Burlington; 15 Nov ..72.

Hon. G. P. Marsh, Italy,

My dear Sir, I have received a letter from Harrington, from which I copy the postscript, which will enable you to make a drawing of the proper cap stone or cap stones to receive the Statue: "The cap stone is 5.10 x 5.10 square at top. The square member or ab-acus is 12 inches in thickness-whole height of cap, 3 feet." Please suggest the best form for a deposit of documents c - My plan would be to have a cavity in the under side of the cap stone, say two feet square, and six inches deep, into which should be placed a leaden or copper box to receive the deposit. The legislature have appropriated $500. for an iron fence around the monument. I would be pleased with any suggestion; you may make as to the style or manner of it. Mr Phelps is associated with me, as one of the Committee. Pardon me for again calling your attention to the necessity of your seeing, through your own or some other's eyes, the finished statue before it is boxed, and of having photographs of the same.

The election has gone off gloriously, and what is quite singular, the cunningly devised effort to defeat Grant has vastly increased his majority. The terrible Boston fire is a calamity to the whole country. You have doubtless received this in papers the sad account. We have our first snow (an inch or two) this morning. I wish you could see, as I now can, Old Whiteface gleaming like a star in the morning sun.

With very kind and respectful regards to Mrs Marsh, I remain very truly Yours,

John N. Pomeroy.

References in this letter:

Ira P. Harrington owned the "Harrington Quarry" in Barre, Vermont. It was one of two quarries that supplied granite for the Vermont State House.

E. Phelps (1822-1900) was a Burlington attorney.

Ulysses S. Grant, after overseeing the defeat of Confederate forces at the battle of Chattanooga in November 1863, became general in chief of the Union armies on March 12, 1864.

On November 9, 1872 there was a great fire in Boston. The fire stop-ped short of the Old South Metting House, but destroyed many other landmarks, including Trinity Church, and the Transcript and Pilot newspaper offices.

The lawyer, John Norton Pomeroy, (1792-1881) was a lawyer and prominent resident of Burlington, Vermont. He held several position in Vermont state government and was named chairman of the Statuary Committee to oversee the construction of the monument placed over the grave of Ethan Allen in Green Mount Cemetery in Burlington.