Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-09-19
The Smithsonian institute.

We make the following extracts from sketch IN
the Washington City Directory for 1850, which ap-
pears TO have been prepared with considerable care
'The Smithsonian Institution derives IFS name and
endowment from James SmihsOn, Esq, OF England
Mr.. SmltllSOn was a son of the first Duke OF Nor
cumberland. He educated at Oxford, where
he distinguished himself by his scientific attainments
In l7S7 the year after taking his masters degree
he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society. To
the Philosophical TRANSACTIONS he contributed at
different times eight valuable papers. He had no
fixed residence, and formed no family ties The last
years OF his life were spent on the continent. He
died at Genoa, June 27, 1929. From the property
he received from his mother, and the ample annuity
allowed him by his father his rugality enabled him
to accumulate fortune which at the time of his
DEATH amounted to l20, 900 pounds sterling. BY his
will, he directed that the income of this property
CATER deducting some small annuities) should be
paid to his nephew, Henry James Hungerford, dur
ing his ife and that the property should descend TO
his children, if he had any, absolutely and forever.
In case of the death of my said nephew without
leaving child OF children, or of the death of the
child children he may have had under the age of
81 years, interstate, then bequeath the whole of
my properly, (subect to an annuity, &C.,) TO the
United States of America, to found at Washington,
under the name of the Smithsonian Institute, es-
adjustment for the increase and diffusion OF know
ledge among men,
q Such are the words of the will, and the only
WOIuS Ol DillllDSOn WHICH ndNt COifc W US
TO this remarkable bequest. Young Hungerford died
at Pisa the 5th of June, 1885, without ISSUE The
event thus occurred in which the claim of the United
States attached. The Hon. Richard Rush, of Phila-
delpha, appointed agent for the United States, reco-
yered the fund in 1888, amounting to S5l5 l69. The
act establishing the Smithsonian Institute was passed
10th August, 1S46. The cost of the building is linn
tied with furniture grading, the grounds, &C., } TO
$3.50, 600 This viii be taken mostly from the in
come of the original building funds, as to save
$4,000 of the building fund, which, when added
to the original fund, will make 5000 dollars,
yielding nearly $4,000 per annum. This income,
with all sums received from other sources is TO be
permanently and equally divided between two great
methods of increasing and difiusing knowledge-the
first by publications. researches, and lectures the
second by collections in literature and art. The
building is in the late Norman or Lombard style. 1t
consists of centre and two wings, united by con-
Meeting ranges. Its extreme length is 447 feet and
its greatest breadth l32 feet II is adorned by nine
towers the highest of which is l45 feet. The cen
trail portion of the building contains the first floor
Library 134 feet by 50divided into alcoyes which
are crossed by galleries, and Hall for PhiIosophi-
cal Apparatus, 81 feet by so. In the East Wing are
lecture rooms, work shops, Offices, &C. In the West
ern Wing galleries of art, one of which will be a
reading room," &c.