Jensen, Utah, April 15, 1910

Dr. Wm. J. Holland

Carnegie Museum

Pittsburgh, Pa.



My dear Dr. Holland:-

I recd your letter of the 5th a few days ago. I was indeed glad to hear from you but sorry to know that you were ill. I am more anxious to hear from you now than ever. I so much hope you are well again.

Do not worry about things here. I do not boast but I think things could hardly move in better shape. I not only have the best of men but I am gaining a large experience myself, and become each week better and better capable of doing things right. I hardly dared to think of the difficulties until lately but as one approaches the rocky doors of Impossibility they gradually open, if they do sometimes "On their hinges grate, hoarse thunder." Sometimes we have to all sit down on the rocks and think until our heads ache but mind faith and muscles remove mountains, and we haven't been beaten yet. If Mr. Carnegie has agreed to furnish the money I am sure we can do the rest. I could hardly see how we could get in the hard rock back of the thing but there are such places.

With regard to the specimens. I see no reason yet for making any detraction from former stories. The first one No. 1 as I said has some of the bones a little out of place but I believe they are probably all there and near. We must be nearly to the 30th vertebra of the tail (from the sacrum). Nine or ten of the vertebrae had weathered out and their processes will have to be restored. Then it began like this, [sketch].

Nos. 114 or 115 got kicked out of place apparently. The tail is getting pretty small. If we don't strike more skeletons I think things are going to move quite rapidly (considering the bigness of things) from now on. We are getting our deep cut up in front of the skeletons. Of course there is lots of outside work that has to be done, and then we are forever running up against bones we want to save.

With regard to expenses, after seven months of experience I cannot see how we can push the work on less than $500 per mo. It may take more after awhile. Besides this we ought to have money enough to by [sic] team harness and wagon. The only team of which I know, that we can get (the one we have) is fairly good for their size but if we do much with them of a heavy nature we will have to have a new harness and wagon. Nearly killed a horse the other day on account of poor harness.

We have had a lovely spring. I never saw a finer, I am sure. Only 3 or 4 disagreeable days.

I, of course, would like to hear from you often, yet I am ever conscious of your interest and enthusiasm, and it is this to a great extent which keeps up my courage. I hope you will be able to come and see us and our Dinosaur family soon.



Yours sincerely,

Earl Douglass