Astor House New York
March 26 1864
His Excellency, S. Miller, Governor of Minnesota, Saint Paul,
Dear Sir,
The official announcement of my appointment to the Geological Survey of the State of Minnesota, you have done me the honor to make, and having date the 5th Inst. is at hand under cover of favors from Hon. Edmund Rice, dated the 10th Instant. In accepting the position you have been pleased to assign me, permit me to express the hope, that by the aid of Executive counsel, and a judiciously selected staff, the mineral resources of our young State may in a few months be so far developed as to preclude a doubt of their intrinsic and extensive value.
It would afford me great pleasure to report myself at the Executive Chamber at as early a moment as possible, but engagements here, together with duties that I cannot delegate, compels me to deny myself that pleasure until the 10th or 15th Proximo.
Doubtless this delay will in no way retard the movements of the survey, as it is almost certain that the snow and ice will not leave the mountain ranges of the North Shore within our State, especially on the northern escarpment of them, until the 5th and perhaps not until the 15th of May.
I will endeavor however to reach Saint Paul sufficiently early to effect an efficient organization under your advice, and to reach the field of operations at as early a day as practicable.
I am Sir,
Very Truly
Your Obt. Servt.
Aug. H. Hanchett
Astor House was a luxury hotel in New York City. It was located on the corner of Broadway and Vesey Street and was demolished in 1926.
Edmund Rice was president of the Minnesota & Pacific Railroad until 1863, when he became president of the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad and of the St. Paul & Chicago Railroad. Rice served in the Minnesota State Senate (1864–66)