Title:
Letter from W[illia]m M. Chauvenet to John Muir, 1909 Dec 28.
Creator:
W[illia]m M. Chauvenet
Publisher:
University of the Pacific Library Holt-Atherton Special Collections. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies
of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Contributor:
John Muir
Date:
1909 Dec 28
2008
Type:
Text
Format:
Image/jpeg2000
Identifier:
muir18_0988-md-1
Source:
Original letter dimensions: 28 x 21.5 cm.
Language:
eng
Coverage:
St. Louis [Mo.]
Rights:
Copyright status unknown
Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction
of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners.
Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Transcription:
REGIS CHAUTENET. W. M. CHAUVENET. REGIS CHAUVENET BROTHER. MINING ENGINEERS ANALYTICAL CHEMISTS AND ASSAYERS. 937 EQUITABLE
BUILDING, DENVER. LABORATORIES: 620 CHESTNUT STREET. St. Louis, Dec. 28-1909, John Muir, President of Society for
the preservation of National Parks. 302 Mills Building, San Francisco. Dear Professor Muir, The information conveyed in your
Statement of the Hetch-Hetchy case to date shocks me so deeply that I feel equal, could I get the chance, to eloquence enough
and rage enough to stay any congress or to sway any convention. Your work, on mountain and on glacier I have delighted in
from my college days, and my work in the mining school. With you and your dog Stickeen, I, too, have followed to the fountains
of the Fairweather mountains- such a dog and such a man are worth following to the death- and so in many other adventures
when the earth was shaking and the loose stones rolling from their ledges, have I run in with you to dep ? gorges, to see
them rock and fall. In brief, my dear Sir, you have often made me glad in spirit and more brave in courage by your beautiful
descriptions of things I love the best and to any cause,that is your cause, I would bring what help I can. The writing of
letters to, officials in Washington has proved quite useless in the past, and yet again have I set some of my friends on the
trail of this outrage which is sought by certain unnatural men in the West and whatever influence our Missouri Senators may
exercise, I think I can command in some measure. The purpose of the men who would destroy the Hetch-Hetchy valley being the
enrichment of themselves I do not think you need fear that the people will stand behind, any legislation which will allow
such a crime. I send you Five dollars, only asking that you personally indorse the check and that you will command me in the
service of this work when ever I may help here in Missouri. Would that it were more, and that I might in person talk with
you about the matter in which I am so deeply interested. With great respect, Illegible 04664