4 Annual Reports OCR Text Editing

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In addition to the large sectional plan of the occupied parts of the Cemetery which was made last year by Messrs. Shedd & Edson, the Trustees have caused to be made prospective plans of the unoccupied sections of the ground, exhibiting the future avenues, paths, watercourses, &c., as they will appear when made. These prospective plans will greatly increase the economy of the land, and prevent the waste by irregular spaces, which is common in the older parts of the Cemetery. A new lithographic map of the whole ground on a scale of 80 feet to an inch, has also been ordered.

The two public lots, named St. James, and St. John, having been filled by interments, a new public lot has been laid out on the westerly part of Spruce Avenue, and is named St. Matthews’ Lot.

An offer having been made by a Proprietor on Thistle Path, to pay $6,000 for the cost of constructing a new fountain in the low land adjacent to-that path, and for the conveyance of a piece of land contiguous to said fountain, to be forever kept open,—the Trustees have accepted the proposal, and the preparatory excavations are now in progress of being made. The Horticultural Society, with their accustomed liberality, have relinquished their claim to any part of the proceeds of the sale of this land.

In conformity to a previous vote of the Trustees, a suit has been commenced against Mr. Jonathan Mann, late Superintendent of Mount Auburn, for the balance claimed as due from him to the Corporation. An Auditor was appointed by the Court before whom a hearing of both parties was had by counsel, and an award was obtained from him of $2,090.08 in favor of the Corporation, in addition to $1,000 already deposited by him. From this award Mr. Mann has appealed, and the case is still pending before the Supreme Court.

The Permanent Fund for thé future support of the Cemetery, goes on to increase, by the annual addition of twenty per cent. of the gross proceeds of sales, besides interest. The present amount of this fund, by the Treasurer’s Books is $27,874.92. The Repair Fund is estimated at $18,400.24. Besides these the Treasurer holds an unexpended balance of $31,447.29 in cash and productive property.

By Order of the Trustees, JACOB BIGELOW, President.

4 SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

To the Trustees of Mount Auburn Cemetery, GENTLEMEN,

In accordance. with requirements of thé Trustees, I herewith transmit the Annual Report of the Superintendent, for the year ending December 31st, i862, as per account of his department. Number of Original Interments for the year ending December 31st, 1862, has been 490 Number of Removals from other Cemeteries, 258 Total number of, Interments for the year, 743 Number of Interments in the Public Lots for the Year 39 Number of IntermentsReceiving Tomb for the year, 39 Total number of Interments in the Cemetery to date, 11,475 Number of New Lots graded, and bounded with Granite Posts, 62 Number of Old Lots improved by being newly Graded and Sodded, 61 Number of Old Lots, bounded with Granite Posts, 74 Number of Lots enclosed with Granite 64 Number of Iron Fences erected 8 Number of Tombs built 4 Number of Monuments erected 40

Respectfully submitted, DANIEL L. WINSOR, Superintendent Mount Auburn Cemetery. Mount Auburn, January 22d, 1863.

CEMETERY OF MOUNT AUBURN.

The TREASURER Reports the following abstract of RECEIPTS and EXPENDITURES for the 31st year, 1862.

He has received from sundry parties, for Materials and Labor on Lots, $17,010.51 For Sales of Lots, 17,726.86 For Deeds, 106.00 For Income of Investments, 1,130.00 For Interment in Public Lot, 362.00 For Tomb, 1,618.00 For Notes Receivable, 5,000.00 $42,953.37 He has paid as follows, viz:— For Labor and Materials used at Cemetery, 21,409.03 To sundry parties for Expenses, 4,950.11 To Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 2,661.35 To sundry parties for Interest, 197.29 To Austin J. Coolidge, Secretary, 487.50 To sundry parties refunded for Removals from Public Lots and Receiving Tombs, 97.00 For Water Works, 2,100.00 For Green-House, 260.41 For Mass. Hospital Life Ins. Co., deposited for Permanent Fund, 3,595.82 For Lot 592 bought of James Phalen, 215.00 For Geo. Wm. Bond, Commission on Collections for 1861, 288.28 For Commission on Sales and Collections for 1862, 800.00 For there was due him from last year, 446.11 For remaining in his hands, - - - - - - - 5,445.47 $42,953.37 GEO. WM. BOND, Treasurer.

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

TRUSTEES

Cemetery of Mount Auburn,

TOGETHER WITH

TREASURER AND SUPERINTENDENT.

JANUARY, 1864.

BOSTON: 1864.

J. H. BASTBURN’S PRESS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT.

THE Cemetery of Mount Auburn, the earliest establishment of its kind in the United States, continues to take precedence in appearance and preservation over most of those which have since been constructed on its model. The general condition of the grounds is satisfactory, the roads and paths are in good repair, and the whole aspect of the Cemetery has been improved during the past year, by the introduction of many new monuments and stone inclosures, of beautiful and elaborate workmanship.

The eminence called on the maps “Cedar Hull,” and well = as being the site of the Appleton Monument, has been wholly remodelled, and converted into a symmetrical mound of oval shape, uniformly turfed, and made accessible to carriages by a new avenue. ‘This has been done at the voluntary expense of William Appleton, Esq., and it will hereafter constitute one of the conspicuous ernaments of the Cemetery.

The fountain on Thistle Path, announced as contracted for in the last Annual Report, has been completed, together with its basin, pipes, and drains, and has been in satisfactory operation for a number of weeks during the fall. The adjacent land, as stipulated in the contract, has been conveyed to Mrs. A. Hemenway, to be forever kept open, and the sum of $6,000, in conformity to the agreement, has been paid by her to the Treasurer. ‘The remainder of the low land in which the fountain is situated, is in process of reclamation by the removal of the mud, and by replacing it with gravel tosuch a height as to render it ornamental and suitable for Cemetery purposes. "

Tn connection with this operation, with the consent of the proprietors, the summit -of Laurel Hill in the same neighborhood has been taken off, and the gravel used to make the new land in the bog. This process, while it improves the appearance of the hill, is sure to prove remunerative to the Corporation from the sale of the newly made land, and of some of the steep SCRE gs which are now made more level and available.

The new public lot called St. Matthew's Lot, situated on Spruce Avenue, is completed and enclosed by a hedge. It contains 19,609

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square feet, and 633 single grave plots as exhibited on the plan. The present price of these, including the fee of interment, is fifteen dollars.

An extension of time has been allowed to the contractors for the granite front of the new catacomb upon Rosebay Avenue, who have continued their efforts to eradicate the stains from the stone in that structure, but hitherto, it is feared, without success.

It is again earnestly urged on the attention of those Proprietors who have not taken care to affix bounds or land marks to their lots, that they are liable to the loss or removal of their lots at any time, in consequence of this neglect. Itis also especially recommended that those Proprietors who have made no provision for the future preservation of their lots, should give to the repair fund, either by donation or bequest, the small sum requisite to keep them in future repair; or at least that they should designate in their wills some suitable person to represent or succeed them as Proprietor. This precaution. may prevent the lots from hereafter falling into decay in the hands of careless or non-resident parties.

In the matter of the suit against Mr. Jonathan Mann, referred to in the last Annual Report, a trial was had in the Supreme Judicial Court, before the Jury, in March, 1863, which resulted in a verdict of about two hundred and fifty dollars in favor of Mr. Mann. On motion of the Counsel for the Corporation, this verdict was set aside by the Court, as contrary to law and evidence; and the case stands for trial in April next.

By the Treasurer’s Report it appears that the amount of the permanent fund for the future support of the Cemetery is now $35,596.52. The repair fund now amounts to $20,099.08. The amount of invested property exclusive of the above, together with the balance of cash in the Treasurer’s hands is estimated at $27,580.29. The sales during the past year have been unusually large, and notwithstanding the high price of labor and materials, it is trusted that the result of the year's operations will be satisfactory to the Proprietors.

By Order of the Trustees, JACOB BIGELOW, President.

Boston, January 25, 1864.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT.

To the Trustees of Mount Auburn Cemetery,

GENTLEMEN,—

Tn accordance with the requirements of the Trustees, I herewith transmit the Annual Report of the Superintendent, for the year ending December 31st, 1863, as per accounts of his department.

Number of Original Interments for the year ending December 31, 1868, has been 582 Numbers of Removals from other Cemeteries, 116 Total number of Interments for the year, 698 Number of Interments in the Public Lots for the year, 67 Number of Deposits in the Receiving Tomb for the year, 53 Total number of Interments in the Cemetery to date, 12,173 Number of New Lots graded, and bounded with Granite Posts, 8l Number of Old Lots improved by being newly Graded and Sodded, 143 Number of Old Lots bounded with Granite Posts, 10 Number ofLots enclosed with Granite, 80 Number of Fences erected, 6 Number of Tombs built, 4 Number of Monuments erected 2

Respectfully submitted, DANIEL L. WINSOR, Superintendent Mount Auburn Cemetery. Mount Auburn, January 14, 1864.

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TREASURER’S REPORT.

The TREASURER Reports the following Abstract of RECEIPTS for the 32d year, 1863.

There was in his hands at commencement, $5,445.47 He has received from sundry parties, for Labor and Materials, including $6,000 from Mrs. Hemenway, 32.152,40 For Sales of Lots, 28,989.75 For Deeds, 146.00 For Interest and Dividends, 1,075.86 For Interment in Public Lot, 15.00 Of Massachusetts Horticultural Society for one-fourth expense of raising Lawn, 287.50 For Tomb on Hazel Dell $2,000.00 Less value of Land, 181.50 1,818.50 $ 69,930.48

He has also received on account of the Fund for Repairs, For Income of Investments and new Endowments, $ 1,304.57 And has paid, for care of Lots, 800.14 There was due him at close of last year, 28.85 Leaving a balance in his hands of 475. 58 $1.304.57

GEO. WM BOND, Tresurer

Boston, December 31, 1863

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This certifies that we have examined the books and accounts of the Treasurer of the Proprietors of the Cemetery of Mount Auburn, for the year ending December 31, 1863, and have found them correctly kept and properly balanced, with satisfactory vouchers for all payments charged.

The certificates of Stocks and other evidences of property were found in accordance with the statements in his accounts.

In the Fund for Repairs there appears to be a balance due from him of four hundred and . seventy-five 58-100 dollars, and there is also due from him in General account, twenty-seven hundred and sixty-five 29-100 dollars.

CHARLES C. LITTLE }Finance Committee. CHAS. G. NAZRO }

Boston, February 22, 1864.

The Property of the Corporation consists of :— The Cemetery, which has cost to date, $339,735.95 Statuary, 15,365.20 Superintendent’s House and Lot, 6,892.91 15 Shares in Shawmut Bank, $1,500.00 4 Shares Boston and Lowell Railroad 2,000.00 20 Shares Atlantic Bank, 2,000.00 20 Shares Fitchburg Railroad, 2,000.00 United States 5-20 Loan, 10,000.00 Notes receivable, secured by mortgage, 7,000.00 Lots 567 and 592, in the Cemetery, (purchased,) 315.00 Cash, 2,765.29 27,580.29 PERMANENT FUND. Deposited with Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company,for Permanent Fund, as per last year’s report, 29,060.75 Interest for 1863, 1,583.32 Deposited in December, 1863, 5002.45 Making the total value of this fund, 35,596.52

REPAIR FUND, There is also for the Fund for Repairs,— 8 Shares Fitchbureg Railroad, cost, 841.00 10 Shares Western Railrod, cost 1,002.50 30 shares Atlas Bank, 2,970.00 Notes receivable, secured hy mortgage, 14,800.00 Cash, 475.58 20,099.08 All of which is respectfully submitted, GEO. WM. BOND, Treasurer.

TRUSTEES’ REPORT.

THE original character of Mount Auburn was that of an undulating tract of land, covered for two-thirds of its extent with a growth of wood, and diversified in its surface by abrupt hills and overflowed or swampy depressions. At first, attention was mainly paid to improving the more eligible parts of the ground, which were the earliest taken up by purchasers. But as land in the Cemetery became more valuable, it was found profitable, in many instances, to level hills and banks, and with the removed earth to fill up the depressed and boggy portions of the unoccupied space. In this way several acres of central and valuable land have been gradually redeemed and put on sale for cemetery purposes.

The principal operations of this kind, during the last year, have consisted in taking off the crown of Laurel Hill to the depth of about fourteen feet, with the consent of Francis Fisher, Esq., proprietor of the lots situated above. The effect of this improvement is to increase greatly the area at the top of the hill, so that after reserving to Mr. Fisher the amount of land originally occupied by him, a space is obtained for an avenue eighteen feet wide round the summit, with a row of lots exterior to this avenue, symmetrically laid out, all of which have been quickly sold at advanced prices and are now bordered with granite curbs. The gravel removed by this operation has been used in grading the sides of the hill and in filling the neighboring bog on the opposite side of Walnut Avenue and south of Thistle Path. This bog is in process of being reclaimed, and will probably, before next spring, be converted into solid land. The hill-side between this and Anemone Path has been changed into a smooth sodded bank, running parallel to that path for about four hundred feet. Near the bottom of this bank a new carriage-way is constructed called Mound Avenue,