Correspondence (incoming): Mead, Larkin G., 1890-1901

4 bis Via delle Officine Florence Italy, Dec. 26th 1890 Mrs Leland Stanford. Dear Madame, Your highly esteemed favor of Dec. 12th has reached me. I shall be very glad to make any changes that you may suggest in the group. The quality of marble best suited for a group of such grand proportions is from the quarries of Serravezza, you can see specimens of it in statues of Jefferson and Franklin in the corridors of the United States Senate Chambers The shortest possible time in which the groups could be completed in marble would be eighteen months. To give you an idea of the size of the group as it would be in marble. The figure of your husband would be about seven feet tall, and the other figures in relative proportion. The groups will be taller than the group of Columbus and Isabella which D.O. Wills presented to the State of California, which I made and which is in the Capital Building at Sacramento.

My price for the Columbus and Isabella group was $15000. without pedestal.

There is quite as much work in your group as in the Columbus and Isabella one. I will make your group for you in Serravezza marble, and box it and deliver it on board the Steamer or Vessel at Leghorn for Eight Thousand Dollars $8000.

The terms of payment to be as follows. One third of the amount to be paid me at the time you send me the order to commence work. This will enable me to pay for the immense block of marble, heavy expenses of transporation etc.

The second one third to be paid in a year from the time of commencing work.

The last one third to be paid on my having delivered the group in perfect order on board the Steamer or Vessel at Leghorn verified by Messrs Magney Hasken Veo.

If you approve my proposal and wish the work commenced immediately you can telegraph me the word commence and I will set to work at once to find the block of marble. You can then write me and send the first payment.

You will see Mrs. Stanford that I have been more than generous in making the price, and I surely hope you will be persuaded to send the order at once. And I promise to make a noble group for you.

Please present my high regards to Senator Stanford, and compliments to Mr. Nash.

I am very truly yours,

Larkin G Mead.

4 bis Via delle Officine. Florence. Italy. Jany 6. 1894.

Mrs Senator Leland Stanford Dear Madame.

I do myself the pleasure of writing a line to wish you all the good that the New Year can bring. The death of good Senator Stanford was a serious loss to our America. Senator Stanford, W.W. Corcoran of Washington and Mr Childs of Philadelphia were the trio of American Philanthropists, and now Mr Childs is the only one left. I was proud as an American to read the enconiums and rare praise of Senator Stanford in the European papers at the time of his death. His name coupled with your own and of the dear boy will be as houshold words for centuries to come. I wish to say a word about the Family Group. My part of the work was done years ago. (That is the creation in clay.) All that is now to be done is to employ the best workmen to reproduce my model in marble. Whenever you decide

to have the workmen commence the group in marble please write me and I will see that it is done in the most thorough and artistic manner. If there are any changes to be made in your costume in the group that can be done when the work is nearly completed.

I am very proud of the Family Group and hope I may sometime see it in its position in the Leland Stanford University

I hope we may see you on this side after the winter months are over. Will you please remember me to Mr Nash as I always associate him with the time when I formed the acquaintance of Senator Stanford and yourself.

Poor Geo Maquay the banker died some months ago, and the Maquay Hooker bank was obliged to close its doors a month ago on account of a run on the bank.

I think they will pay their creditors in full and continue their business.

With best wishes, and high regards,

Larkin G. Mead