Charles Otis Whitman an Ernst Haeckel, Worcester, Mass., 18. Oktober 1891
Oct. 18’ 91.
Clark University,
Worcester, Mass.
Dear Prof. Haeckel,
I trust you will pardon this intrusion upon your time. I write to ask your word of encouragement for a cause that, I am sure, will have your sympathy.
As you doubtless know, we have not yet succeeded in founding a national marine laboratory in this country. We have a few summer laboratories, either private or connected with some college. We have no station open to all workers from all sections of the country.
I have been trying, in my feeble way, to show what our need is, and have succeeded || in getting most of our active workers enlisted in the undertaking. Interest now seems to me to be strong enough to warrant immediate efforts to obtain an endowment fund.
The hope is to raise a fund of at least a million dollars for a marine station devoted exclusively to research in Zoology, Botany, and Physiology. It will be a difficult task to raise this amount of money, but I believe it can be done.
You will readily see why I feel the need of the support of biologists who are widely known and respected in this country. Your word on the great need and importance of such a station to American biology, would have immense influence with men who have the means to endow such a laboratory. ||
I am going to ask other leading biologists for such encouragement as they may be willing to give me, and I hope to have a strong array of testimony to the excellency of the cause.
Hoping to have your favourable response
I remain
with great respect
Yours truly
C. O. Whitman.