The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-17
TO HUNT FoR DINOSAURS.
Finding of Petrified Prehistoric Monster
Has Stimulated the Search of Fossils.

beoloSlcal students are manifeSting
unusual interest over the recent dis
coVery of petrified skeleton of an i'm
mense dinosaur in Wyoming. The stone
monster, now being restored by the
wyoming state university, is by all
odds the most colossal animal structure
ever taken from the earth's strata. and
biologists claim that it is the greatest
fossil find yet made. The animal was
dweller in the jurassic age-a lizard
like creature, measuring nearly 1870 feet
in length and being perhaps % fest at
the shoulders-an animal so terrible in
size that it's petrified skeleton is belieV-
ed to weigh more than 10000 pounds.
In geological circles the restorat ton
Is looked upon as being of such i'm
portance that many of the leading in
situations of learning are preparing to
send field parties into Wyoming to col
lect fossil treasures and to locate fossil
fields during the coming summer. In
the interest of science and to promote
the development of the Wyoming fos-
sill fields the Union Pacific railroad
which overland" route traverses the
big sage brush state form one end to
the other, proposes to make a generous
donation of transportation to all Amer
lean institutions of learning DESTROYS
of obtaining collections of Wyoming
reptilian fossils. The passenger de-
partment of the road is now preparing
a circular of information on Wyoming's
fossil fields, a copy of which will soon
be sent to every university and college
in North America, together with an in
vitation to each to select geological
field party of a limited number of per-
sons to search for fossils in Wyoming,
the Union Pacific railroad offering free
transportation over it's lines to all such
parties as may be duly authorized to
represent any institution of learning in
this work. This offer on the part ofthe
Union Pacific is to go into effect on
June l next, and remain open until the
following September This will give
prospectors three months of Wyoming's
most delightful summer weather in
which to resurrect fossils from the
wyoming 'burying grounds and it
will not be surprise if during that
time hundred rival institutions of
learning vie with each other in the
work.
To Assistant Professor w. H. Reed
of the department of geology of the
Wyoming state university is due. the
credit of the recent wonderful discoy-
cry. He made the great find while
prospecting for fossils 80 miles north
west of Laramie last August, and since
that time the geological department of
the university has been secretly at
work in its restoration. So vast Is the
skeleton of the animal that its smallest
polie yet lOuHu is more imam man can
lift, and with two men in the field con-
stantly at work it is believed that
many months may be required before
the monster can be placed on the cam
pus at Laramie. Although it's restor-
| alton is as yet incomplete, still enough
of its bones have been disinterred to
establish It's genii, and to place it at
once Ill geological history as the king
OF all animals restored from fossil fields.
In comparison to a mammoth this
animal was in size as a horse to a dog.
In the known fossil world there is but
one creature that can even serve in
an approximate comparison with 1t,
and this would be only as a child be-
side 1t. The late Professor Marsh'S
famous brontosaur at the Yale museum
at New Haven is its only animal cri-
| terlon OF measurement. This was a
| creature of its own kind and time-a
| fellow creature in Wyoming, where for
! ages they have slept together in the
same graveyard, to be finally resurrect-
| ca Dy the same ghoul of science-Pro-
| lessor Reed. The skeleton at Yale was
| restored in 1879 by Professor Reed,
| under the direction of Professor Marsh.
| IN It's restoration seven-tenths of the
skeleton was found in place. Beside
this monster the largest dinosaurs CT
Europe, and, indeed, the world, have
| remained since it's discovery as only
| pysmies, and geological students for
| years have made pilgrimages to New
| Haven to study and marvel at its i'm
| mense skeleton.
This monster is believed to have been
| f2ut 10 feet in length, and in life to