Morning journal and courier., 1891-05-15

and beautifying the old cemetery. The amount was insufficient however to carry out the contemplated improvements and the town and the Ecclesiastical society were invited to coperate The former ap- $500 from it's treasury and the latter $100 with the cold blooded reserva- tion "that the amount should only be paid when all the funds were raised and a guarantee given that the fence should be kept in repair" said fence being construct ed of stone and iron at heavy cost. Who was to execute the guarantee does not ap- pear and none probably was ever given. Evergreens in dense masses were planted within the enclosure. Burials had practi- cally ceased there at that date and the
 "sacred acre." like so many others in New glect. Its condition, if anything, became more pitiable than that of "the green" itself as noted.
 This condition existed nearly a quarter century longer. The apathy of the people allowed the common to become hissing and by-word alike to friends and stran- gers. The occasional expressed wish of 8 few, interested in the reputation of the community, that the reproach might be removed, was throttled by the EccIesiasti- cal society who, with neither funds or dis position, looked askance at all theories for it's betterment.
 Finally, in 1880, few of the citizens living in it's near vicinity, goaded on the one hand by the ridieule of the surround ing communities and encouraged on the other by some of the more wealthy na- tive born citizens of the town, resolved to make final appeal to the Ecclesiastical society to 'improve the Green" A spe- cial meeting was petisioned for and held December 20, 1880, at which time com
 mittee was chosen Afterwards known as
 "The Pierpont Park Commission), consist ing of Deacon Whitney Elliott, Sheldon B.
 Thorpe, Cullen B. Foote, Edward L. Lins- ley and John F. Barnes. This commission
 was to be permitted to begin work, gra- ding, fencing and improving the public green, when the sum of $500 or more had
 been raised or pledged to the satisfaction
 of the society's committee"
 The commission organized December 23,
 with Whitney Elliott as president and s.
 B. Thorpe as secretary and treasurer. FL
 liott resigned two days later and Charles
 B. Smith was chosen as his successor. A
 reorganization of the commission followed
 with s. B. Thorpe president, E. L. Lins-
 ley secretary and O. B. Foote treasurer.
 An appeal for funds was made, and with
 in sixty days little more than $700 was
 secured in cash and pledges. By April 1,
 $730 had been raised. Donald G. Mitchell
 was secured to examine the tract and re-
 port plan for it's improvement. He pre-
 paredsa careful diagram of the grounds,
 which, if adhered te, would give the viii
 lage country park second to none in the
 county. Among other features it pro-
 vided for the removal of the old cemetery,
 the uprooting of most of the unsightly
 e7ergreens, and the planting of deciduous trees and shrubs in advantageous loca tions. This plan was so revolutionary in it's sweep, particularly in the removal oi the cemetery, that it raised prejudice among the more conservative people to the
 harm of the enterprise.
 The first work was to turn highway travel from its surface. Consultation was had with the town authorities, who gave 6 rather unwilling pledge that if suitable road was constructed around it without expense to the town they would graciously accept of the same. This was an unlocked for cold shoulder. The commission helc the gain would all accrue to the public bJ graded and hardened highway rathe, | than the sunken sand road, disgrace fol years across the common, but the select l men refused all aid. Believing the verdic | of time would sustain them, and not to bt
 baked at the outset, the commission bull l the road, in the face of threats, at theil l own expense, and which was accepted by | the town October 3, 1884,
 Work then commenced. Clay, soil seeds, fertilizers, were plentifully applied Barren spots were covered, elms were planted, weeds uprooted and the entire surface made to undergo change. Another unjust expenditure in the mat ter of roads was forced upon the commis
 sion in the grading of the hill leading te St. Johns church. A former resident of the town (Mr. Elias PierponD made the
 proposition that if the boulders could be
 removed and an easier approach made, he
 would bear the expense of the same. This
 was done oy Lawrence Bruce to the satis
 faction of all at a cost of about $40. Mir.
 Pierpont delayed payment until the com mission were wearied, and he died with the claim unsettled.
 From the very outset the commission failed to receive that support from the public to which they were entitled. The disputed claim to the real estate operated to defeat their plans. The first Ecclesias- tical society refused to surrender whateve, right it might have in the property, to the town. The second society EpiscopaD re. fused to contribute to the movement SC long as the title was thus clouded, and it was as well understood as though acted upon, that the town would not touch the property as a gift if it was offered te them.
 This three-fo complication made the duties of the commission anything but { pleasure. Occasionally member would
 resign, but his place was speedily filled and it's morale sustained.
 The time soon came, however, when this lack of cooperation and unity began to tell. Subscriptions of money anG donations of labor ceased. With suct limited means as the commission possessei | it endeavors to keep in order the grounds An attempt in 1888 to make the old ceme tery accessible in every part by the re moval of several trees, the pruning o1 others to an unusual heighth and the general removal of briars and weeds, was regarded as such dissertation by the society who had neglected :, it hundred seventy-four years, that they clamorec furiously for the removal of the commis sioners and were only saved the shame ot succeeding by single vote.
 Herewith is submitted tho hitherto un
 published financial account of the com mission: