Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1879-12-02)

distance of 100 miles. To do anything some one must be right there to do it. When this time comes for me to move out open my own responsibility you will see me go out there and work a bill through this legislation for this establishment of an Iowa State Museum before anyone will have time to say 'fail' once. Just now I had thought that it would be a good time for you to get $1.000 worth of specimens off your hands and possibly benefit me a little also by beginning operations now, although I am by no means ready to undertake this great plan I have in mind. As I have said before I should be glad to have this H. Collection located in Des Moines, and if it were mine it would be sold there in less than six months, and no such word as fail. If it were mine I would start to Iowa next week as soon as gone, and land that collection right in Des Moines, brought and paid for, within six months. But if you do not care to undertake