Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1883-02-13)

page 2 continue to persuade him, and think he will finally screw his courage to the sticking point. He is going to help us out in the matter of getting out the invitations to the Reception. Thinks the Reception a good idea. The Dr. says that as long as your establishment exists they will never have any work done elsewhere. I praised your shipment of mammals and very highly, & they were duly pleased.

         I saw Mr Colgate this morning. The S. A. T. was a new thing to him, and he expressed a desire to look

carefully into the subject before it giving an answer to my invitation to contribute. Said he would go up to the museum and see Dr Holder & Prof. Bickmore. I think it likely he will give us something. I hope he will so that ^it^ you nor I nor any of the rest of us need advance a cent. We are all to closely pressed.

           But Professor we  will  need you  terribly  at the

crisis to help plan our preparations. I think we will have plenty of willing help, but it must be directed. Mr Lucas is a hard worker, and skillful, but he is not a good organizer. The worst drudgery of all is looking after the press, and if we have help enough I will devote a good portion of my time to working up the papers. I have the campaign all mapped out, and several good men enlisted.

         Tomorrow I will know whether we are to have the Masonic

Hall for a six days show. There was no one present but Studer at his meeting of the Board. & he went off mad, as Dr Holder discovered later in the day. Just as I thought. Studer would never have made that Ex. a success. The other members of the Board scarcely have any respect for him. My head aches, & I must stop. Yours hastily. W. T. Hornaday I will know by Thursday sure. Wallace is going to make a stunning show, He will surprise his friends ans silence his enemies! I got him to give the society a peacock and