New Britain herald., 1930-12-01

.'NDREW J. SLOPER
 two last bequests to me as one of the executors to hold, so that the cemetery might benefit by the in terest accruing 10 the bequests. These funds were held so that the accrued interest in one case amount cd 10 seven thousand dollars (s7, and in the chapel fund the accrued interest amounted to eleven thousand dollars (s11,0O0) before the building of the chapel was com- mcnCed. At the time the chapel was built it was hoped that it could be located in the low swale in the center of the older grounds but it was found upon testing the soil that even at a forty foot depth there was not a solid bottom. The chapel was designed by MT. Bacon of the firm Of lfrite and Bacon. A first con- tractor failed dnring the course Of construction and the chapel was finished under the supervision of M r Perry of Perry &: Bishop. When it was completed and furnished we had not enough money 10 pay the final fees of the architect and the balance Was paid out of the income of the Erwin permanent fund. The cost of the chapel was thircy. six thousand dollars (s36NOW,
 Another large benefactor of the cemetery is the late Darius Miller who bequeathed fifty thousand ($5O.- o0o) for the care and improvement of FairvicW cemetery. This beQuest happened rather Curiously. A few years before Mr. Miller died he came into the bank and told me he was about to make a new will and ask ed me if there were any public be- quests that he ought to make that he had failed to make in his previ- ous will-he had told me before Of his public bcquests. I asked him If Inc had done anything for Fairview cemetery. He replied. No. but I will.' I did not anticipate so large bcquest.
 About twenty r2O) years ago what was known SIS the Poor Ground be- came overCroWdcd and I purchased about two acres of land on the west side of the railroad tracks belonging to the William Booth estate for the burial of those unable to pay for d burial lot. This purchase carried with it the right of way under the tracks to the rest of the Booth estate On the cast side of the railroad tracks. This Booth farm the city afterwards purchased and it became {; part of the cemetery grounds.
 A very large part of the success in the conduct Of the cemetery af- fairs is due 10 William H. Gladden. who remained superintendent up to the time of his death, at the salary he agreed upon in the late sos. lie Was a tirclcss worker. an excellent manager Of help and had many qualities as q landscape architect. At his suggestion the narrow lanes Of walk between lots were done away with and about q foot of sand given to each of the adjoining lots and the moving of lots by lawn mowers become possible. He continued, un- til his death. 10 keep tho records and 10 take care of the payrolls. sub uniting all bills 10 the chairman be- fore payment. For many years, in fact until Major Bullcn became su rerintcndcnt. l compiled his records and kept a copy of the reports which are now in book form in the vaults of the cemetery office.
 About three years before MT. Gladdens death Major w. w. Bullen was appointed assistant superinten- dent. Unfortunately MT. Gladden. rather resented this division of au thority, but on account of MT. Glad den's age it became imperative to have a successor to him in training. Major Bullen has proved a most val uablc man to the cemetery commit tee and to the city. For the last ten years the active management Of cemetery affairs has been under his direction. All the bookkeeping is now done at the cemetery office. Under the section Of the present city charter pertaining to the cemetery committee. which was formulate: by Judge James Roche and myself, all bills must be endorsed and ap- proved by two members Of the com- mittee and certified to by the city comptroller. The committee ac- count has never been overdrawn and notwithstanding criticism of a recent investigator the books are accurate ly kept and no one with a knowledge Of bookkeeping system can find fault with them. None of the principal funds can be withdrawn from say ings banks without the signature of the entire committee. The interest only can be drawn by the secretary of the committee as occasion re quires. So that the funds are abso- lutely safeguarded. The secretary is under bond 10 protect interest with drawals.
 The amount now held for perpet- ual care is one hundred thirty-ninc thousand dollars (S139.0o and the interest on this must be used for the care of individual lots. In addition the Miller fund of fifty thousand dollars (S50,060} and from the Err win fund of twenty-seven thousand