a year
to keep up the mowing.

These projects can really get a lot of promotion and financial
as well as people help. I started a project in Binghamton
on a big old cemetery up on a hillside and the Binghamton
Press did a great job promoting it. We had help from so many
people and groups. The cemetery gave a large area for any
indigent veterans and spouse and that is maintained by the
Marine Corp League (who also helped) and funeral directors
contact them when there is a need for a grave in the vet section.

God Bless
Ruth Ann
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