1857-01 Annual Report of the Trustees of the Mount Auburn Cemetery, Together with the Reports of the Treasurer and Superintendent. January, 1857.

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

TRUSTEES

OF THE

MOUNT AUBURN CEMETERY,

TOGETHER WITH

THE REPORTS

OF THE

TREASURER AND SUPERINTENDENT.

JANUARY, 1857.

BOSTON:

1857. J. H. EASTBURN’S PRESS.

MOUNT AUBURN CEMETERY.

The Cemetery of Mount Auburn continues in a safe and improving condition, not less than it has done in all the previous years of its history. During the past season, some new works of small magnitude have been undertaken, and some larger ones previously begun have been carried to completion.

The upper end of Garden Pond (a pool of stagnant muddy water,) has been filled up to the height of about six feet above its former surface, with gravel taken from the hill near the gate. A large stone drain is laid through the centre, over which, for economy of space, an avenue will be laid out. The greater portion of the hill has been levelled. Garden Avenue has been moved nearer to the fence. A part of the trees on its border have been transplanted to the south side, and the whole re-arranged with reference to their good appearance and room for future growth. A hollow near Alder Path, and one south-westerly of the Chapel, have also been filled up. By these measures collectively, about two acres of valuable land in the most eligible parts of the Cemetery have been redeemed, at an expense many times less than their present value.

The old house occupied by the Superintendent, together with its outhouses, . have been removed, and a new house for the Superintendent has been built on land owned by the Corporation, outside and easterly of the gate. This building (designed by Mr. H. W. Hartwell,) has been constructed in a substantial and durable manner, at an expense of about four thousand dollars.

The area in front of the Chapel has been enlarged, by the purchase and removal of several lots which were formerly situated on the same space. It is justly considered important to the good appearance of the principal edifices, such as the Tower, the Chapel, and the Gate, that no inferior structures

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should be placed so near them, as to interfere with, or impair their isolated effect.

The Chapel has been completed in a satisfactory manner, both as to appearance and durability. Two of the pedestals and one of the statues, destined for the interior, are already in their places. The three remaining statues are understood to be in a state of forwardness, and may be expected to arrive here in from one to two years.

Due attention has been paid to repairing and improving the avenues and paths, and to extending the pavement of gutters where it was thought necessary. Some expense has been incurred in repairing the damage done by the heavy rains of the last summer. .

The thinning out and trimming of trees has been in gradual progress, under the superintendence of Mr. Mann, the present able and active Superintendent, with whose economy and skill as a landscape gardener, the Trustees have great reason to be satisfied.

The names of some of the persons interred in the public lots, having been lost through the inattention of their relatives and friends, measures have been taken, as far as possible, to identify these persons, and, in future, to remedy such neglect, by affixing to each grave a number on stone, with a corresponding number of reference on the Superintendent’s books.

An important vote has passed the Trustees, providing that the land left vacant as intermediate space between lots, and not exceeding ten feet in width between any two lots, may be sold to the nearest lot holder or holders, at one-third of the selling price per foot, at the time of such sale, with the condition that the said land shall forever be kept open, and without interments. The advantage of this arrangement consists not only in the probable increase of the funds of the Corporation from the expected sales, but also in the opportunity afforded to lot owners who may. wish to avail themselves of it, to protect their lots, at a small expense, against the eventual occupation of these spaces for small lots or single interments—a thing which the experience of older cemeteries has shown to be very likely to happen.

The comparative smallness of this year’s balance of stocks, cash, and debts receivable, remaining in the Treasurer’s hands, is not an index of the true pecuniary position of Mount Auburn. It will be seen that the purchase of the Stone Farm, the making of land within the Cemetery, and the erection of the Superintendent’s house, are not expenditures but investments—a conversion of more precarious stocks into real property at the Cemetery, much more certain hereafter to yield an abundant return, than any of the funds which have been converted for their purchase. It may be safely assumed, that the financial position of Mount Auburn was never so strong, nor its preservation and embellishments so satisfactory to its proprietors, nor so attractive to purchasers, as they will be found to be at the expiration of the coming year.

In conformity with the intention which has been repeatedly announced, the Trustees have this year voted to commence the accumulation of a permanent

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fund for the future preservation of the Cemetery, after all the land shall have been sold. A report of Committee has been adopted providing for the deposit annually, under certain circumstances, of one-fifth part of the gross proceeds of the sales of lots, with the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company, to accumulate at compound interest for the term of twenty years. Should the receipts and necessary expenditures continue about the same as they now are, and should the same conservative policy which has hitherto governed the Trustees continue to be observed by them, there is not doubt that an ample permanent fund will have been accumulated for the perpetual care and preservation of the Cemetery, after all the land shall have been disposed of.

A new Catalogue has been ordered to be printed for the use of of the Proprietors, which is enlarged and corrected up to the present time.

A code of By-Laws, not before published, has now been added, consisting of extracts from the recorded standing votes of the Trustees, amended and considerably enlarged.

Respectfully submitted,

In behalf of the Trustees, JACOB BIGELOW, President

5 TREASURER’S REPORT For 25th Year, 1856.

He has received as follows, viz :

From income of Investments, - - - 1,692.88 From gales of Lots, - - ~ - - 19,742.67 From sundry parties, for Deeds, - - - 126.00 From old Accounts of Rufus Howe, Sup’t, - 1,039.25 From 2 shares Stark Mills, - - - - 1,615.00 From 8 shares Boston and Lowell Railroad, - 2,610.00 From 20 Portland, Saco and Portsmouth do. 1,845.00 From interest on City Scrip, for Story Statue, 89.00 From Jonathan Mann, Sup’t, - - - - 281.66 ——— $28,990.96 He has made payments as follows: For Expenses, say for Chapel, 3,568.23 cah For Expenses, say for Contracts, filling ponds, &c., - - 1,585.00 cah For Expenses, for Paving, - - 1,675.48 For Expenes, for other general expenses, - - - - 766.02 7,594.73 For Notes payable for Stone Farm, - - 1,782.00 6/1 For Interest on do., and repairs of house, - 1,032.11 To Jonathan Mann, Sup’t, - - - - 4,500.00 To P.S. Briggs, for body removed from Receiving Tomb, - - - - - - 10.00 To A. J. Coolidge, Secretary, for salary, fees and bills, paid by him, - - - 455.89 For Interest on Money borrowed, - - - 3.76 To sundry parties, for account of Statuary, - 5,712.00 cah To sundry parties, for account of Sup’t House 3,941.36 cah To T, J. Bayley, for removing Statue of Judge Story, - - - - - - 50.00 To Massachusetts Horticultural Society, - 4,006.79 cah To Geo. Wm. Bond, Treasurer, for 23 per cent. on $19,742.67, - - - - - 493.56 There was due him December 31, 1859, - 252.51 $29,784.71 To Leaving a balance due the Treasurer of -- 793.75 $28,990.96 GEO. WM. BOND, Treasurer. Boston, December 31, 1806.