1884-01 Annual Report of the Trustees of the Cemetery of Mount Auburn, Together with the Reports of the Treasurer and Superintendent. January, 1884

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REPORT.

THE past year has been financially prosperous. The amount of sales has slightly increased, and the receipts of income from other sources have been satisfactory.

The Permanent Fund shows an increase of $8,129.22, and now amounts to $241,423.61.

The Repair Fund also shows an increase of $38,164.10, and amounts to $383,726.21.

The General Fund, consisting of cash in the hands of the treasurer and bills not yet collected, is $26,935.16, of which the cash item foots up $19,114.88.

The general drought of the last summer affected our ponds and reduced our supply of water to a considerable extent, especially during the latter part of the season. We had a sufficient supply, however, by exercising economy in its use, to preserve our young trees, shrubs, and flowers, to water our principal avenues, and keep our lots in condition to be revived by the later rains. We hope in the next summer to be better prepared for drought should it occur again.

Under the head of improvements the superintendent reports 1,326 linear feet of gutters repaved, and fifty iron fences and ten hedges removed.

In last year’s report it was mentioned that the banks of Forest pond had been regraded and improved, and that considerable work had been done on Ivy path and in Consecration dell. Similar improvements have been made during the past year. The banks of Auburn lake have been treated in the same manner with those of Forest pond, and the carriage drive, which formerly ended at the bridge, has now been continued round the upper section of Auburn lake. Besides lengthening the drive, this extension renders the Receiving

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ANNUAL REPORT.

Tomb more accessible and furnishes better accommodation for carriages when the tomb is used at funerals.

Advantage was taken of the summer drought to remove from Auburn and Halcyon lakes and from Forest pond the large accumulations of deposit of many years from the bottom of those sheets of water. More than fve hundred loads of rich mud and leaf mould were taken from those localities and made very serviceable in the preparation of new lots.

On Ivy path and the easterly hillside of Consecration dell much labor was expended. The long flight of zigzag stone steps has been removed, and a winding path of easy grade now leads from the junction of Ivy and Coleus paths to Rose path, where it meets a newly constructed path from Walnut avenue to the same point. These new paths make the ascent from the dell to Harvard hill and the Tower very easy, and do away with the fatiguing climb which was formerly so objectionable. A farther result of these operations has been to vender available for lots about two thousand square feet of desirable land, of which more than one half has already been sold.

The Stone farm portion of the Cemetery is now all ready for use, except the mound which lies between Birch and Egret avenues and adjacent to the iron fence ou Coolidge avenue. Work has also been commenced on the Chant and Watriss lots, where much rough grading has been done. On the Chant lot a new avenue, called Vesper avenue; has been nearly finished, and a new lot for public oraves, called Vesper lot, has been laid out and will soon be ready for use.

The usual routine of cemetery work, such as the maintaining of avenues and paths, repairs of puildings and fences, the setting out of new trees and shrubbery; and the removal of every appearance of neglect and unsightliness, has also been attended to, and the Trustees have reason to believe that their efforts are yearly rewarded by the general improvement of the grounds.

During the past year the policy No. 3594 of the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company for $6,300, “payable on the de-

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MOUNT AUBURN CEMETERY.

cease of certain parties to the proprietors of the cemetery of Mount Auburn for perpetual care of a certain lot,” mentioned for so many years in the latter part of the Treasurer’s report as a future asset of the corporation, has been paid and added to the repair fund. The parties were Miss Eunice M. and Miss Eliza Ann Gridley, of Boston, proprietors of lot No. 721 on Cedar avenue; and by the death of the last survivor the policy became due and was paid with interest amounting to $6,363.99, on the 26th of April last. The terms of this very liberal donation were that the income should be especially devoted to the care and maintenance of the lot and its monuments, and afterwards the surplus at the discretion of the Trustees be devoted to the ornament and preservation of the grounds, especial regard being paid in the first instance to Cedar avenue and its immediate vicinity, and afterwards to the Cemetery generally. Such donations as aiding the Trustees in their efforts to adorn and beautify the Cemetery are especially gratifying and worthy of honorable mention.

For several years attention has been called in the appendix of our reports to the legal position of the widow in regard to her right of interment in the lot of her late husband. The subject was at last brought to the attention of the Legislature by the Forest Hills Cemetery Corporation in connection with other matters in which they desired legislative aid. During the last session the following bill was passed : —

LAWS AND RESOLVES OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, 1883.

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

SECT. 1. A wife shall be entitled to aright of interment for her own body in any burial lot or tomb of which her husband was seized at any time during coverture, and such right shall be exempt from the laws of conveyance, descent, and devise; provided, such right may be released by her in the manner in which she may release her dower.

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ANNUAL REPORT.

SECT. 2. This aet shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved June 28, 1883.]

It is presumed that this bill will remedy the wrong complained of, and secure to the widow her just and equitable rights.

For the Trustees, ISRAEL M. SPELMAN, President.