Mount Auburn Cemetery

349

Nov^r 10 [186]6

Hon. Nath^l Silsbee, Treas^r Harv^d Coll.

Dear Sir,

I have carefully inquired into the matter of complaint of Geo. M. Folsom, contained in the enclosed note, respecting the alleged breaking of the Damon Monument on "Harvard Hill" and have learned from the Superintendent, whose statements are [?] by others having proper means of knowledge, that the monument was observed prostrated what a year or more [?] on the next day after a fierce northwest gale which blew down a large pine tree within a hundred and fifty feet of this monument, tearing the tree out by the roots. The stump of the tree still remains there in position as it fell. Both the tree and monument fell in the same direction -- up hill, i.e. the S.E. -- The Superintendent feels confident that the gale prostrated the stone.

Not so much for curiosity, as to examine the form and strength of this stone, I determined to visit the spot: and this I was unable to do until yesterday, which must be my apology for so long delay in making a written reply to the charge. Having stated to you some time since the Superintendent's method of accounting for it