1861-07-25 Letter: Spooner to Coolidge, 2021.021.004

Mount Auburn July 25th 1861.

Sir;

As no reply has been given to my resignation as Gardener at Mt Auburn Cemetery: presented to the Board of Trustees June 1st; I would again tender to these my resignation as Gardener, provided they will refund to me the amount I have paid them, & further agree to turn over to the Corporation all the Lots I have under my care; as my resignation was made in June and I have been put to considerable trouble in the intermediate time. I presume some renumeration will be made to me for the two months; trusting to receive an immediate answer. I remain very Respectfully

W^m H. Spooner, Jr.

A.J. Coolidge, Esq Secy Mt Auburn Cemetery.

The following suggestions may be worthy of some consideration in case the Corporation should deem it advisable to take the matter of Gardening into their own hands;

1st The Cemetery could be divided into Districts, and the care of each given to one, two or three men, according to the size and amount of work kto be done in each District; as each squad of men would know from day to day just what was to be done, and there being no loss of time in transferring men from one part of the grounds to another, the work could be done cheaper than at present; All the work in this department could be under the supervision of a head Gardener, subject to the discretion of the Superintendent.

2d -- I should recommend cultivating only what are called "Bedding Plants," a [list?] can be kept with but little expense during the winter; for this purpose a pit could be built at a small expense to be used intil [sic] about the 1st of Feby, thus saving quite an expense in fact --

3d It might be argued that this system would [consider?] the duties of the Superintendent; but if a competent Gardener was employed he would attend to this duty himself; as a printed schedule of prices could be furnished each Proprietor, approved by the Trustees; the rivalry between the various parties who have the care of Lots at present would be turned into a different [channel?], that is it would be between the employees of the Corporation^whohave charge of the Corporation various Districts to see which would accomplish his or their work the best.

4th I would suggest that all [..ait?] made by outside laborers, should be cleared up by themselves on the day it is made; thus relieving the Corporation of quite an expense as at present conducted --

The following will indicate about the amount of work in this department and its expenses and profits: --

Care of 1300 Lots, at $5 per Lot $6500--

Labor of 20 men for 6 months @ $1. per day $3000. $3500

Gardener 500 $3000

Market value of Plants if purchased. 2000 $1000

Manure 200 $800

for Profit & Loss.

[recapituation?]

total receipts	$6500--
deduct	5700

expenses Labor of 25 men

6 months --	3000
Gardener --	500
market order Plants
if purchased at wholesale --	2000--
manure --	200
[total?]	$5700--

7/25/1861 2 of 2

besides the care of Lots a large amount of work would be saved to the interest of the Corporation in the grading and turfing of Lots upon which a profit could be made, which would swell the income of this department --

5th For all work to be done on Lots a written order should be given by Proprietors, thus preventing some of the [trouble?]: all work to the value of two dollars and under should be [?] [?] [?]: the trouble of collecting small amounts is so great.

care of Lots	$6500--	Labor	$3000--
Labor 3000		Gardener	500--
cost of raising Plants			500--
manure			200
			4200--

4200 $2300--