DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

WASHINGTON, D. C. May 19, 1892

Prof. O. C. Marsh,
New Haven, Conn.

My dear Marsh:

I telegraphed you this morning about the debate in
the House yesterday, by which they struck out all appropria-
tions for Paleontology. This was sprung in the Committee of
the Whole, by Herbert, who made a violent speech against
Paleontology and no one came to the rescue. He brought up
the whole subject of the investigation of years ago and used
Agassiz' letter, written at that time, with great effect.

It is useless to tell you anything more about it, and you had
better read the full debate in the Record, out this morning,
Thursday the 19th. I believe you have it in New Haven.

An attempt will be made to reinsert these items when the bill
is reported from the Committee of the Whole to the House which
may be on Saturday or may go over until Monday. I advise you
to write to your friends in Congress for a reply to Herbert,
so that it may be used either in the House or Senate. I take
it for granted you have written to Outhwaite. Walcott is out

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C. May 28, 1892

My dear Marsh:

I telegraphed you last night that the House had sus-
tained the Committee of the Whole striking out all appropria-
tions for Paleontology. This includes your item of $4,000,
a second paleontologist at $2,000, and $30,000 for paleonto-
logical work. Of this $30,000 over $20,000 was for salaries.
Cogswell, of Massachusetts, tried to get an aye and nay vote
on the amendment, but failed, and in the standing vote they
only polled 22 votes in favor of reinserting. This does not
mean anything, because as soon as it was seen that the Commit-
tee of the Whole would be sustained, Members did not vote.
It, however, shows a black eye so far as the Survey is con-
cerned. Bingham tells me that he thinks there will be no
trouble in having the Senate put back these appropriations,
and Powell tells me this morning to say to you that he thinks
there will be no difficulty in having the Senate reinsert the
items. There is also one thing in its favor; the appropria-

tions came from the House committee and are endorsed by them.

It is much more favorable that if they were proposed in the House in opposition to the committee. There is one thing about the Senate Appropriation Committee which personally I dislike; Stewart, of Nevada, is on the Committee and I know he is talking bitterly and persistently against Powell. For my part I was much opposed to having an effort made to bring the matter up again in the House, as I felt sure it could not go through, but Powell asserted that it would. Bingham told me that he did not believe the House would put it back.

The trouble in the House was that there was no real defense of Paleontology. If a good speech had been made the result might have been otherwise.

Bingham is in high glee over his victory in the matter of the Philadelphia Mint. In your letter you spoke of writing to Bingham after the bill was through the House. I think this is most desirable. He has worked hard and taken a deep interest in scientific appropriations in the Sundry Civil bill and it is no more than right that this fact should be recognized by scientific men. I thinks he appreciates such recognition. I have seen a good deal of him of late, and know that he has shown a deep interest in all these things Personally, I do not think Powell's letter, which was published in Bingham's speech, a good one. It did not bring out

fully the real value of Paleontology to Geology. But what
I criticize is he gave the impression that there was a very
large and completely organized bureau of paleontology which
must be looked after. The impression the letter would have
given me had I been a Congressman was that it would not hurt
to curtail these expenses. The letter should have shown that
there was really very little money devoted to these matters
and that the greatest economy was used in its expenditure.

Very truly yours,

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C. June 2, 1892

Prof. O. C. Marsh,
New Haven, Connecticut.

My dear Marsh:

Your letter just received. I expect to go to New York tomorrow night and if you are to be at the "Century", Saturday evening, I might meet you there. If so, telegraph me to the "University Club" tomorrow. If you are to be at the "Century" please have a card sent to me as both King and my brother are out of town. I will talk with you about matters mentioned in your letter when I see you in New York, but if by chance we do not meet I will then write you from there. The striking out of all appropriations for paleontology is a serious matter, but it is by no means as serious as the statement appropriating for geological work $100,000, providing that no part of the appropriation shall be used for the purposes of paleontological work or researches. This not only cuts off certain salaries, but it prevents all work. Such men as C. A. White and Lester F. Ward are paid from the geological appropriation, but their work is wholly paleontologi-

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C. July 1, 1992

My dear Marsh:

Your telegram reached me last week just as I was
going off to spend Sunday and Monday. I gave directions to
have your things packed up and sent you by express, and I sup-
pose you have received them all right. Lockwood, the janitor,
tells me you went off owing him seventy cents for boot black-
ing, ice, messenger service, etc. This is a personal matter
with him.

The Sundry Civil Bill has not yet been reported and
will not be until tomorrow; probably not until after the
Fourth. Walcott has been doing good work in the House in
case the matter is brought up there again.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 11, 1893.

My dear Marsh:-

I have your note of the day before yesterday. Congress has adjourned and we came out fairly well, although by no means as well as we anticipated two weeks before adjournment. We had no investigation, no trial by newspaper, and Wolcott's speech, while it was an attack upon Powell and the Survey, gave everybody to understand that he believed in the Survey and that it must be sustained. He was, himself, quite ready to vote still more money for geological work, cutting down topographical work. As you know, the Senate reinstated two geologists at $4,000 each, added a paleontologist at $2000 and increased the amount for printing geological maps to $80,000. The additional salaries were all cut out in conference and the amount for printing maps reduced to $55,000. The best appropriation is for geological surveys in various portions of the United States: $70,000. Unexpended balances of

appropriations for the fiscal year 1891 were made available
liquidation of any outstanding liabilities for that
for the coming fiscal year. These items I give you from the
Sundry Civil Bill as published yesterday; this is the first
official announcement of how the bill finally passed.

Emmons, Becker, Pumpelly, Van Hise and yourself are out.
Gilbert has made up his mind that he does not want to go to
Columbia, so he will remain on the Survey. Whether it is a
question of 'sour grapes' or unpleasant experiences up there
this spring, I do not know, but such is the result. Things
are looking a little better than they did, although far from
satisfactory. The Legislative appropriation bill continues
things very much as they are with our office rent and building
The Major seems to be by no means well, and apparently has
very little to do with the administration of affairs; at least
he seems to shirk his duties as much as possible. Possibly
this might have been expected until Congress adjourned.

We have just started a geological society and nearly
everyone here has gone into it. I want you to understand
that it is a geological and not a geologic society. Walcott
is President, and Emmons is First Vice. Chamberlin, Salis-
bury and Iddings have come in as regular members. You will
doubtless be asked to join as an active or corresponding mem-
ber; I should recommend the former as the dues are only $2.00
a year.

I suppose you will hardly be down here before the
Academy meets in April. If anything turns up I will let you
know, and if you hear anything of importance to me here, let
me know without fail.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C., April 3, 1893.

My dear Marsh:-

Are you coming down here before the meeting of the
Academy? I suppose you will be here on Sunday, the 16th.
I take it you were in New York at the meeting of the "Century"
on Saturday night; did you hear anything of interest to me?
Everything is quiet here and jogging along in its usual way.
Shaler was here for a day, but I did not see him. Powell is
apparently busy with his great work on the Elements of Psy-
chology, and sees very few people. Most all the details of
geological work are left to Walcott who seems to handle them
fairly well, but complains of not being able to get authoriza-
tion from Powell or get him to discuss matters. I fear that
vertebrate paleontology will come out the little end of the
horn this year. Let me hear from you.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C.

April 8, 1893.

Prof. Asaph Hall, Secretary,
National Academy of Sciences,
No. 2715 N street, N. W.,
Washington, D. C.

Dear Sir:-

I shall be very glad to serve on a committee to examine the securities of the Academy. I write to say, however that Mr. S. F. Emmons who has also been appointed, is in California and will not return to Washington before May 1st. It will be necessary, therefore, that President Marsh appoint some one in his place.

I will say incidentally that Mr. Emmons mentioned to me before he left that he had forwarded you his ballot for new memberships in the Academy. He left before your papers were sent out. I presume, however, that his vote is in proper form, although not enclosed in the envelope which you sent out.