The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-02-20
MICHIGAN AT THE
CENTENNIAL.
Report Of the state Board or Cen
teunial Comm nissioners what
They Did at PhiIadeIphIn
and what it Cost to
DO It.
Gov. CHAs. M. CnoswRI.I..

Gov. CHAs. nj. CRoswRLL:
Dear Sir-We beg leave TO submit
herewith our report to the part that
Michigan took at the Centennial Expo
sition at Philadelphia during the past
summer. In accordance with the pro-
visions Of act No. 139 Laws ot 1875, the
Governor appointed j. j. Woodman, of
Van Buren,; M. /. Mills, OF Wayne;
Jay A. Hubbell. OF Houghton, and
Henry Fralick, of Kent, as members Of
the State Board of Centennial Mana
gers. The board met at the Office of
the Governor August l3, 1875, and APP
pointed Il. w. Noble of Detroit, as sec
retary. The full details of the work of
the board and OF the share of Michigan
in the exhibition will be found in the
report OF the secretary; the Rev. Mr..
Jacokes, who had charge OF the educa-
tional department; Mr.. s. Brady, who
had charge of the mineral exhibit, and
Mr.. Q. Il. Ilgsnfritz, who had charge
Of the agricultural and genealogical de-
partments, all Of which are submitted
herewith.
The exhibit made by the Board of
Managers consisted OF the products OF
the State, and comprised nearly $500
distinct specimens, 200 OF which were
varieties OF woods and shrubs, over
1,100 Of them being furnished by the
Agricultural College. The college al
so furnished 2l0 specimens of grasses.
We had $40 samples of wool, represent
ing AZ counties; 500 specimens of grain
and seeds; 475 specimens of copper.
iron, and gypsum; 40 of salt and salt
brine; several samples OF building
stone and slate; $40 archaeological
specimens of a prehistoric age. Our
exhibit Of fruit contained 475 distinct
specimens.
Mr.. Burnet Landreth, superinten-
dent OF the Agricultural Department of
the Exposition, said of this, in letter
TO the board: Your show of fruit at all
times exceeded that of any other State
and in the aggregate more than double
the quantity sent from any other State.
while the variety and quality were un-
exampled. The display of fruit alone
was of incalculable value as a means of
directing the thoughtful to the resources
of Michigan.
The mineral display contained speci-
mems from every mine on Lake Super
ior, four masses OF native copper aver
aging five tons each, from the Central
mine, and a fifteen ton mass of iron
from the Cleveland mine, with several
large masses of the conglomerate cop
per-bearing rock of the Calumet and
Hecla mine, being in the list. This
display OF the mineral wealth of Michi-
gan brought many visitors from for
eign countries to our mines during the
past summer, all of whom expressed
themselves as astonished at the pecu-
liar character and great extent OF the
copper and iron deposits OF the State,
which we have heretofore and perhaps
now hardly realized ourselves 1t is to
be hoped that the exhibit made will lie
the means Of still farther developing
the unknown wealth that lies buried on
the shores Of Lake Superior.
We also exhibited a most excellent
drawing OF our new Capitol, by +. Il.
Myers, its architect and superintendent
and OF the House OF Correction at
Ionia, by Mortimer l.. Smith & Co., its
architects. Our educational depart
ment contained examples of the school
work OF our schools, accompanied by
drawings of the school cop
les OF the blanks used, and other use
full matter. A history and accompany
Ing photographs of each one of our
public institutions were sent forward.
The Institution for the Deaf, Dumb
aud Blind sent specimens of the work
of its inmates. The University sent
fine. case of chemicals, and large col
lection OF microscopic and engineering
drawings. A full set of our education
al, agricultural, and pOmological re-
ports were furnished by the State De-
partment. The Superintendent of
Public instruction, the Hon. ID. B.
Briggs, devised and compiled five
charts, showing at n glance the whole
history, growth, and statistics OF our
school system. They were splendidly
executed by J. L. Sherman, the
draughtsman OF the State Land Office.
Our educational exhibit was not
glittering show of models and pictures,
but was an honest exhibit of the solid
work that is being done in our schools.
The awards We received in this depart
ment testify to its character, being
more in number than were given to any
other State.
The Michigan building was also en-
tered ss an exhibit of the products OF
the State, being q characteristic display
of our varied resources. About seven
ty individual exhibits were made by
our manufacturers, very many OF them
rejecting great credit upon the manu-
featuring industry OF the State. Over
- 49, Ia IL 90 Ia %
and it's citizens. One was given to
each one of our collective exhibits in
each department-eleven were given in
the genealogical department, eight to
the educational. Full details OF the
awards will be found in the report Of
the secretary. The board feel that tax
On as n whole, the State has reason to
be well pleased with the exhibit made
and the results achieved. II il to be
regretted that more OF our manufactur-
ers did not avail themselves of the OPP
portunity offered to display our indus
tries, aud that our citizens generally
did not seem TO realize (as the board
themselves did not) the magnitude Of
the exposition, the millions that were
10 visit it, and the opportunity it offer
Ell to show the world the wealth Of a
State not forty years of age.
Until our people began to visit the
exposition there was n general apathy
among all classes on the subject, and
il seemed next to impossible by circu-
lars and letters, by personal solicita-
tion and entreaty to awake them to a
sense Of their duty in the matter.
We received from Brazil, Spain.
Portugal and Australia several hundred
specimens Of woods, minerals, grain.
seeds, and other products which we
have distributed to the University and
Agricultural College, and few dupli-
Gates to the Kent county and Detroit
Scientific Institutes. We also received
quite a collection Of catalogues, maps
aud printed matter, which has been di-
vided between the State Library, Uni
versity and Agricultural College. The
entire educational exhibit, books,
charts. pictures, etc, has been placed
in the State Library. IL is the inten-
ton Of the board to place the awards
and medals there when received. The
beautiful model Of the Calumet and
Hecls stamp-mill. costing over sl2, 600,
was presented by the mining company
10 the University, where IL now is.
We submit herewith statement OF Re
ceipts aud expenditures in detail, show
ing deficit in general expenditures
OF 81, AGO O4, and in the building fund
| of "a t35 "a OF this annot M al -sI A.