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13 from the regular appropriation for fire purposes, the equipment of the Fire Department is as complete as is necessary and possible under its present organization. It is evident that adequate general protection against fire in such a town as Lexington can be given only by one or more steam fire engines; but as this is a question in- volving an entire reorganization of the fire service, as well as a con- siderable expenditure of money, your Committee do not feel com- petent to make recommendations further than to call the attention of the town to the grave necessity of providing adequate protection against loss by fire, for the public and private property of the town. (Signed) JAMES P. MUNROE. ALBERT B. SMITH. WM. B. FOSTER. ALBERT S. PARSONS. MINORITY REPORT. As a member of the above Committee I subscribe to all of the report, with the exception of the concluding paragraph, to which I respectfully dissent, and would recommend the purchase of a steam fire engine for the town of Lexington, the sum for the purchase therefor to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen and Fire Engineers. G. W. SAMPSON. And after considerable discussion it was Voted, That the matters be recommitted to the same Committee and the Committee on Water Supply to consider the subject and report at an adjournment of this meeting if adjourned, or at next town meeting. Mr. C. T. West, for the Committee on Purchase of Land for a New Cemetery, made a report as follows : — The Committee appointed to investigate and report on the matter of securing land for a new cemetery have attended to that duty, and present the following report : The Committee have held meetings at various times during the year for the purpose of con- sultation and the examination of various tracts of land, which it was 1! 14 thought might be suitable for the purpose. It was found early in our investigations that whatever location was selected, there could be serious and valid objections raised against it. Your Committee are unanimous in the opinion that a tract of land should be at once secured, containing not less than twenty-five or thirty acres. In selecting land for this purpose there are many things tobe considered. It must be dry, gravelly or sandy land, free from ledges or bowlders, and so situated as not to be expensive to put in proper condition for use. It should be in a location which is not likely to be needed for building purposes, and still be easily accessible, and so situated as not to be objectionable to the surrounding property. It will be seen at once that to comply with all these conditions it is very difficult to select a location against which there cannot be some objection made. But your Committee have worked faithfully and carefully in the matter, and have decided to recommend to the town a tract of land that seems to `meet the requirements the most completely of any to be found. The land which to the Committee seems most suitable and appropriate in all respects is situated in the northeasterly part of Lexington, bordering on North Street, between Adams and Lowell Streets, and is a part of the farm be- longing to Herbert V. Smith. We are unable, in the absence of any survey, to give a definite description or boundaries of this land, but it contains about thirty acres. The soil and general condition of this land are admirably adapted for cemetery purposes ; the soil being of • a loose, dry, sandy nature, free from either ledges or bowlders, and the general surface having an easterly and southerly exposure, being gently rolling or undulating, thus securing at all times the best of drainage. The only objection we can see to this land for this purpose is its distance from the centre of the town, being about a mile and a half. But this objection we think would apply to any tract of sufficient size in town, and in no other location is land so well suited for cemetery purposes to be found. We would, therefore, recommend that a committee be appointed with full power and authority to purchase the tract of land named, if it can be done for what seems to them a fair and reasonable