Magnolia Cemetery Shouldn’t Be Sold

* How can I express my astonishment that the Orange County Cemetery District would even consider selling Magnolia Cemetery, much less sell it for “31 pieces of silver,” apparently without any public debate.

Truly the district must be impoverished beyond decency. Perhaps they assume that no one important cares.

I care, I and the descendants of the early settlers now scattered by the pell-mell growth of the county.

My great-grandfather, Samuel B. Everett, gave the land for the oldest sections of the cemetery to the community. (It was reportedly the only site in the area dry enough for that purpose.) He and his California family are buried there.

Back when the county took control of the facility, at least some of us were uneasy. Now we know why.

But how safe are the graves themselves under private ownership, as pressures increase and land values rise? Will future owners be looking for ways to move the graves to get the land? It happens.

Buying and selling the very graves of our early settlers is not a healthy sign!

Of course, the family cemeteries of most county officials and citizens are elsewhere; why should they care about this one?

The price to keep this and other cemeteries public? One less new car for one county official per year, or the price of a stick or two of chewing gum per day per citizen.

Just what are our true priorities?

CHARLES F. EVERETT

Fullerton