, 1865-02-09

@NA%e%ef7N
urgentneed ola larger and more secure repository
for the rich and yariel treasures which the energy
OF lta friends has accumulated. The present rooms
ofthe Society. on the conner Of Wells and Kinzle
streets hare for years been filled too full to admit
Of proper arrangement Even before the break
ing ont Of the war was this the case, and the
thoughts Of It's members were turned towards
new building. Since that epoch contributions
have poured In more rapidly than ever. The pro-
gresa Of the rebellion has furnished iunumerabfe
Incidents, and tho progress Of our armies into
Southern fields hns brought to light large stores
Of documents and relics, ulany Of which have been
carefully collected and collatcd and sent home to
the care Of the Society. Ever and anon perfect
avalanche Of these treasures has been tumbled in
upon the hands Of the Secretary, whose great
question has been "Whnt will I do with
themf'' And still the food hns poured IN; the
ficnds of the cause in other lands, nad those On.
gagged In civic pursuits IN this country have Kept
at work, every now and then, adding fresh items
Of no small magnitude to the already Large bur
den.
A walk through the present rooms (which is
scarcely possible) gives 11He 10 positively painful
emotions. There on the shelves, aboTe. and un-
der IN en-. ata books and pamphlets piled in pro.
fusion. The floor is covered to hcishtof several
feet with nccumulatfons. which have no other pos.
sible place than On the big shc1E" The windows
are blocked mp with books, and even the Secreta-
ry'e table Is piled high with books, papers, and
relics, for which there is " no room in the inn."
The attempt 10 bring order ont Of this chaos, In.
wolves Uerculcan labor, and although method In
arrangement and grouping has been followed al
most beyond the limits Of the posslb le, 1t Is en-
tirely ont Of the question to Eetnt n1l the books
and papers which pertaln to any given subject, or
even TO remember where thcy are located. For
purposes Of extensive refarencA the collection is
almost useless. OF almost any required thing
may be written the Sheriff 3 return concerning
man who clcdcd bis grasp BY taking to bog
'1non est comc-at-lbus In ewumpum."
Another point too, has gwen serious trouble
there is no security against fire. The carc1cssness
OF nelghbor, an attendant within or ncar the
building, might occasion a loss which no subse-
boe one aRa Sash h
der, defyiDg MI attempts at extinction, for the
material there gathered is old, dry and very com
bustihle. The collection is at the mercy Of the
elements, Of careless boy, OF drunken loafer,
OF malicious 1nceudtnry, who might atany mo-
ment cause loss which no insurance company
snpe g1 %hea & %sS
OF history may be ut any time RvA1lowcd up
By the dcyouzing element, md the Smithsonian
conaagration be repeated with ten-fold aEgrara~
Yet though the necessity was great, 1t could
scarcely be expected that new building should
as @ erected By he Society," The number 81 ils ae-
heen eerere7v taved In ro1Ier+inna WIN tham Il
has heen NAV = 1nav III I'M tina a1shonnh
ne t,rcats, l9rrt,o ~ th ~ cosst,a.. aa ILL
dnnetcd rnrr9son hns h.d r. h. n.ia ~ +h In
sna reey .nr srtieaa ~ V.na hara aa7 5 hon
a. III nyioa ha s,aise y. fHus uaes 9ssn o3agnt
ei, oseu tnEiauve one. me genlem1n hlltng that
80 .va ~, 1aast aase oeca Gns9nlcally Nke oir b4f.
arst gentleman In Europe " With aloan Georsy
4ea husL ana eala, Ael me see, saf bofuett. Ion
nave neen ny Danket LOT aDo9s ea9nteen yeafs.
and fardon me your GRACE, replied the
man OF wealth, IT y Eon Who nave been my
o1nkcl lot n tnat petaoa. e
Malsfe q! this, the Society set to work last
year e build them house, and having will,
tney 1onnd aFay. ABOUT twelFe months ago
teW iafge hearted members OF the Society com.
meucea pfFate snnscf1p1on Tor the purpose OF
pl1assa purenssng ~, H. ana aailang: Tae w2Tk vas
ssaepepaea iof nms; but q the l3st annual meet
was resusc;tated and adopted. aud the work Of
raising eubscFtptons recommended. In two
Neeke nom tnat uine tae lot "aa securcd. On the
nostnWest corner Of Ontnr1o and Dearborn streets,
ls1 by LIE 1eet Ct cash cost o! co., The COM
mittce has still $4,000 on hand, with which to
commence the erection OF new building. En-
confESed bT promises OF additional aid nom other
parties, the committee decided to proceed forth
With. The Work ct preparing design Vas en-
trusted to Edward Bnrtns & Co. The above cut
represents the iront Of the proposed building OF
winch me following II description:
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
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o,ae TILL H., ~. .. snv oI.ing W. oe n inc
H. ~ 49, ~, az " AGeas 9
~ hoiaSv ro1sht - ,-ar :. ~ ~ eons!st