, 1877-12-23

Formal Opening Of the American
Museum OF New York. :


NEW YORK, Dec 22.-The formal opening By
| the President OF the United States Of the ne"
| American Museum OF Natural History in Man
haitian Square at Seventy-sesenth street ant
Eighth avenue was the occasion to-day OF one
OF the most brilliant daylight asscmolages Ne"
York has ever seen. Early in the afternoon,
constant stream OF handsome cquipages poured
| up Eighth avenue laden with many o
the best known and most distinguished
ladies and gentlemen OF the city
and before the hour for the opening Of the Afu
scum for inspection much Of the available
GROUND ii the neighborllood wns'tlicd Will
| carriages. The. President and Mrs. Hayes. ar
rived early, and the driving up OF their carriage
was the signal for q rush OF the uninvited, who
had gathered about tile entrance. Through tht
excellent arrangements made BY the park police
| the most perfect order was maintained. Asub
stantial plank walk had been laid from Eighth
t avenue to the plaza at the end OF. the build
| ing, which was reached by a flight Of steps
| The walk and the steps were lined on bott
sides BY '~. ...'
HUNDREDS OF SPECTATORS,
| who could not gain admission to the building
| respectable, 'well-t1ressed persons, who were
| anxious to catch d glimpse Of the Presi.
dcnt. The scene on the outside o1
| the building was brilliant The entrance te
the Museum was through the door at the south
erD end, leading directly to the department oc-
cupcd by the Joy collection OF shells. Most OF
the guests spent some time in this lower story,
examining the wcll-l1ied cases Of specimens,
finally reaching the second floor by making a
short turn around 4 handsome group of stuffed
animals, consisting Of camel from Armc-
n;,: moose from Nora Seotfo. and
n ~ wanIta from the Rocky Arountains. and
asce,,;u@ ",, thc 1,oauv strco.. the ccrcnon;es .
were iu tile second story or principal hall among
tl,c unuy handsome cascs of brilliant birds and
+h.. tr,,1or;os ~ ,,co +hron,p onon Tn +h;s
NV, .lI - ~. '.,. s;I.n .n'9 49,
wall outward, leaving central aisle about
twenty or twenty-five feet wide, and In this
,;s, tl,a oficora NM, rucsta xvcro nrnrids with
s4'to 'A'1 u.1r s1 ,s.ta "4s.. ~,
scats' LA, "at W. 'ne ioon' p'at1o''n 1!au
been erected,
HANDSOMELY DECORATED
viii, +,n ,ot;on,1 ,.oorc md s,,rroonntod hr ++o
Wv vnr,- nnot ~ ar,,s ~, tha 4,1atTo- o.,.
Ne" orN eo4t ot alns. 49,, "a .ne p.us1o1. t..s5
chairs were provided Tor the fresldent1 the OH,
guests. There were seats for about sol persons,
u1l the galleries seated several hundred more
At the extreme end Of the hall an excellent band
vas stationed. The museum was opened at 80
".
necom panied by Presfaacnt Rober: L. Stuart, of
the Muscrm Directory, several Of the other
officers Of the Museum, and number Of friends
made a tour Of the building, taking great in
tcrrst in the many valuable collections. Mrs.
Hayes MEANWHILE remained seated in the min
cipal hull with a number Of her friends engaged
III conversation. The costumes of thc iati;cs
were Of the most elegant descriotfon. without
the faintest sem blauce OF tlashiucss, They were
nearly all OF sonlbre colors, most Of them OF
black silk or satin, enriched BIZ heavy TRIMMINGS
ri t11r, Mira. Havrs wore a black f,rcss ornos
,,cnrnt3 WITH ,n;et.roloreI f,,rs hnr clooi!. ho,a
fnetn,od 49, ~ thrnot .r;+ ~ aa...s s.i'ra
iasleilto a. tnc tnloat VIA Wv Aea'J s1lfer
buckles she wore olack bonnet. anu the
Whole elect OF her costume was plain
and elegant At little before $3.50
o'clock, Wnen the music struck up
in the nrinrtnal hall flc President
and other rentlemen were seated unon thn
nlatforu,. aud every scat iu the room WIS filled.
u1rSDKrDs or PERSONS
on The main floor we're unable to obtoin seats.
Init retained their stan,li1,r nlaccs nar;cnt1v
thrnurhout the ccremonics. 4 long linz III
fares 6rcrrl over the glass cascs. that lined the
etrns OF The galleries, uud some of tho yonnver
lests touk refuge o., tic floor under tie cases
looking down upon the proceedings through the