, 1877-05-13
CITY NEWS.
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

/
There seems ut least fair prospect that the
| Chicago Historical Society, an institution which,
/ in common with many others, went down in the
universal wreck Of October, 1871 il about to rc-
| sumo its career OF usefulness. The United States
| have been making history SO rapidly during the
last quarter OF century 1hat the necessity of con-
serving the facts and data for the historian who is
to come hereafter has too often ocen overlooked
This deficiency it is the province Of such associa-
tions Us the one mentioned to furnish and an omis-
sion to provide for the future in this regard would
be public calamity.
A meeting Of the Executive Committee was held
yesterday afternoon at the fremont House. There
were present tsaac n. Arnold (Chairman), Gcurgc
L. Dunlap, Mark Skinner. George.T. Numsey. and
E. L. Sheldon. After general discussion it was
DECIDED to been at once with the construction Of q
building for the purpose OF holding the collections
which the Society has already in its possession.
There WINS submitted TO the meeting some elcva-
tions OF grand building. drawn by Whitehouse
which, from tAe'r attractive Appearance, met with
the general approval Of the Committee The lot
belonging to the Society On the northwest Of
Dearborn and Ontario streets Is very large one be-
ing ABOUT l20 by l32 feet and it Is not proposed at
the Present moment to erect the entire building,
which shall eosef it ali. It win be remembered
that the old structure before the drc occupied only
portion Of the lot; and the one which il now to
h.t Ge erected S Tl occupy even les space than
Dearborn Street bulIdin4 Mh,th I shnt1 W. n IN IN
70 feet in Depth standing back forty feet from the
lot line IN order thur, when the permanent strnct
ure. which Is 10 cover the whole space, is erected
there will be no difficulty about uniting tue two
together On the right hand, as one enters this
building, there will be u secrctarys room, 4 by lB
feet, and adjoining 1t a vault, BY II feet, On
the left hand side will be 8 Directors room,
IL 6y 16, and back Of these smaller rooms
will be one ~ BY 80 feet, with a gallery feet
high. Around the sides OF this room will be nut
oook-ca for the purpose Of hol.lius the coilcc
tons They VAL at arst be placed aEsint the wall,
thus forming alcoyes. This hail viii be big
enough for the accommodation OF meetings which
are too large to BE- held in the Directors room
Underneath this structure will be IN cight-foor
basement The cost Of the nucleus Of The future
building will be about s., 0UO
In addition to approving the plans, 4. D. Hogan,
formerly state Geo!ogist Of Vermont and later OF
3tr. Sol Smith has already been chosen Treasurer
. At the meeting OVER half the money required for
the erection OF the building subscritcd and it
Is certain that there Will be difficulty about Sc
finished oy the LIST Ut September ut the iatest
The Society," in addition to its large and valuable
lot. will shortly come into possession Of what Is
known aa the Gipin bequcst- This AMOUNTS to |
hetwecn $50. 900 ana 500. 900, and was devised by
NJ Gilpin, Of Philadelphia, former Attorney |
General OF the United States for the establishment
OF Aorary in Chicago, under tho management OF /
the Historical Society.
than TINT Of the old one: II will gather in not oniy
the hooks and manuscripts relating to the early |
history OF illinois and the Northwest but also all
. archaeological aS specimens which it may b.
turned over to the Society, and, as soon as The |
buildings are In hhnpe to receive them many more
are promised. 1t IS to be hoped that citizens gen
crazy VIII appreciate the efforts Of the Society," and
having received the services of as competent |
lapr1fiau and Secretary as Prof. Hagar. ~.'-