Title:
Letter from H. A. Greene to [John Muir], 1914 Nov 26.
Creator:
H. A. Greene
Publisher:
University of the Pacific Library Holt-Atherton Special Collections. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies
of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Contributor:
[John Muir]
Date:
1914 Nov 26
2008
Type:
Text
Format:
Image/jpeg2000
Identifier:
muir22_0804-md-1
Source:
Original letter dimensions: 33 x 21.5 cm.
Language:
eng
Coverage:
Monterey, Calif.
Rights:
Copyright status unknown
Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction
of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners.
Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Transcription:
Monterey, Cal., Nov. 26th., 1914. Dear Sir:- Your influence is solicited to prevent our generation from being guilty of
an inexcusable crime. Near Monterey there exists, as you probably know, a grove of prehistoric trees, the parent of all the
cypresses, which are making their last stand here; for elsewhere the species has disappeared from the wild. The grove has
noticeably deteriorated of late from several preventable causes and unless some action is taken now the value of this natural
wonder will be destroyed. The Pacific Improvement Company is the owner of this group of trees and it has sub-divided the
land into building lots. First we must prevent the sale of any of these lots, then take steps to have the U.S. government
take over the place as a National Monument. The plan is to purchase about 100 acres of land on Point Cypress, bounded on
the shore side by the road known as the Seventeen mile drive , also a strip of land 500 feet wide, extended in an easterly
direction to a point on the U.S. Presidio, Monterey. This strip affords a right-of-way for an independent road and takes
in two other groves of rare trees which are in immediate danger of being destroyed, should a fire be started near them. We
thought to assign to the California Academy of Sciences, for obvious reasons, the task of obtaining an option, at as low a
figure as possible, from the owners. You are now requested to call upon the directors whom you happen to know and urge them
to take up this matter. A number of organizations have already passed resolutions strongly commending the plan to save this
wonderful grove and assistance has been offered from many parts, including England. Such a resolution from the California
Associated Societies for the Conservation of Wild Life would be valued. Each organization which has shown interest enough
to pass an appropriate resolution shall have a voice in selecting an Authoritative committee which shall take full charge
and carry out the plan above set forth. Temporarily the writer has undertaken the preliminary work and he asks for your assistance
and advise. Respectfully, illegible 05887