1878-01 Annual Report of the Trustees of the Cemetery of Mount Auburn, Together with the Reports of the Treasurer and Superintendent. January, 1878.

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

AW IO SAN chistes

OF THE

fhemetery , {oun quburn,

TOGETHER WITH THE

RHPORTS

OF THE

TREASURER AND SUPERINTENDENT.

JANUARY, 1878.

BOSTON : FRANKLIN PRESS: RAND, AVERY, & COMPANY, 1878.

| :

| OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION FOR 1877.

Hh) Trustees,

{| CHARLES F. CHOATE . . . TO es Oe ea é6 1878.

JACOB BIGELOW . . , , 3 4 .	_ « «1879,

ISRAEL M.SPELMAN . , , . ¢ mee	«e “6 1880,

| THOMAS M. BREWER . . .. ce gg 2% “< 1881. WILLIAM PERKINS. , . . e) oat gest oe ee v6 1881, | NATHANIEL J. BRADLEE . a a) ae ee: «6 1882. | T. QUINCY BROWNE . .,. . «ee wean ‘s 1882, HENRY A.RICE . . , . Steg © ee ‘ 1883, ALANSON BIGELOW = i, ; Ss ‘6 6 1883, President,

ISRAEL M. SPELMAN.

|| Treasurer. Secretary.

)		H. B. MACKINTOSH. J. HARRIS. REED.

| Superintendent. JAMES W. LOVERING,

| Clerk. Foreman.

F, C. CHILDS, C. McARTHUR.

I Surveyor, Supt. of Interments. | S. L. BROWN. A. A. BARKER.

i Gardener.

JOSEPH COLLINS.

Office of the Corporation. Office of the Superintendent.

AT THE CEMETERY, 16 PEMBERTON SQ., BOSTON. P.O, ADpRESs: CAMBRIDGE, MASS.

Orders for work on lots may be given at either office, or sent by mail to Superintendent, : at the Cemetery.

REPORT.

A sMALL but steady increase in the receipts from sales of lots during the past year gives indication that the general depression of business under which our community has been so long suffering is gradually passing away. ‘This, aided by the reduction in prices of labor and materials, leaves our corporation im an improved financial position as compared with the preceding year. The receipts from’ sales of lots and from the ReceivingTomb have been, as shown in the Treasurer’s Report, $22,- 691.25; a gain of $7,041.75 over those of the year ending, Dec. 31, 1876, but still much below the average of former years. The introduction of the landscape lawn system in the newer part of the cemetery, and the laying-out of the small lots of from one hundred and forty to two hundred and fifty feet on the same system in the older part, were wise and successful measures. This is clearly shown by the following table prepared by the Secretary : —

Lots (Square Feet per cent.) per cent,

Lots Square Feet

sold.	sold.

Newer part of Cemetery. Landscape Lawn, Restrictions, 25	8,640	4T 56
Older part of Cemetery. Small Lots, same Restrictions, 15	2,522 28 IT
Older part of Cemetery. Lots, no Restrictions, 13 4,170

25 27

58	15,382	100

| 4 _ ANNUAL REPORT.

It seems that nearly three-quarters of the lots ‘and three| quarters of the square feet sold were under the restrictions of ft the new system, thus proving its popularity.

There are lots of various kinds and in different localities | now on hand for sale, about two hundred in number, on which | advances have been made for labor and material amounting to about $7,000; all of which will return to the treasury when the | lots are sold. Besides the value of these, the cash assets are | shown in the Treasurer's Report to be $14,429.47: a sum very nearly equal to the present amount of notes payable, which constitute the sole indebtedness of the corporation.

The Trustees have been endeavoring, during several past years, to reduce the charge made to proprietors for the annual care of lots. They have had it in view that this work should be done as nearly at cost as possible, making reasonable allowance for variations in prices of labor and material, losses in collection, and other accidental circumstances. The following table shows the success of the Superintendent in this direction, and the reductions which have been made. The table applies only to the lots of the standard size of three hundred square feet, as special arrangements are made for lots of a different size, whether larger or smaller, according to circumstances and

location.

Year,	Care.	Top-Dressing. Totals,

a —

VO TB ssaratas ea RRE YEG YS eeerareserearnnarererce $5 00	$4 00 $9 00

MOUNT-AUBUBN CEMETERY. 5

It will be seen, that, since 1875, the reduction has béen more than one-third. Possibly some further reduction may be made; but this is not likely, unless from the economy which may result from the corporation having an increased number of lots under its charge. The more the proprietors see fit to employ the corporation for this service, the less, undoubtedly, per lot will be the expense for the work performed.

Frequent inquiries are made in regard to the perpetual care of lots by the corporation in lieu of the annual charge above mentioned. It may be well, therefore, to explain in this connection, very briefly, how provisions for perpetual care may be made. ‘There are four ways in which this may be done, which may be designated as follows : —

1. Donations in Trust; under which the corporation will receive any sum from proprietors which they may choose to set aside for that purpose, and will see to it that the lot shall ‘be kept in order to the extent of the annual interest upon that sum.

2. Agreements for Perpetual Care of Grass; under which, for an agreed payment, the corporation guarantees that the grass and sodding shall be properly renewed and kept m good order forever.

3. Agreements for Perpetual Care, with Guaranty, not only for grass, but for headstones, monuments, fences, and whatever may be erected or placed upon the lots.

4, Reconveyances to the Corporation, in Trust, which includes the provisions of the preceding, with restrictions as to the number of future interments to be made in the lot.

The limits of the Annual Report will not allow extended

remark on this subject. The Trustees deem it sufficient at this

time to call the attention of proprietors to it, and believe it