4 Annual Reports OCR Text Editing

ANNUAL REPORT. 7

OF THE

TRUSTEES

OF THE

Cemetery of Mount Auburn,

TOGETHER WITH

THE REPORTS

OF THE

TREASURER AND SUPERINTENDENT.»

“ty, M

JANUARY, 1866.

BOSTON: 1866.

J.H. EASTBURN’S PRESS,

TRUSTEES’ REPORT.

THE year 1865 has not been marked by any very noticeable changes in the condition of Mount Auburn Cemetery. The principal operations have consisted in a steady prosecution of the work of reclaiming sunken tracts of ground, and in levelling and smoothing off asperities of the surface. The bog on Thistle Path has been completely filled and made solid, by the introduction of about 9,000 loads of gravel taken from the adjacent elevations. An ornamental lawn is thus created, inclosmg the new fountain, and giving space for many desirable lots, a large portion of which are already sold.

The Mound, or newly finished bank on the south side of this lawn, being too steep for profitable occupation, has been set apart, by vote of the Trustees, to be forever kept open. In this state it forms an agreeable feature in the general landscape.

Much work has been done in improving and grading the uneven land about Harvard Hill and Rose Path. A new avenue has been made, rendering this quarter‘accessible to carriages. Fountain Avenue and Halcyon Avenue have been extended and widened by the reclaiming of adjacent land, and the work is still in progress under the care of the superintendent. It is computed that not less than two acres of valuable new land have thus been made during the last two years.

On account of the steep declivities existing in Mount Auburn, considerable damage has been done, in former years, by the washing from freshets occasioned by sudden rains. This evil has been partially, but not completely obviated, by paved gutters, in steep places, at the sides of the avenues. ‘This year a more thorough paving has been made by the Superintendent, with larger stones and deeper gutters. From two to three thousand feet of such gutters have been made, and wholly

with stones found on the premises.

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The drought of the last year, which has occasioned a general scarcity of water throughout the State, has caused a relative lowness in the level of the lakes and ponds at Mount Auburn. Nevertheless a daily supply of water for the fountains has been pumped up from the large reservoir or well, the bottom of which is below the level of Charles River. The only limit to this supply is, that if, in any given day, the water is pumped too low, or drawn off too fast, it is liable to become turbid with sand.

In the course of the last year the Board of Trustees has lost one of its most valued members, George Livermore, Esq. <A suitable notice of his excellent eharacter and useful services, has been entered on the Records of the Board, and communicated to his family.

The receipts for sales of land, during the last year, have exceeded those of any preceding year. By the Treasurer’s Report it appears that the Permanent.Fund for the ultimate preservation of the Cemetery has grown to $53,865.93. The Repair Fund is now $32,057.62. Besides which there is a disposable su rplus of cash and invested propety, estimated at about $39,000.00, which is held as a reserve to supply from time to time the necessary exigencies of the Corporation.

Among the occurrences worthy of note at the present time, is the completion of the new and elegant Horticultural Hall, in Boston, an event to which Mount Auburn Cemetery has largely contributed, and which furnishes a gratifying example of the benefit of codperation between institutions having a common interest, though a different character. In 1830, the present President of Mount Auburn Cemetery was a member of the Government of the Horticultural Society, holding the office of Corresponding Secretary in that newly incorporated institution. He had, as it is known, been for some previous years endeavoring with the aid of his friends to effect the establishment of a rural or suburban Cemetery, near Boston, but the object had beer delayed by the difficulty of procuring a tract of land altogether suitable for the purpose. At length, in 1830, he succeeded in obtaining from its owner, Mr. G. W. Brimmer, the refusal of the estate which is now

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Mount Auburn, for the price of $6,000. This offer was laid by him before the Government of the Horticultural Society, with the recommendation that they should accept the proposal and undertake the Cemetery as soon as a sufficient number of lots should have been subscribed for by individuals, to cover the cost of the purchase. The arrangement, although new to the Horticultural Society, and not among its professed objects, was accepted by the President and Officers with the condition that an experimental garden should be added to the proposed Cemetery.

A subscription was set on foot, and the sum required for the purchase was raised by one hundred subscribers agreeing to take lots at $60.00 each. From that time the establishment of Mount Auburn has rapidly increased, and its importance has been attested by its. imitation in almost all the large cities of the United States.

In a few years after the establishment of the Cemetery, it became apparent that a concern involving dissimilar interests was too complicated to move easily or satisfactorily to all parties. To prevent difficulty and insure future harmony, an amicable adjustment was made, by which the Horticultural Society sold Mount Auburn to a new Corporation, composed of the lot proprietors, who agreed to assume and . carry on the Cemetery, paying to the Society, annually, one-quarter part of the gross proceeds of sales, after deducting $1,400 for expenses. The result of this arrangement has been auspicious to both parties. The Horticultural Society has become opulent and prosperous, as it is useful to the public; while the Proprietors of Mount Auburn, after paying to that Society, at different times, over one hundred and sixteen thousand dollars, have been able to expend more than three hundred thousand dollars in the preservation, improvement, embellishment and enlargement of their Cemetery. For the Trustees, JACOB BIGELOW, President. Boston, January, 1866.

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SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. To the Trustees of Mount Auburn Cemetery,

GENTLEMEN,—

In accordance with the requirements of the Trustees, I herewith transmit the Annual Report of the Superintendent, for the year ending December 31, 1865, as per account of his department.

Number of Original Interments for the year ending December 31, 1865,-has been - 557 Number of Removals from other Cemeteries, 156 Numbers of Removals in the Cemetery, 111 Number of Removal from the Cemetery, 39 Number of Interments in Public Lots for the year, 76 Number of Deposits in the Receiving Tomb forthe year,- 56 Total Number of Interments for the year, 713 Total Number in the Cemetery to date, 13,596 Number of New Lots graded and bounded with Granite Posts, 65 Number of Old Lots bounded with Granite Posts, and Graded, 150 Number of Lots enclosed with Granite, 90 Number of Iron Fences erected, 6 Number of Tombs built, 2 Number of Monuments ereeted, 30

All of which is respectfully submitted, + DANIEL L. WINSOR, Superintendent.

Mount Auburn, December 31, 1869.

7 TREASURER’S REPORT. The TREASURER Reports the following Abstract of RECEIPTS and EXPENDITURES - for the Thirty-fourth year.

There was in his hands at commencement, - $1,896.38 He has received from sundry parties: For Labor and Materials, - - - - - - - - 80,919.45 For Sales of Lots, - - - - - - - - - 42,517.87 For Deeds, - - - - - - - - - 217.00 For Interest and Dividends, - - - - - - - 2,550.58 For Certificate of Indebtedness matured, - - - - - 995.00 $79,096.28 He has paid For Labor and Materials, - 45,549.30 For Expenses, 1,159.12 To J. Derby, Jr., Gate. Keeper,- 471.70 For A. J. Coolidge, Secretary, in 1864, 197.00 For sundry Expenses paid Hy him,. 92.51 For Collecting arid Extra Services, 25.00 For Deeds made in 1865, 209.00 For Salary, 800.00 For Extra allowance voted him, 200.00 For Office Rent and Taxes, 165.43 To Daniel L. Winsor, Superintendent: For balance due in 1864, 575.00 For Salary 1,500.00 For Extra allowance, 400.00 For Car Fare and other Expenses, 47.20 To sundry parties for Interest, 36.54 To sundry parties Sales,refunded, 484.50 To Mass. Hospital Life Ins. Co, for Permanent Fund, 6,681.82 To Mass. Horticultural Society, 10,143.97 To Geo. Wm. Bond, Treasurer, 1,045.30 To United States 7-30 Bonds, 1,395.50 Cash on hand, 7,917.39 $79,096. 28 He has received for Fund for Repairs From New Endowments, $6,275.00 From Income of Investments, 2,367.55 From United States Certificates, 6,990.00 From United States Temporary Loan, 800 00 From Over-paymenton Labor, 8.60 $16,441.15 He has paid for said Account : For Care of Lots, 703.08 For $12,000 U, S. 7-30 Bond 11,997.50 For 1300 U.S. 5-20 Bonds 1,339.00 To Geo. Wm. Bond for 1/2 per cent. on investments, 154.70 For Interest accumulated on U. S., Bonds, and Discount on Certificates, 174.99 He owed the Corporation, December, 1864, 654.46 Cash on hand, 1,417.42 $16, 441.15

GEO. WM. BOND, Treasurer. Boston, December 31, 1865.

§ 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 30, 1865, 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 of $1,417.42, and in the General Account, $7,917.39.

CHARLES C. LITTLE,}Finance Committee. JACOB SLEEPER,} Boston, January 30, 1866.

The Property of the Corporation consists of: The Cemetery, which has cost to date, $360.408.76 Statuary 15,365.20 Superintendent’s House and Lot 6,892,91 Stock in Shawmut National Bank, 15 shares, $1,500.00 Stock in Atlantic National Bank 20 shares 2,000.00 Stock in Boston and Lowell R.R., 4 shares 2,000.00 Stock in Fitchburg Railroad, 20 shares 2,000.00 U.S. 5-20 Bonds, ($15,000,)} 15,028.10 U.S. 7-30 Bonds ($1,400) 1,395.50 Lots 567 and 592, 315.00 Notes Receivable, Secured by Mortgage, 7,000.00 Cash, 7,917.39 39,155.99 PERMANENT FUND. Deposited with Massachusetts se evs Life Ins. Co., as per last year’s report, 43,944.71 Interest for 1865, 3,239.40 Deposited December, 1865, 6,681.89 $53,865.93 REPAIR FUND. Notes Receivable, 10,300.00 30 Shares Atlas Bank, cost 2,970.00 20 Shares Western Railroad, cost 1,002.50 United States 5-20 Bonds, $4,300, cost 4,370.20 United States 7-30 Bonds, 12,-000 cost 11,997.50 Cash, 1,417,42 $32,057.62 All of which is respectfully submitted, GEO. WM. BOND, Treasurer.

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

TRUSTEES

OF THE

Cemetery of Mount Aubwen,

TOGETHER WITH

OF THE

TREASURER AND SUPERINTENDENT.

FANUARY, 1867.

BOSTON: 1867.

J. H. HASTBURN’S PRESS.

TRUSTEES’ REPORT.

Tue satisfactory state of the Cemetery of Mount Auburn has required few changes or additions during the last year. The following are the principal things worthy of note.

The large iron fence in front of the Cemetery had been painted in 1845, 1851, and 1859. It was again painted with two coats in the past season of 1866. The cost of this paint* ing, as reported by the Superintendent, was $650. At the same time the wood-work of the Chapel and Tower has been repaired and painted three coats.

A new propagating-house for plants, 72 feet by 14, has been built, adjoining the former greenhouse, at the suggestion of the Superintendent, who reports that the experience of raising plants and flowers on the spot has been found acceptable to the Proprietors and remunerative to the Corporation. The appropriation for this purpose was $700.

The prospective size of the St. Matthew’s Public Lot, having been reduced for reasons of expediency, a new Public Lot, called “St. Paul’s,”” has been laid out on the south-westerly side of the Cemetery. It contains about 28,000 square feet, and is expected to be adequate to all future exigencies in Mount Auburn, for this mode of interment. The land in this place being in parts steep and difficult for grading, is obliged to be approached by stone steps, and secured by courses of block stone. It has already cost about $2,500, and when complete will constitute a valuable property to the Corporation.

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In the sunken and boggy tracts, north of Indian Ridge, land is in process of redemption, by filling with gravel, after the mud has been removed for compost. Sycamore Avenue has been extended through the hill and across the meadow, (as appears from the Superintendent’s Report,) 187 feet. The filling of the meadow is, On an average, six feet deep, and has required the moving of 3,947 cubic yards of gravel. Halcyon Avenue, with land bordering on the south side, has been filled for 160 feet of its length. It averages seven feet in depth, and has required the moving of 1,742 yards of gravel. Fountain Avenue has been enlarged and extended by filling in with 1,250 cubic yards of gravel.

More than two thousand feet of side gutters have been paved with heavy stones, all of which have been found upon the place. Like the painting and other work enumerated, it has been executed by the permanent workmen employed on the grounds.

By vote of the Trustees, the unexpired ground-lease held by Alexander McDonald of land on which he has erected a marble-shop, has, with the agreement of the parties, been cancelled, and a new lease executed to him, for ten years, at a rent of one hundred dollars, with rights and conditions specified in the agreement.

It appears from the Treasurer’s statement, that the Permanent Fund of the Corporation has accumulated to $66,481.90. The Repair Fund is $38,335.93; and the estimated balance in cash and invested disposable property is $41,437.27.

JACOB BIGELOW, President.

Boston, January, 1867.