when ramón mestres, the pastor of the cathedral of san carlos borromeo, discovered what had happened, he had the tree hauled out of the bay by local fishermen and brought to the grounds of the cathedral. with financial help from harry ashland greene, the trunk and with some of its lower branches was preserved with crude oil and creosote and the parts which had been eaten away were filled with concrete. the remains of the tree were then erected on a pedestal in the gardens at the rear of the cathedral. a commemorative plaque was placed at its foot. the dedication reads: