September 4, 1928 
Dear Mr. Mather: 
I mast apologize for long delay in writing 
you regarding the purchase of the Moran Grand Canyon 
by Mr. Pratt for the Gallery. Copies of my letter 
to Miss Moran and to Mr. Pratt are enclosed herewith 
and make clear my high appreciation of the good 
fortune that has come -to me and to the Gallery. 
But the story of the acquirement of this work 
is not complete until you and Mr. Cammerer have a 
place in it. The initial step in the episode was 
your purchase of the Moran field sketches in Hew York 
and their assignment temporarily to my care. This 
resulted in the visit of Mr. Pratt and Mr. Cammerer 
to the Gallery and to my office which gave me the oppcr 
tunity of indicating to Mr. Pratt my very great appre- 
ciation of the work and my fear that it might some day 
find a home elsewhere. Mr. Pratt visited the 
Gallery and was duly impressed with the importance of 
the picture and this resulted in the offer of ten 
thousand dollars, which was gladly accepted by Miss 
Moran. The result is a most happy one and I am 
sure that you share in my elation. 
Sincerely yours, 
Director . 
Mr. Stephen T. Mather, 
Director, national Park Service, 
Washington, D. C. 
