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Washburn College.
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL HISTORY.
F. W. CRAGIN [ 5 0] Topeka, Kansas, Aug. 10, 1891. Prof. C. E. Bessey, Univ. of Neb., Dear Sir:---- My delay in sending you list of the botanical literature which I have for sale has been due to the loss of the list. I had a partial list (which was first draft of part of the list) and to this I have not till Saturday last been able to add what was lacking, as the work connected with preparation for removing from Topeka to Colo. Springs has kept me very busy. Please therefore excuse the lack of order in the list, which I cannot now find time to copy, and have concluded to send as it is. The letter M. with figure, at left, indicates price in Marks, at which the books so marked were bought from Friedlanden In some cases, I have marked the price in dollars. Of the papers not marked, some were bought and memorand. of cost has disappeared; others came as exchanges. Of those of which I have indicated cost, the cost (not including postage or duty) amounts to $130.50. The cost of a few more purchased pamphlets would bring this up to about $135.00 Add to this $15.00 for postage and duty on English & German & other foreign bks and pamphlets and we have $150.00 as the approximate first cost of these books. Rostafinsky's Mycetozoa is now at a premium, I believe, and the set of Botanical Gazette is the last set publishers had. It had
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been reserved for Friedlanden & Sohn and I got it by ordering through them. Grevilles is now nearly or quite exhausted as to earlier volumes. These and several others I have had opportunity to sell, or can sell at full price. I should not be able to make reduction on such, if the library is sold piecemeal. But if I can sell the entire library, I will put the price way down to make it an object to buy some things not now wanted for the sake of the rest. This to save time and correspondence. Please make me a bid, therefore, such as you can, for the whole collection and I will accept it if I possibly can, as I am anxious to close the matter before Sept. 1, at which date I expect to start to Colorado. I have offered the library this for only to two parties--and there Kansas botanists--at $100 and $90; but I will make still further sacrifice. So cut down the figure and let me hear from you. As to selling parts of the library, I do not think I ought to let best parts be picked out until I have offered to eastern buyers the library as a whole.
Very truly yours- F. W. Cragin .
P. S--Please reply at once, as I must correspond soon with eastern parties, if sale is not made to you. In latter event, please return the list.
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Topeka, Aug 20, 1891. Dear Sir: I have resigned my position here and accepted the Chair of Geology in Colorado College. I remove to Colo. Springs first wk. in Sept. I have always promised myself a visit to Profs. Bessey & Kingsley a the Univ. of Neb. but never reached it. Hope to make it yet from Colo. I want to ask who takes Prof. Hicks' place; also whether the Univ. of Nebr. has collections in mesozoic and Tertiary Vertebrate Palaeontology which I shall make my life speciality. Am now converting my sci library into one of palaeontol. Notarisia (1st 4 vols.) cost me $14.00 Do you want it at two thirds price? Truly yours- F. W. Cragin
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Address, Topeka, Kan. Salina, Ks., Aug. 25, 1891.
Dear Prof. Bessey,
I received your card today, only a few moments before I had to take train for N. W. Kans. and did not have time to send the Notarisia; but I got the vols. ready and my wife said that she would see to sending them, which I presume she will do tomorrow. I inclose bill, which I have made out here and which of course will not be paid till the periodical arrives. The money should be sent to my Topeka address. I am on a "Plesiosaurian hunt" and shall be in Topeka again in two or three days. Shall be glad to hear from you at any time. Sincerely yours- F. W. Cragin.