Utah, 1910

File — Box: 6, Volume: 27

Identifier: II

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Douglass spent almost the entire year at the dinosaur quarry. In November he began the trip to return to Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh.

5 January--"We all went up to the diggings in the forenoon. Moved a good deal of dirt. We are beginning down low and preparing to sink[?] down 15 to 20 feet."
6 January--"Very cold. We think it is about down to -40°. Clear. I did not suffer much working. A fellow has to look out for his ears, nose, and toes."
11 January--"Raymond sent a clipping from the Gazette Times in which it was stated that Carnegie has provided means for the getting out and setting up of three[?] Dinosaurs. I hope it is so. It would be too hard on the Museum and I fear the work would be delayed."
2 March--"There are lots of insects now, especially flies. . . . Spend most of the time--regular hours at the Dinosaurs. . . . Worked from dusk in the morning until dusk at night. This evening spaded some garden, put dirt on ice house, . . . etc. I do enjoy working here. If we stay I intend to make this one of the coziest, prettiest places one ever saw."
21 March--"In the forenoon uncovered the large dinosaurs and began shellacing the one just found getting ready to plaster and make it more secure . ... To get out in blocks so we can handle them is the worst problem I have had to face and I am anxious to get it done."
23 March--"This afternoon plastered spine ... of No 1. I have concluded to try to get the ilium & sacrum together. It will make a block about 7' x 7', say 5 cu. yds. at 2 tons per cu. yd. would be ten tons. ... If I could get that boxed and down the hill I would think I could to the rest."
30 March--"I think we have solved another important problem that has bothered me. There have been two hard puzzles ... in connection with this work. Two were to get blocks enclosed so they would hold together and to box them securely. One problem I have solved with woven wire and plaster and the other by not boxing. We made a bottom of 2 x 4 cross pieces and boards lengthwise and are crating things. . . . they will take only perhaps one third the amount of lumber. I think by shellacing the plaster the rain will not hurt them."
9 April--"Getting ready to shoot behind No. 1. Plastered ends of tail bones and a specimen a little distance away which I had thought might be tail. . . . Took up a chunk and sure enough it was a nice tail bone. Picked up another chunk and there was the next in exact position. ... It looked as if after all we were to get the tail of No. 1. I had half given that up. I dug a little for third. Guessed it ended there. Dug a little more. Hurra[h]! it was there in place. A little space between evidently for cartilage. ... It does look as if we are to get an almost complete skeleton."
19 April--"He [Dr. Holland] seemed struck almost dumb by the magnitude of the work, the labor necessary to get the things out. I felt disappointed as I felt so sure he would be greatly pleased. He did not say much, however."
25 April--"His [Dr. Holland's] visit has brought back some of the old feeling toward him. I think he is unjust and unappreciative. We expected approbation for we knew we had been faithful, but got little but censure. If I had had another position and these things were not so interesting--it being a chance of a lifetime I would quit and see if he could do any better. There is no use in a man being so unappreciative when it is as much for his honor and that is what he wants. I do as much as any man on the force and yet he is always digging around[?]."
25 May--"Digging getting more interesting. Hate to quit at noon and night. . . . The stratum is full of bones. . . . Bones are going diagonally through cliff. Looks like a delta deposit and the current to east."
2 June--"Finding new bones nearly every day we work. In the morning we went up to spring and made a reservoir. It is getting so we can hardly get water in the middle of the day. . . . With a reservoir too I think we will have no trouble in irrigating the garden."
1 July--"In the evening Mrs. Douglass had a bad spell with her heart or whatever it is. It was the longest spell of the kind she has ever had I think. I was pretty nearly scared."
7 July--"The doctor thinks Pearl will soon be better. Is going to send me some medicine too. There is no organic trouble with Pearls heart. It is the nerves which control it."
8 July--"He [paleontologist from Field Museum in Chicago] expressed little or no surprise at what we think are great discoveries. In fact made no words of commendation, though nearly half a dinosaur . . . was ... in view, and a good part of another. He seemed a little queer to me."
23 July--"No words can express the damnations of this life some phases of it. Anyone who looks only at this life and isn't pessimistic is a fool or hasn't much memory. Yet I admit that it may be that life continues . . . though it sometimes seems plain it does not."
8 August--"Yesterday we had a dinner from our own garden and it was fine, summersquash, mashed potatoes, string beans, green corn, cucumbers, beets. Today we had cabbage, Okra, onions in soup, turnips, potatoes and radishes."
17 August--"This is the first anniversary of the discovery of the fossil quarry which is undoubtedly destined to be famous. . . .
"There has been a big change since a year ago. We have had a big task and it is not, by any means accomplished. We have out the larger part of No. 1 if the neck 257 belongs with it, but we have not yet found the skull and fore limbs and feet."
2 September--"It was one year ago today that we began work with force .... We have done a lot of work. Our expenses have been between $5000 and $6000. When I began I estimated the cost of getting out the one Dinosaur No. I at $2000 to $5000. We have gotten out the greater part of No. 1 but not all by any means. . . . We also have the greater part of the tail of No. 40 besides several specimens smaller which would be called skeletons and dozens of other individuals represented by parts. We have run a cut over 100 ft. long in hard rock. In some places it is 35 or 40 ft. high on one side. We have established our camp...
"Unfortunately we have not yet found a skull. I hoped to do so before this and have had many visions of it."
20 October--"This was our wedding anniversary. Have been married 5 years. Have never had a quarrel and are as much or more to each other than ever."
31 October--"The teams came pretty early .... Had an awful time getting the heavy specimen of Carniverous Dinosaur into wagon box. The bottom broke out and the boys wired it. ... The large specimen of cervicals did not bother much until it was in the wagon then it nearly tipped over. . . . Nearly all the horses balked and result was the follows did not get loaded."
15 November--"Skulls Dreamed the greater part of the night of working on Diplodocus skull. Uncovering the bones of the back portion time after time until morning. I would awake and get up then go to bed and dream it over and over. . . . found occipital condyle so before noon was sure of a skull at least lower portion. Was very jubilant.
"I went down in morning and looked it over--no bones appeared. ... I went down later raised the plaster up we had put on, took out a piece of broken rock, and behold a "
16 November--"I wrote to Dr. Holland about the skulls. I am so glad to get these as this 'Caps the climax' even if I did not find them until the 11th hour. This leaves little to be desired. Of course not all the good things are out but many are in sight."
9 December--"Father had a message from Dr. Holland, an insulting thing wanting me to come as soon as possible and help straighten up matters. He said there were not as many boxes as I had on my list and I had greatly overdrawn my acct."

Dates

1910

Language of Materials

From the Collection: Collection materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.