Allegheny County PA Archives Cemetery Law.....Supplementary Act, Cemeteries ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/cemeteries/pa- law/supplementaryact-cemeteries-1877.txt File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ellis Michaels, , Jan 2008 This Page last Updated: 20 Jan 2008 This transcription was made by OCR Scanning of an original provided by PA State Senator Sean Logan's office Dec 2007 SUPPLEMENTARY ACT, CEMETERIES Act of Apr. 18, 1877, P.L. 54, No. 54 Cl. 09 A SUPPLEMENT To an act, entitled "An Act supplementary to an act relative to burial grounds and cemeteries situated in incorporated boroughs, approved the nineteenth day of May, eighteen hundred and seventy-four, changing the title of said act and authorizing the court to make orders and decrees required by the act, and to enforce the same by process," approved the thirteenth day of May, eighteen hundred and seventy-six, further empowering courts to direct removal of remains in boroughs and cities, from burial grounds where interments have ceased and such remains interfere with religious buildings or trusts. Section 1. Bodies may be removed from burial grounds by order of court to permit new buildings When, by the growth of cities and the opening of incorporated cemeteries in the vicinity thereof, or from other causes, any burial ground belonging to or in charge of any religious society or church directly or through trustees therefor, has ceased to be used for interments, the courts of quarter sessions of the several counties of this Commonwealth, upon petition of the managers, officers or trustees of such society or church, setting forth that the erection, extension or improvement of buildings for religious purposes of such society or church are hampered and interfered with, and the welfare of such religious society or church is injured to the detriment thereof and of the public good, and after four weeks' advertisement of hearing in open court for the purpose, may, after a full hearing of the parties therein, proofs and allegations, authorize and direct the removal of the remains of the dead from so much of such burial ground as may be needed for buildings for religious purposes only by the managers, officers or trustees of such society or church: Provided, That no such application shall be made by the managers, officers or trustees of such society or church, except in pursuance of the wishes of a majority of the members of such society or church, expressed at a church election held for that purpose after two weeks' public notice. 1877, April 18, P.L. 54, Sec. 1. Section 2. Course to be pursued relative to removal of bodies from burial grounds Such removal to be made by such managers, officers or trustees of such society or church in careful manner, at their own expense, to other parts of the same burial ground, or if desired by the relatives or friends of such dead, to some other properly regulated burial ground or cemetery in the vicinity; and said courts may enforce by proper process orders and decrees made under this act: Provided, However, that before removing any of said bodies, said managers, officers or trustees shall publish for four consecutive weeks in two newspapers of such city a notice declaring their intention to remove said remains in pursuance of this act: And provided further, That relatives or friends of such dead shall have the right to so remove said remains at any time during the said proceedings, before actual removal by such managers, officers or trustees, said court to have authority to allow a reasonable compensation to said relatives for the expense of said removal or removals. 1877, April 18, P.L. 54, Sec. 2.