Angeline Leavitt Waterman has been in her grave since March 8, 1906. Her daughter, Julia, lies beside her, but her stone is partially covered with sand from the snowplows and it is impossible to tell when she was buried.

The Department of Transportation decided to widen Route 4 sometime ago. Obviously, Angeline and Julia were in the way, along with 30 or 40 others in the little cemetery across from Gammon’s Nursery in Auburn.

Instead of nipping a little more nursery land on the left to avoid desecrating the cemetery, the DOT liked the straight line better.

Of course, Angeline and Julia couldn’t protest, so they lie within two feet of a guardrail that sharply tapers to the right, just in from of their gravestones.

Did the crew that put in the guardrail have any second thoughts about where the rails were placed? It looks to me that another 10 feet of straight rail would have made Angeline’s resting place a little more restful.

I don’t know if anyone protested during the planning process or construction but what happened to common sense anyway? Would anyone in the DOT want graves of their loved ones to be treated this way?

Every year, Angeline and Julia’s gravestones get buffeted by the snowplows, and they are leaning more this year than last. I realize that no one is going to undo what has happened, but maybe if more people would stop by and see what expediency does, it might save a future cemetery travesty.

Steve Hall, East Andover

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