Transcribe Baird, Spencer Fullerton. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1879-07-21)

Dear Mr. Ward,

Yours of the 16th, has just reached me in Provincetown. I have not quite ready to have you send the skeleton of the whale as we have no place in which to put it neither is the papier maché half shell, for its insertion, ready. Can you not retain the [same?] for the present, say some time next winter? Of course the bones can be cleaned thoroughly, and probably to some extent articulated, but the [whole?] stored away for future action. We have no place now, in the [pressure?] consequent upon the work on the new building in which to make the papier maché half shell, in the cavity of which, as you understand we propose to set the skeleton.

Arrangements have been made for the payment of the bill of $272, + I have enclosed the necessary vouchers to that end. Please write to Wm. J. Rhees, Smithsonian Institution on the subject. Very Truly Yours Spencer F. Baird Prof. Henry A. Ward. Rochester, N. Y.