6

6 ANNUAL REPORT.

The General fund shows an increase of $5,891.82, and amounts
to $52,134.08.

The bronze statue of the late Dr. Bowditch has been recast dur-
ing the past year. The facts in regard to this statue may prove in-
teresting to the proprietors, and are worthy of record at this time.
The early history of this statue is found in the invaluable History of
Mount Auburn Cemetery, by Jacob Bigelow, president of the cor-
poration, published in 1859. The following extracts are made
from pages 52 and 53 of that book :—

"At a meeting of the Trustees Jan. 31, 1848, the following vote was
passed : —

"'Whereas, The Trustees of the subscribers to the statue of the late Dr.
Bowditch have paid the customary price for the land on which the statue
now stands, therefore, voted that all the land included within the exterior
side of the fence around said statue be, and the same is hereby appropriated
and dedicated forever to the use and purpose of sustaining and protecting
the said statue.’

‘‘This statue has been erected under difficulties from the proceeds of a
subscription raised soon after the death of Dr. Bowditch, in 1838. The
committee having charge of the work had contracted with Mr. Ball Hughes
for a bronze statue, to be delivered within a certain time, Mr. Hughes com-
pleted the model, but failed to produce the bronze casting. The committee,
after waiting a number of years, and repeatedly extending the time of the
contract, at length broke off their negotiation with Mr. Hughes, and de-
clared the contract void. Mr. Hughes, however, persevered, and, with the
assistance of a benevolent friend, at length completed an imperfect casting,
which the subscribers thought proper to accept. Of its present condition,
an opinion may be formed from the following vote of the Trustees, May
10, 1853 : —

"'Voted, That a committee of one be appointed to cause the statue of
Dr. Bowditch to be repaired by stopping the holes and painting the whole
of a bronze color.'

‘‘It is to be hoped that this memorial to the memory of a distinguished
philosopher and citizen, of which the design is better than the execution,
may be restored, as it can only be, by a new casting, to be sought from
those who venerate his memory.”