On their walk out to the quarry, she explained the Great Dinosaur Rush that started decades before. She detailed some of the behaviors of Cope and Marsh—two paleontologists who had sought to outdo each other through sabotage and subterfuge—and it brought the expected gasps and horrified expressions.
Those two men lacked any vestige of integrity in their bitter rivalry to gain acclaim. The only good thing to come of their rivalry was the attention it brought to the fact that paleontologists were digging for evidence of great beasts.
She hated to admit it, but she wouldn’t be here now if not for Cope and Marsh and their work.
Once everyone made it to the ledge and found a spot to gaze down at the work below, she began her presentation. “Welcome to the Carnegie Quarry here at Dinosaur NationalMonument.” While there wasn’t much out here except the quarry, and the grueling travel by train and stage to get here wasn’t ideal, she did her best to help all the visitors see the magic of the bones coming to life. Some days it was easier than others.
Hopefully today would be easy.
“You have probably heard of and seenDiplodocus carnegii, which has been on display in the Hall of Dinosaurs at the Carnegie Institute since 1907. Even though it was found in the Sheep Creek Quarry in Wyoming back in 1899, there wasn’t space for it until the new Hall was built. Standing at nearly fifteen feet high at the hips and a gargantuan eighty-four feet long, our skeleton—which we lovingly call ‘Dippy’—is only the beginning of what we hope to accomplish in the coming years at this quarry. We work so these great beasts can be displayed for all to see.”
Taking a deep breath, she licked her lips. The air was dry and smelled of dust and rock. “In 1909, when Mr. Earl Douglass discovered the first bones that led to this quarry, he knew that he had come upon a great discovery. Since then, he has led the work here. If you’re lucky, we might get the opportunity to speak with him today.”
“Mr. Douglass is here? We’ve heard so much about him.” The man in a pinstriped jacket and trousers adjusted his bowler as he scanned the quarry with renewed vigor.
Not exactly equipped for the terrain. Eliza pushed her opinions aside and smiled. “Yes, sir. He’s here every day. He is most passionate about the work here.”
One of the women stepped toward her. “Even though the bones seem large—one of them I can see clearly from here—the men are using small tools. Could you explain the process of extracting the fossils from the quarry bed?”
Her smile stretched. “Perfect question. I’d love to. If you will all follow me, please?” She led them to another lookout aboutforty yards away. “Over here, you can see the pile of rocks, dirt, and debris. When we know there is a good bit to dig before we get to the actual fossil, we can use larger chisels, hammers, and shovels to move those layers. But whenever a fossil is visible, we have to delicately chisel the rock and earth around it. Keeping it intact is always the top priority. That’s where the small tools come into play, and it is time-consuming work. We chisel, brushing away the debris, check to make sure there are no cracks, then chisel away some more.”
“Sounds tedious.” The man in the pinstripes appeared a bit bored and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. “Could we perhaps see some of the bones taken out of the quarry?”
“By all means. We will walk down and see what has been crated up this week.”
The thundering of hooves echoed around them and the tiny rocks at her feet jumped and scattered. No one rode at a breakneck speed out here. What was going on?
A horse and rider came into view. Someone was in a hurry.
Eliza walked out to meet the rider and ensure he didn’t go sailing off the bluff into the quarry. She recognized the young man who worked at the telegraph office.
“You’ve got a telegram, Miss Mills.” He tipped his cap at her as he jumped off his horse. “My boss said it was urgent.”
She stepped toward him to take the envelope. “Thank you.” She pulled a coin out of her pocket. What could be so urgent? Could it be from home?
As she handed the boy the money, her heart sank. Had something happened to Grandfather and Grandmama...?O God,please let them be all right.
“Thanks.” The kid hopped up on his horse and hurried back the way he’d come.
She glanced at her little tour group. “I pray you all will excuse me for a moment.” She nodded at them and took quick steps away to give her a small amount of privacy.
Eliza ripped into the envelope.
She unfolded the sheet of paper and read.
Dr. Masterson from England is coming out to quarry. Please help him with whatever he needs.—Andrew Carnegie
Dr. Masterson. Her breaths came in short gasps.TheDr. Masterson.
What an honor it would be to have him out here! As she clutched the papers to her chest, her mind raced with all the possibilities.
She’d been studying everything the man had ever written. He was the top expert in Europe. Far exceeding anything that anyone in the United States had done—no matter how much Cope and Marsh and everyone since had attempted to show their superiority.
This could change her whole summer.
This could change—she swallowed—her whole life!
FRIDAY, JUNE16, 1916•JENSEN, UTAH
