1870-08-23 Letter: From Mitchell, Lot 1605, to the Trustees, 1831.036.020B

Boston August 23^d 1870

To the Trustees of Mount Auburn Cemetery Respectfully represents the undersigned, owner of Lot 1605 on Cypress Avenue; desirous of having Steps placed at the entrance of said Lot ordered them to made of wood to be painted & finished to imitate granite, believing that I had a perfect right to do so. They were made agreeably to order, painted two coats, sent to the Cemetery to be put down & to be grained after they were set.

The workmen were forbidden, by the Superintendent, to proceed without obtaining permission from the Trustees or their representatives.

As I deem it of importance to have the question permanently settled, I Respectfully ask your [decision?] whether Steps made of Wood shall be permitted to be placed at the entrance of any Lot in the Cemetery.

In Article 26, published in 1860, I find Wooden Fences prohibited, but Wooden Steps nowhere.

Wood ^is used for steps of respectable dwellings and have stood firm for years 'tho in frequent use; Would they not remain undecayed longer in a Grave Yard? If suffered to be neglected, by the owner of the Lot, the Superintendent has ample power to remove them as a nuisance. I disclaim any intention of violating ^the Rules & Regulations of ^the Cemetery or of complaining of the course taken by the Superintendent, believing that he has acted from a sense of duty & full determination to do equal justic to the parties interested.

By examining the Steps alluded to, I trust that you will find, if we are permitted to have them put down, they will not disfigure the grounds or be objected to ^by owners of the Lots.

Respectfully submitted, by [C?] Mitchell No 139 Conard Street.