|
American Hotels
Butler and Holt, props.
No. 1
Forsyth, Mont., June 17th 1902
My dear Prof. Osborn
I arrived in miles City Saturday after a fair days ride and met the friends of Mr. Hornaday from whom I have gthered a good deal of information regarding the country. Found that it would be nearer the skeletons that we have heard of so much to come o Forsyth. The man Osborn on whose place this fossil was found came into town last night and we shall drive out to his place this morning thirty five miles. Yesterday I hear of another skeleton having been found within five miles of Forsyth. I rode out to the place finding the location and the debris, the skeletons having been destroyed by souvenir hunters. It was a Claisaurus as I could determine by the tendon bones. Had been complete lying in position partly embedded in hard sandstone, bones not crushed, the vertebrae had been broken off and packed away while as near as I can learn the skull and five or six cervical vertebrae were broken off in one piece and sold to the smithsonian institute about four years ago. It seems a Baptist Sunday School teacher had stolen the skull and sold it.
As soon as I return from this Olison trip, I can tell you what the possibilities are for a seasons work. I have heard of two other skeletons one on Porvder river, and another near the Mussel shell.
Horse hire is very expensive so if this proves worth anthing I shall purchase an outfit. Already the Yellowstone from Miles to Forsyth forty five miles Laramie. Cretaceous is exposed in good bad lands fading far away ino undulating prarie till the tirbutaries of the Missouri are reaches where there are good bad lands again.
This country promises will and has never been examined. At Billings I saw a good many Jursassic bones that had been broughtin from the Crow Reservation on Bearvaris Creek.
Shall still keep miles City as headquarters. If Dr. Lull comes before July 1st tell him to enquire of Mr. Huffman for me. It is quite possible we can use entire force in this locality. I should like to keep in close touch with Dr. Matthew.
Very truly yours
Barnum Brown
Miles City, Montana
|
