DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

A.

WASHINGTON, D. C.

April 20, 1897.

Prof. O. C. Marsh,

Paleontologist, U. S. Geological Survey,
New Haven, Connecticut.

Dear Sir:

Please submit as soon as possible, for the Director's consideration, a succinct plan of operations for your division or party for the fiscal year 1897-'98, with a statement also of any necessary field assistance, if required.

By order of the Director:

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C., May 12, 1937.

Dear Sir:

The Director desires to submit his Eighteenth Annual
Report (1896-'97) and accompanying papers, to the Hon. the Sec-
retary of the Interior by the close of the fiscal year, and to
facilitate this object you are requested to submit your adminis-
trative report for the year, which should bear date of June 30,
not later than June 10th.

These administrative reports should set forth the operations
of the several divisions and parties within the year, but should
not include details relating to scientific research, though
scientific discoveries and new generalizations and inferences
may with propriety be indicated. Being reports for the year
1896-'97, they should be confined to the work of that year,
except in so far as it may be necessary to speak of more com-
prehensive plans, in order to show the bearing of work done.

I inclose your report of the field work of the past season,
which please return with your annual report. So much of the
year's work as is covered by this field season's report it
will not be necessary to rewrite, unless you prefer to do so.

By order of the Director:

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D.C.,

Nov. 23, 1897.

Prof. O. C. Marsh,

New Haven, Conn.

Dear Sir:

In conformity with your request of November 20th, the
Director has given Professor Hyatt authority to turn the
vertebrate Jurassic remains from California over to you
for examination.

By order of Director:

Yours truly,

(3808,'97)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C.,

January 28, 1898.

Mr. Othniel C. Marsh,
New Haven, Conn.

Dear Sir:

The Director instructs me to inquire if you
have in preparation any paper for the Nineteenth An-
nual Report, 1897-'98. If so, a brief statement as to
title, probable length (maximum), illustrations, etc.,
is desired.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C.

June 14, 1998.

Dear Sir:

The Director desires to submit his Nineteenth Annual
Report (1897-98) and accompanying papers to the Honorable the
Secretary of the Interior by the close of the fiscal year, and
to facilitate this object you are requested to submit your admin-
istrative report for the year, which should bear date of June 30,
not later than June 15th.

These administrative reports should set forth the operations
of the several divisions and parties within the year, but should
not include details relating to scientific research, though
scientific discoveries and new generalizations and inferences
may with propriety be indicated. Being reports for the year
1897-98, they should be confined to the work of that year,
except in so far as it may be necessary to speak of more com-
prehensive plans, in order to show the bearing of work done.

By order of the Director:

Yours truly,

Prof. O. O. Marsh,

New Haven, Conn.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C.,

June 30, 1898.

Prof. O. C. Marsh,

New Haven, Conn.

Dear Sir:

Herewith I inclose a page of matter which is design-
ed as that section of the administrative report which refers
to your work for the past year. Please read and return the same
at once, noting any changes that seem to you needful or desira-
ble.

Prüfer June 30. 98

Copy of Mr. for Ad. Reforb

Connected & returned July 6 98
Copy enclosed,

( Marsh )

2

from the others that the strata can be readily identified
by abundant fossils. Special effort has been made to secure
other fossils, both invertebrates and plants, which might
be distinctive enough to be used as supplementary evidence.

This investigation was conducted in the Black Hills both with
reference to the two Jurassic horizons above named and to
the next higher strata. The most important characteristic

here definite
fossils secured were cycads. These were found to mark a differ-

ent horizon above the known Jurassic deposits, but apparently
in that formation and not in the Cretaceous. Work on the
monographs and memoirs in course of preparation has been con-
tinued during the past year and fair progress made, especial-
ly in investigation and illustration.

K.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 23, 1898.

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

Dear Sir:

Professor Emmons advises the Director of the receipt of a
letter from you asking the return to you of certain fossils and
electrotypes.

In discussing the matter with Mr. Ridgway and others
there seems to be some indefiniteness as to what you desire.
This is more especially the case with reference to the fossils
asked for, concerning some of which I understand you claim the
ownership.

In view of this fact the Director desires that you should
make an official request, stating definitely the purpose for
which they are wanted. They are in the official collections of
the Survey or National Museum, and unless adverse ownership is
established and on record they must be regarded as the property
of the Government, and can not be disposed of.

I see no difficulty in the way of securing the electro-
types.

WASHINGTON, D. C. Jan. 14, 1999.

Dear Sir:

The Director instructs me to inquire if you have in
preparation any paper for the Twentieth Annual Report, 1898-'99.
If so, a brief statement as to title, probable length (maximum),
illustrations, (number, kinds etc.) etc., is desired at the
earliest possible date.

WASHINGTON, D. C. Jan. 31, 1899.

Dear Sir:

In view of the early adjournment of Congress, the
Director desires soon to consider plans for the coming fiscal
year. Accordingly you are requested to submit an outline of the
field and office work which you desire to undertake for the
calendar year 1899, together with estimates of the cost,
specifying separately the items of the estimate under the
following heads: (1) Stated salaries; (2) field expenses
(including field assistant's pay, traveling expenses, wages of
camp hands, subsistence, and outfit); (3) care of public prop-
erty; and (4) office expenses.

Memoranda of Proposed Reforms in Issuing and Caring for
Articles of Stationery.

(1) That all articles of stationery be classified into two
groups, group A, including those which are consumed in ordinary use,
such as paper, pencils, ink, etc., and group B, those which are not
consumed in ordinary use, such as drawing instruments, bells, ink-
wells, cuspidores, etc.

(2) That articles of stationery of both classes be issued upon
requisitions signed by the person requiring them, and countersigned by
the chief of division and the chief clerk, as heretofore, and that
such requisitions be considered by the chief of division before at-
taching his signature to them.

(3) That the stationery clerk require receipts for all articles
of group B, such receipts to be signed by the person drawing them,
these articles being thus loaned, in precisely the same manner as sur-
veying instruments, and to be accounted for when required.

(4) In order that each person having such articles in his pos-
session may be enabled to protect them, it is recommended that suit-
able locks be placed upon the desks and upon the doors of rooms if de-
sired, in which case duplicate door keys should be deposited with the
superintendent of the building.

(5) In case a person leaves the office for an extended absence,
it is recommended that he deposit his articles of stationery, properly
packed, with the stationery clerk.

(6) In case of the resignation or discharge of an employé, he
should be required to turn in all articles of stationery in his pos-
session or otherwise account for them and take up his receipts.

(7) In case a requisition is made for an instrument when a similar instrument is already charged to the person making such requisition, he should be required to explain his reason for such duplication, and the requisite powers should be given to the stationery clerk.

(8) It is recommended that orders be issued to messengers and charwomen not to remove articles of any description such as cuspidores, baskets, etc. from the rooms in which they belong.

(9) That messengers be prohibited from using office rooms for sitting or eating rooms.

(10) In order to start fair, it is recommended that each person in the office having articles of stationery of group B in his possession should make a list of such articles, such list to be compared with the requisitions held against him; that all articles not accounted for be explained, and that receipts be furnished the stationery clerk for all articles now in his possession.

(11) In conclusion, the Committee would express their opinion that there would be greater economy in the issue of articles of group A if closer supervision were given to the requisitions by the chiefs of division.

The foregoing memoranda have been approved by the Director, and chiefs of division are requested to enforce the provisions thereof.

The table of horizons *above* mentioned is for vertebrate fossils as determined by the writer, and this fact is distinctly stated in the explanation, on p. 144. It does not purport to give all geological horizons not yet so determined.