1843 Trustee Committee Report on Water, 1831.034.009

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The Committee to whom was referred the subject of a committee on the subject of introduing fresh water into the grounds at Mount Auburn with directions to take into consideration the various improvements which it may be deemed expedient to make there have had the same under their consideration to respectfully report. That by the Act of Incorporation of the Proprietors of the Cemetery of Mount Auburn the monies which shall arise from the Sale of the Lots, & be[?] to the Corporation are required to be devoted & applied to the Preservation, Improvement embellishment & enlargement of the said cemetery & the [?] expenss thereof - That hitherto these purposes have been faithfully adhered to - the grounds have been laid out & paths & avenues hav been established, a house with [servicable?] appendages erected,^built, a temporary gate way erected, & a suitable temporary fence enclosing the whole grounds - During the present year a permanent granite gateway have been substituted for the former wooden one - After [?] all the expenses further to [increas-?] [?], including the expense of the granite Gateway, there will remain at the end of the present year on the Treasusry, according to a [?] made to the Committee^{by the Treasurer}the sum of ^about Twenty six thousand dollars applicable to the general ^objects[?] by the Act of Incorporation -

It is well known that among these Objects there are some, which have always from the beginning of the Cemetery been deemed of promising importance & to which the funds of the Corporation were designed to be applicable as soon as any [?] surplus [?] exist. Indeed, these ^objects were held not to the original subscribers as the main inducements for their patronage &

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encouragement of the Enterprize; & without them little or no success could have been hoped for The Committee therefore deem it their sacred Duty to recommend that these objects should be put ⁱⁿa [train?] to ensure their entire accomplishment as early as the funds of the Corpoation shall enable the Trustees to do so -- the Committee beg leave to state that the objects to which they have allowed, are (1) the erection of a permanent stone or Iron fence upon the grounds ^{of the cemetery[?] fence on the remaining three sides thereof} for protection & security. (2) The draining of the low grounds, & the introduction of pure water ^{which should [?]}into the grounds & among the ponds within the same, into Charles River. (3) the Erection of a suitable Granite Chapel where the religious services for the Dead may be suitably performed, & which also on the in terior sides may become the repository of Marble Busts & Statues & other [?] & monuments which may ^{from time to time}be placed there ^{by liberal Benefactors & Friends} in memory of the Dead, & which would not bear the exposure of the open air in our climate. (4) The erection of a Granite Tower or Observatory on the summit of Mount Auburn from which^{the entire grounds of the Cemetery} and from which the whole range of the adjacent country may be ^dis[?][?]. These objects in the opinion of the Committee may all be attained within a few years by devoting the present funds of the corporation to them & such additional funds as from past experiences the Committee are justified in believing will unquestionably come into the Treasury within the same period of years - Which of these objects should have a prority, or whether all of them should be simultan eously be undertaken, & a proportion of the present funds applied pro rata to each is a matter for the ultimate decisions of the Trustees. And it is not improbable that for some of these objects private subscriptions may be obtained from munificant Individuals in aid of such funds as the Trustees may devote to the purpose.

The Committee ask leave to suggest some considerations

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for the deliberation of the Trustees which have occurred to them, & which may confirm some of the statements already suggested - (1) As to a permanent fence. It is belived by the Committee that a permanent Iron fence with a suitable granite foundation can be erected of a suitable height ^on the whole length of the Cemetery fronting on the Cambridge & Watertown public Highway for an expense not exceeding 17,000 $$ Thousand Dollars - the other three sides of the Cemetery the Committee propose should be enclosed by a hedge fence of Buck Thorn or ^someother Shrub thickly planted [?]^{& near to} the present wooden fence. This should in a few years with suitable care constitute a substantial & beautiful enclosure, might be done at an expense not exceeding 1050$$.

(2) As to draining the Grounds & obtaining a supply of pure water - the various ponds may be made to communcate into each other & the stagnant water be drawn off the same by suitable [?] so as alternately to pass through the low grounds into Charles river - The Ponds can then be excavated, & the materials obtained therefrom applied to fertilize the grounds on the borders[?]of the Cemetery & good gravel bottoms be substituted in the ponds, or if ^deemed necessary or expedient, the ponds can be partially filled up on narrowed in their area. The Committee estimate the epsense of accomplishing this part of the plans as not exceeding 3000$.

In respect to the conveying of pure water into the grounds,the Committee are aware of more difficulty. The most probable source of supply is from Fresh Pond by means of an apparatus to raise the water above the level of the Ponds in the Cemetery,^{& then to conduct it through the} [?] interior [?] lands [?] the Cemetery ^{& thence into ther Charles River}. To accoplish this object some legislative action will probably [?] as well as athe consent of the proprietors, through whose lands the water needs to pass . A survey of the ponds & of these lands has been ^alreadymade, if on estimates of the

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probable expense wil be found in the Report of the former Committee which has been recommitted to this Committee & to which reference is to be had for a more full understanding of the project & other [?] matters.

(3) The Erection of a Chapel. The Committee deem this a very desirable object. The Chapel ought in their opinion to be built in a chaste style ^{& taste}of the most durable materials, & upon a plan which will [?] of great additions & enlargements at a future period,without injury to the symmetry & proportions of the original Building, when the religious services & the erection of Monu ments therein shall require such^{additions &} enlargements. If the Chapel should be now erected of a suitable heighth, of Ashlar^Granite it may be lighted by a dome or Lantern ^{or skylight} in the Top, & the four sides be reserved for Busts & Statues or Monuments. The accommodations for the religious services may be by a moveable pulpit & movable seats, to be placed in such positions as the occasion may require. The Chapel^whenbuilt, may if it is thought best, constitute the Nave or part of the Nave of [?] thereof which shall become with its future Transepts a Latin or Greek Cross - As has been already suggested, private subscriptions may for [?] be obtained to aid in the accomplishment of this object. Probably the whole expense of such a chapel for the present purposes^{of the cemetery} would not exceed 5000$

(4). The Erection of a Tower or Observatory. It is believed by the Committee that this may be accomplished at a very moderate expense^{& yet be [?]} of the sort of permanent materials, ^^itwill be ast once a great convenience & Ornament to the grounds. A round Tower of granite Ashlar^Granite may be built sixty feet high & of a proper diameter suitable for an easy ascent & descent at an expense not exceeding -7000$

The Committee are^alsoof the opinion, that it is wholey unnessary to reserve out of the present funds in the corporation a sum exceeding 3000$ to meet any [?] expenditures of the Cemetery.

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before new funds will accrue; & it is but a just [?] with the known Intentions of the Proprietors to appropriate the revenue to one or more or all of the objects Already indicated.

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All of which is respectuflly submitted by the Committee Joseph Story Chairman

A. The committee beg leave to add that in making the appropriation of the funds of the Corporation for the purposes aforesaid, they have not lost sight of their duty to reserve out of the funds ^{which may arise from} the sales of the Lots a sum sufficient to ensure in perpetuity the due Improvements & Preservation ^{& ornament}of the Cemetery & the payment of the [?] expenses there of. They are aware that the ^{number of} Lots which will remain on hand will be every year diminishing & therefore that it will be necessary to make suitable provisions to meet the Time, when they can no longer expect to realize any new funds. That time, however must be distant; & the Lots now on hand are more than sufficient to meet all the future expen ditures which may be required for any of athe purposes to which they ghave refered.