1864-01-25 Trustees Annual Report, 1831.026.040.002

Trustees' Annual Report. Annual Report of the Trustees of the Cemetery of Mount Auburn in January 1864

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

The eminence called on the maps "Cedar Hill", and well known 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 ornaments of the Cemetery.

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The fountain on Thistle Path announced as contracted for in the last annual report, has been completed, together with [the?] 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 M ary A. Hemenway to be forever kept open, and the sum of $6000. 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 [mound?], and by replacing it with gravel to such a height so as to render it ornamental and suitable for cemetery purposes.

In connexion with this operation, the summit of Laurel Hill in the same neighborhood has been taken off, with the consent of the proprietors, 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 renumeration to the Corporation from the sale of the newly made land, and^^{of some} of the steep [declinities?] which are now made more level and available.

(handwritten "Set this in middle of page 5") (handwritten "4.") (a.) It is again earnestly urged (inserted above "the attention of") those proprietors (crossed out "of lots") who have not taken care to affix bounds or landmarks to their lots, that they are liable to the loss or removal of their lots at any times, in consequence of this neglect. It is 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 with some suitable person to [?], or succeed them as proprietor. This [?} (crossed out "will") may prevent the lots from (inserted above "hereinafter") falling into decay in the hands of careless or non [?} parties hereafter.

The new public lot called St. Matthew's Lot, situated on Spruce avenue, is completed and enclosed by a hedge. It contains 19,609 square feet, and 633 single grave plots (inserted above "as") exhibited in 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 (crossed out "receiving") (inserted - ) front of the (crossed out "tomb") (inserted - ) new catacomb upon Rosebud Avenue, who have continued their efforts to eradicate the stains from the stone in that structure, but hitherto, it it feared, without success. (Added in pencil "Insert here paragraph (a.) page 4")

(looks like a different page is taped or glued to cover the rest of this page) In the matter of the suit against Jonathan Mann, (crossed out "[?} at the last annual meeting") 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 cause stands for trial in April next.