Vernal, Utah, Aug. 26, 1909



My dear Dr. Holland,

It is about 11 P.M. but I know how anxious you are about the success of these expeditions so I will not longer neglect to tell you of our prospects in this part of the world.

I have found what bids fair now to be an almost complete skeleton of a Brontosaurus. I never saw anything that, on the surface, and so far as we have gone, had such promises of a whole thing. Nine or Ten caudals had weathered out and some of the centra broken and, of course the processes injured or lost. In front of that the bones show that they were entirely uninjured before the skeleton was buried.

We have exposed parts of the bones to the third or fourth vertebra anterior to the sacrum, and the bones are exactly in place, apparently except that the femur appears to have gone down several inches out of its place in the socket. I confidently expect at least to get all the pelvic girdle, and the two hind limbs. Arthur tells me you need the hind feet. I fully expect too to find all the dorsals. Of course currents may have disturbed the thing before we get to the head but there is no indication as yet that any disturbance has taken place. He was buried so quickly and deeply that the point of the pelvis, the anterior portion of the illium [sic] stands outward as far undoubtedly as in life. The neck, like the tail would naturally lie so low that less than half the thickness of sediment would cover it up and after it was covered it would take deep disturbance to effect [sic] it. If it continues as it has started the position of the bones will give us pointers on mounting and will settle several questions of doubt about the animal.

It is not in the material in which they are usually found but in a gray sandstone that picks quite easily. It is not a quarry, a mixture of a lot of things but one huge fellow all by himself, and apparently died all alone and was buried intact. In fact so far he is almost in position for mounting -- almost in the position in which we would mount him. I cant help indulging in bright hopes of finding even the skull complete!! But I try not to indulge in such a great hope too much. But I cant imagine a better place to look for one. If the thing should turn out as it bids fair to do the Carnegie Museum is certainly a fortunate museum. If we don't amount to much personally we're lucky, the results are the same and maybe nobody will know the dif.

It may be that I will find I am mistaken about the femur. The lower end may have fallen in and so thrown the outer upper portion below its usual place. I have no Dinosaur book here and dont know what is the flat bone back of and above the ilium, but think it must belong there.

I know where to get some more good fossils in the Uinta as well as the Wasatch but of course they are only to be glanced at at this critical time.

It is going to be a mighty job to get the thing out right but its got to be done.

I have employed a young man and team - for $75 per mo. which is very cheap here.

I also have engaged a man who thoroughly knows the art of using powder. We can use horses, plow, scraper and dynamite to advantage without damage to the specimen, and remove dirt quite rapidly. Another man is coming Monday, so we will have four men at work. It will cost lots of money. I think it best, safest, and most economical to get it out as rapidly as it can be done with perfect safety. Probably I can use more men to advantage. I can see later. We have not a cook yet and have not been able to get one so far. Think I can later.

We will have to construct a wagon road up to the foot of the slope and then build a snake-trail down to this, a distance of perhaps 60 to 80 rods. The blocks will have to be crated and then pulled down the slope on a drag.

The really great difficulty is when we remove the sections with the dorsal vertebrae. The sandstone will have to be broken in some way into sections, and probably a tripod with a block & tackle will have to be constructed.

I do not believe that the thing can be removed for less than $2000 to $4000 -- that is gotten to Pittsburg -- that is if it is complete. But we've been looking for Dinosaurs and I don't see any way but to take our medicine or abandon it to someone else. Carnegie wanted a Dino. for the king of England. If he wants one now there is a fair share that we have it.

I have to give $2.50 per day and board for the dynamiter, but I think he'll be worth it. My other man asks $2.00 per day, so with a cook it would cost about 300 per mo for men and board. Then there is lumber, plaster alcohol &c, &c.

They say that one can work until the holidays here usually. Possibly I might be happily disappointed and we could get it out in 3 or 4 mo. I hope so. I think it would be best to put on all the force we could use.

But all along the line I am ready for practical advice. I shall try too to get men who understand how things should be done.

Well, I think this is enough for this time. I will keep Stewart informed as to the work and how the thing is "coming out".



Yours sincerely

Earl Douglass