Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-07-01

Fence account NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. l 65
Stone and miscellaneous labor. 50 05
Horse. .................... 10 w
St. Charles school bonds ........... 5000 w
Anoka City bonds. .................. 9Ol ~
Balance on hand June LIST 697 IS
Total .................. l9l 40
sEcRETARY's REPORT.
Mr.. r. Marvin, the secretary, read the follow
ing report.
To the Members of the Oakland Cemetery AS
sociation
GENTLEMEN-In presenting the condition
and business of the Oakland Cemetery associa-
ton for the past fiscal year, the operations of
one year are SO like another, except in the
greater or less degree of progress, that it ia diff
fcult to avoid repetition in our reports. The
association has net yet reached sufficiently
advanced stage to furnish the data of general
interest which it will exhibit after the city has
considerably increased in population.
We have, however, come to point in the
progress of our cemetery when each year adds
greatly to its improvement. The labor en-
plOyed and the money expended in each sue
ceeding twelve months yield greater apparent
returns, as is the case With any business con-
nected with identifying or improving the sur
face of the earth. Remarks are very frequently
made owing an appreciation by those inter
ested of the natural beauties of the site. and
the success with which nature has been fol
lowed in improving it. In one respect there is
special and very evident change. The devel-
opmcnt of the plan plans of the whole eighty
acres has become sufficiently defined to give
general impression of what the cemetery will
be when fully completed.
In the various departments of labor it has been
the policy of the actuary to employ skilled
men, as measure of efficiency and economy.
The departments of labor various. To
each man us far expedient, is allotted special
work. The grading and sodding new lots for
sale; the grading of new avenues; the moving,
clearing and moving underbrush; the cutting
away of unsightly trees; the moving and cur
ing of hay, of which considerable is sold
every year; the perpetual care of lots which
the association is bound by contract to keep in
good order the labor required in connection
with interments and occasional removal of
bodies; the foundations of monuments, which
are laid exclusively by the association; the
annual care of lots for which annual payments
are received, and the many forms of work
which by US are classified under the head of
general Improvements or miscellaneous labor;
in all these the aggregate of labor has been
093M days, at cost of 81, 49, this exclusive
of work performed by the actuary himself.
There have been 1900 feet of new avenues
made. There have been new lots graded and
prepared for sale, at cost of $S287S. In
gathering and securing wood and hay, there
has been expended nearly 5000, which has been
refunded, or nearly so, by the sales.
The accounts are examined monthly by
the board, and the reports, which
arc transcripts of the monthly
accounts, on file, in order, and can be
ferred t. at any time and compared with the
books. In addition to this, economy of the
most rigid character is practiced in reference TO
Office and cemetery expenditure. and yet more
the time is given, gratuitously, of our best
known and most trusted citizens, to the man.
agement of the affairs of the Association, in
volving a very considerable amount of personal
BaCrifiCe on their part.
The result of all this is, that we can point
with pleasure to the progress WI ich we max
ing towards the completion of cemetery which
will be a credit to the city of St. Paul.
There have been Ted, during the year,
monuments, many of them unique and of un-
questioned taste and beauty, to the value of
some $S,OU0. As our population increases and
becomes more stable, the tendency to perpetu-
ate in marble, the memory of the dead will be
more and more marked and visible.
The attention of early lot owners to the ad-
yantages of perpetual care by the Association,
has been so often invited in our reports, that it
will be unnecessary to do more now, than to al
Jude to the subject.
1t may be we'll to state in reference to burr
ais, that we have system Of records which
may be deemed perfect. Every interment is
registered in duplicate, whether taking place in
a lot of which the deceased, his family may
have been the owner or in single grave amongst
strangers-the place of burial is known and
the spot exactly defined. In the early history
of this cemetery, when it's management par.
took of the unsettled condition of things, this
was not the case; but for a number of years
everything possible has been accomplished to
correct the Irregularities which had previously
occurred.
The number of interments for the year have
been 233; of these sixteen were removed from
other cemeteries and fifteen were of persons
who died outside the city, leaving 208 as the
number of those who had died in the city. OF
the 223, So died under one year, 38 from one
to ten years, s from ten to twenty, 81 from
twenty to thirty, rs from thirty to forty, 20
from forty to fifty, IL from fifty to sixty, III
from sixty to seventy, IL from seventy to
eighty. and from eighty to ninety years of
age. These statistics have been furnished by
our efficient actuary.
The accompany ing report of the treasurer
shows continued pecuniary prosperity. The
fund set apart for perpetual care is increasing
and invested, as will be seen by the report, in
bonds, the income received in interest present.
ing gratifying result There is also, outside
of what belongs to the perpetual care fund, an
amount formulating, part of it in bonds and
part in certificates IT deposit, which will be
available whenever it shall be deemed expedi-
ent to expend it for general or special improve
ments.
1t is, of course, part of our system, sooner
or later to amass a fund for the time when the
lots being all sold, the interest of such fund
will constitute the only income of the cemetery.
By reference to the last annual report, we find
that Spring Grove Cemetery, of Cincinnati,
has an available fund of $l41, 1000, which is
rapidly augmenting, and producing in interest
very handsome sum. Our cemetery is on
smaller scale, but in its management the same
general principles are introduced and in due
proportion, the future will doubtless develop
the same results.
It has been the object in our reports to make
the public better acquainted with our organi-
cation, and to lead the members to take
greater interest in its management. The trus-
tees are willing in tie future, as in the past,
to attend to the duties that devOlve upon them
They are not insensible to the confidence re-
posed in them, yet they would be pleased to
observe that more active interest was mani
tested by the members of the association gen.
orally. All of which is respectfully submitted.
81. 81. SHELLEY, president.
Both reports were accepted and ordered
placed on file.
The terms of r. Bakeley, d. w. Ingersoll
and Pascal Smith, as trustees, having expired
those gentlemen were reelected for the ensuing
three years.
Mr.. Ingersoll expressed his qualification at
the improved financial condition of the asso-
citation.
W. L. Wilson thought the lot owners should
be called upon and requested to order perpetual
care by the association. 1t would not be ex-
pensive and would do much to beautify the
grounds.
D.. Day moved that all citizens owning lots
bs called on by MIR. Wilson and urged to give
annual or perpetual care.
Without action on this matter the meeting
adjourned.