1866-09-20 Letter: Superintendent Winsor to Coolidge, 1831.016.001.004-002

Mount Auburn Cemetery

Mount Auburn, September 20^th 1866

Austin J. Coolidge Esq^r

Dear Sir,

Your letter of yesterday is at hand. The Stone of Edward T. Damon was not injured by any of the workman of M^tAuburn! You will recollect about One Year since, we had a most terrific gale. from the North West! which blew up by the Roots a White pine tree on "Cedar Hill." The small end or top struck just south of Phineas Upham' Monument, - and between the Monument, and his corner post; covering the whole lot with its branches, but fortunately did no damage! M^rBarker thinks it was the next day (as this happened in the night) that he saw this Stone had blown down. Fred - saw it also. and I saw it also! and never had any doubts - in regard to the cause of it, as it broke off in the socket, and fell on to the hill, in about the same direction

[ on verso after fold] Capt. D. L. Winsor Sept 20. 1866 abt the breaking of the Damon Monument

as the tree fell. The Stone is the coarsest material I ever saw! a kind of Grind Stone that you can break to pieces with your fingers, The friends have been here several times, and have had the matter explained to them, and appeared to be satisfied. until the other day. Thomas Carew. told me our workman had broken a Stone he made for M^rDamon I explained the matter to him, and he seemed to doubt all I said, and probably he has made the complaint. If our men had broken it, I should have replaced it at the Expense of the Corporation, as I always do, whenever they break head Stones, or fences, which very frequently occurs! but we were not at work on that hill, at that time! Nor had never required a "Derrick" there since two years - If the friends, or College authorities attempt to Duplicate that Stone, I think they cannot find the man, that ^can^ find on this Earth, another such a [?mean?] Stone to work into a "Head Stone"[sever illegible words crossed out]

Yours Respectfully Daniel L. Winsor