1888 Marsh and Felch Letters

Synopsis of Letters (1888)

Like the passed two years in the letters, Marsh was having trouble financially supporting the work at the quarry, and stated that things would not start until July. Marsh asked Felch to prospect for fossils to sell to make up for this set back (4/2/1888). The trouble was that Felch had already hired a man to help (4/17/1888) in the quarry. As for Marsh's proposal to prospect elsewhere for fossils, Felch declined because it was not financially feasible for him to do (6/3/1888).

That July (7/9/1888), a man named Mr. I.C. Russell (6/11/1888 - first mention in Marsh letter) from the United States Geological Survey visited the quarry with what Felch calls a "photographic apparatus." It is not known if Mr. Russell and his photographic apparatus (a camera-just in case its confusing terminology) took the pictures of the quarry-and the buildings in it-during this time.

Between the letters of 8/3/1888 and10/15/1888 Marsh traveled to Europe.

Other letters of note

1/2/1888: Regarding Marsh's last letter of 1887 (12/26), Felch wrote about the different outcrops he remembered seeing back east. He recalled where more fossil bearing red clay beds were. [Felch to Marsh]

7/24/1888: Marsh requested more small mammal jaws from the quarry. He also asked for small "living" turtles to be sent-one of each kind in the area-by mail. Marsh then gave some explicit instructions on how to pack them. It seems a bit of a random and odd request, but Felch was quick to reply that he'd "hunt up some turtles."

11/23/1888: Felch wrote about the dry summer they had and how his crops had failed. He was also distraught over the poor outcome at another quarry known as Quarry #2. [Felch to Marsh]

12/5/1888: Felch's daughter, Sarah, was back east visiting his first daughter he had with Carrie M. Eastman in Vermont. He wished for Sarah to visit Marsh in New Haven. [Felch to Marsh]

12/25/1888: Felch was sick and would like Sarah to come home since he felt he may not live for much longer. He asked Marsh to borrow $100 to help bring her home. [Felch to Marsh]