136 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



School Street, at the time of occupancy, May 15, 1845, 

 was, according to the report of the Building Committee, 

 for the land $18,189.75, for the building $19,493.03 ; 

 making a total of $37,682.78. The means for its erec- 

 tion were derived from the sale of stocks in which the 

 surplus funds of the Society had been invested ; from 

 the Society's proportion of the proceeds of sales of lots 

 in Mount Auburn, and from a loan, secured by mortgage, 

 of $15,000, at five per cent per annum. In 1849 this 

 loan was repaid, and a new one of $10,000, at six per 

 cent, obtained from Josiah Bradlee. In September, 

 1852, the Society bought of Isaac B. Woodbury the 

 estate in the rear of the hall, containing about 2,400 

 square feet, for $12,000, with the intention of at some 

 future time enlarging the hall, which had become too 

 small for the annual exhibitions. The payment was 

 made in cash $2,500, and a mortgage of $9,500, on 

 which $5,000 was paid February 14, 1854, and the 

 balance of $4,500 in March, 1855. May 12, 1856, 

 $5,000 was paid on the mortgage to Mr. Bradlee, redu- 

 cing it one half; in January, 1857, $2,000 more was 

 paid; and January 6, 1858, the balance of principal 

 and interest, amounting to $3,027.50. 



The Society was then free from debt, and a resolu- 

 tion of thanks to Mr. Bradlee was passed for his loan, 

 which he had renewed and continued from time to 

 time, receiving payment as suited the convenience of 

 the Society ; thus saving it from the payment of extra 

 interest during a long period of money pressure. 



By the indenture with the Proprietors of Mount 

 Auburn, dated December 18, 1858, the Society agreed 

 to pay to that corporation the sum of $9,008.49, that 

 being the estimated cost of one fourth part of the land 



