Carnegie Mellon University - Andrew Carnegie Online Archives

An unsigned copy of a typescript letter presumably from Andrew Carnegie to ""Mr. President."" Though not entirely clear from the contents of the letter, it seems that someone, presumably William Holland, President of the Carnegie Museum, requested an increase in funding to expand museum operations. Carnegie denies the request not only because he feels that other projects should have higher priority but also because he is not sure that the expansion is a wise idea. A penciled signature that was probably not written by Andrew Carnegie has been added to the letter.

A copy of a typescript letter from E. Ray Lankester to William Holland written in answer to Holland's letter of June 10th requesting input on the particulars of the installation of the Diplodocus carnegii reproduction at the British Museum. Lankester addresses the matters of support bases and the placement of the skeleton within the Museum and notes that another museum employee will be in contact with Holland regarding transit and delivery details. The remainder of the letter discusses various installation timetable options based on the availability of King Edward VII, Andrew Carnegie, and museum trustees and employees to attend an installation ceremony.

Typescript letter from Carnegie Museum director W.J. Holland to Carnegie, noting receipt of a letter from the director of the British Museum thanking Carnegie for his offer of a reproduction of Diplodocus, and he comments on the technical process of making the molds and the cost of doing so. Similar gifts might be made to other European governments, on condition that they reciprocate with models for the Carnegie Museum. He is also sending Carnegie, under separate cover, a paper on fossil dogs.

Typescript letter. Carnegie Museum director Holland reports to Carnegie that the extension of the Museum building will probably begin soon. The Bayet paleontology collection has arrived. It contains a number of fish species new to science, and therefore complements the earlier work of Louis Agassiz. Paleontological explorations in the western U.S., specifically the Judith River Formation, led by John Hatcher, on loan to the U.S. Geological Survey which paid for the expedition, and a Mr. Stanton, who opposed Hatcher's scientific views, were successful, and the material collected will come to Carnegie Museum. Some remarkable finds there, among them a large teleosaur, remain unidentified. Holland will act upon Carnegie's suggestion to have reproductions made of the museum's Diplodocus to be used as gifts. He then tells Carnegie that while in Brussels he learned that the Museum of the Congo Free State there has Okapi specimens; as there are none of these in the U.S., he urges Carnegie to talk with the Belgian king (Le?opold II) to obtain an Okapi, as well as a model of Iguanodon bernissartensis (a large lizard) in exchange for the gift of a Diplodocus. Holland relates an amusing exchange with the king about the possibility of obtaining insect specimens from the Congo Free State.

Typescript letter. W.J. Holland describes the work of Earl Douglass in the Green River area of Utah, where large dinosaur specimens are being excavated. The Diplodocus reproduction for the Russians has been finished and scheduled for shipment. Holland regrets that he may have to travel to St. Petersburg to supervise the installation, as he is getting tired of the ""old Dip.""

A handwritten letter from William Holland to Andrew Carnegie discussing a triceratops specimen found during a recent Carnegie Museum expedition in Wyoming. A drawing of the specimen from the Pittsburgh Gazette (?) accompanies the letter and an excerpt from an article in the same newspaper which discusses the drawing is pasted to the bottom of the letter.

A signed handwritten letter from William Holland to Andrew Carnegie notifying him of Holland's arrival in London and providing him with addresses where Holland can be reached throughout the fall while he is helping with the installation of diplodocus models in Vienna and Bologna. Holland also reports that he has brought along five hundred Carnegie Museum specimens of Central African lepidoptera that are not in the British Museum to share with entomologist Sir George Hampson who would like to include figures of them in a book he is preparing.

A signed typescript letter from William Holland to Andrew Carnegie discussing responses from Austria, Russia, and Italy concerning offers of gift diplodocus models. Holland notes that he is currently corresponding with contacts in Vienna and St. Petersburg to assess interest and that Italy has already accepted the offer. The remainder of the letter relates the events of a recent Lincoln's birthday celebration held at the Carnegie Museum.

A typescript letter from William Jacob Holland to Andrew Carnegie discussing the creation of a replica of the diplodocus carnegii to be given to the King of Spain. Holland goes on to describe a recent discovery at Carnegie Museum's Utah quarry, ""the most complete as well as the largest specimen of a dinosaur yet discovered in America."" On Carnegie Museum letterhead.

A typescript letter from W.J. Holland to Andrew Carnegie. In the letter Holland mentions his receipt of several communications from Andrew Carnegie. He thanks Carnegie for inviting him to Skibo for the summer, but he has to decline due to a serious illness his son has. The majority of the letter concerns topics and issues about the Carnegie Museum. Holland mentions two appendices that he has included with the letter, one on the comparative annual expenditures of four of the leading museums of America and the other an outline of a formal organization of the staff at the Carnegie Museum. He ends the letter by stating that he is working on entering the new building ""with a notable display of fine material"". On Carnegie Museum letterhead.