The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-12
society OF IAFURAL HISTORY.
Origin, Growth and Importance
of Cincinnati's Leading Sci
entific Association.
Thoroughly Appreciated Abroad
and Should Be Better
Known at Home,

this side the Atlantic and bears favorable
with any similar ones of the
Old World. 1t may be a singular fact, but
natural consequence, perhaps, that it is not
so favorably known to the unscientitic
many of our own citizens as it is to the pro-
fessional few in the Eastern States and in
Europe. The Cincinnati Society of Natu-
raj History has been in existence about
nine years. 1t was organized January, 1870.
1t met originally in small room at No. 6
West Fourth street, and began with mem
bership of about twenty-five, which in
cluded some prominent gentlemen OF this
city and vicinity, among whom were
Messrs Robert Clarke, Henry Pro-
basco, ]. Ralston Skinner, Ludlow
Apjones, s. A. Miller, Julius Dexter,
Drs. John A. Warder, H. II. Hill, w. II.
Mussey, C. A. Miller, William Owens, r. M.
Byrnes, etc., etc. DR.. John A. Warder was
the first President, with DR.. Mussey as Vice
President and Mr.. Apjones as Secretary.
The number of members increased so fast
that more commodious quarters became
necessary and Room No. Al of the College
Building was secured, and to this the Socie-
ty removed in October of the same year.
The use of Rooms Nos. 46 and 4S was alter
wards generously allowed them free OF rent
by order of the Trustees of the Cincinnati
College. In September 1871, what was once
known here as the western Academy OF
Natural Science" resolved itself out OF ex-
istence and made this new society heir to
its assets, consisting chiefly of some two
hundred and sixty-fye volumes of works
pertaining to natural history and a large
humber OF specimens. These formed the
nucleus of their present large and valuable
library of over one thousand five hundred
standard works and an extensive museum.
Dr. Warder remained President until April,
1875, when Mr. S. A. Miller was elected to
that position in his stead. Mr.. Miller was
succeeded in 1876 by DR.. Mussey, and the
latter in 1877 by Mr. r. b. Moore, who had
been custodian for several years up to this
date. Mr.. V. T. Chambers was chosen
President in 1878.
TO Mr.. FIorien Giauque, Rooms 2sand 30
Johnston Building, who was the Recording
Secretary for 1879, we are indebted for
the following list of officers chosen at the
annual election last week to serve for the
ensuing year of l979S0.
President, V. r. Chambers; First Vice
President, Charles Lowe; Second Vice Pres
ident, ]. NJ. Harper Recording Secretary,
J. NJ. Crawford Corresponding Secretary,
j, w. Hal, JT., p. ~. " "llbHtt
Librarian, s. A. Miller; Custodian, II. b.
Wilson.
The new officers are always installed at
the May meeting of each year.
While at Mr. Giauque's Office, we had the
pleasure of looking over his elegant cabinet
of American antiquities consisting of axes,
hatchets spades etc, both of copper and
stone, pipes, hints, etc. These, together
with other rare specimens which he has
at his home in Glendale, form perhaps the
largest and most valuable collection of the
sort in the State.
There are at present twelve or thirteen
Curaturshps in the Society, and the Cura-
tors appointed for the coming year, COM
mencng first of May, are as follows: Min
eralogy, E. 8. Wayne; Paleontology, E. o.
Ulrich; Conchology, A. G. Weatherby;
Entomology, L. +. Freeman; Botany, D.
L. James; Comparative Anatomy, DR.. A.
J. Howe; Ornothology, Chas Dury; Arch
zoology, L. NJ Hosea; Astronomy and Math-
ematics Ormond Stone; Chemistry and
Frank W. Langdon; Microscophy, Fred.
Eckstein.
The Society now numbers 140 members.
The annual dues per member amount to S.
to cover incidental expenses.
The members have displayed o proven
bial generosity in their donations to the
Society by which its vast collections of
natural history specimens have accumu-
lated. The most valuable acquisition of
this kind, perhaps, was from Mr. Robert
Buchanan of one hundred and eleven vol
umes and several cases containing fossils,
shells, &c. From persons not connected
with the Society they have received many
rare and acceptable gifts. Mr. John Rob,
inson has been especially solictous for
their welfare il this respect in the presen-
tation of the skins and skeletons Of all de-
funct animals from his menagerie. In like
manner have they been indebted to the
Cincinnati Geological Garden.
Mr.. Charles Bodman, of this city, who
became member in 1874, died May 10th,
1875, having in his will bequeathed to the
Society the munifcent sum of $50, 900. This
money, which was left without conditions,
encumbrances or limitations, was paid over
to the Trustees of the Society in July, 1877.
| They now found themselves in independent
and atfluent circumstances and able to pur.
chase or erect suitable building Of their
own for their more convenient and commo-
dious accommodation. After varied and
mature deliberation they fixed upon the
house No. 105 Broadway, corner of Arch
street the fee simple to which they secured
for $40 800. Another thousand or so was
invested in repairing the building and fit,
ting it up the better to suit their purposes
and the Society moved to this their new and
permanent abode in November, 1877. No
similar association in the country is al pres
ent so amply endowed or more fifty located
this one splendid donation not only rem.
dering it self-sustaining but placing it in 9
condition to further the cause of science
beyond any of its contemporaries
The Society's rooms are open to visitors
every day, Sundays of course excepted, but
Saturday is the regular reception day, in
the afternoon, when the public generally
are always cordially invited. 1t will fully
repay visit there to take even cursory
| look at their well stocked and finely ar
ranged museum. TO the student of science
in any of the branches herein illustrated, il
offers, particularly, an enviable oppor
tunity for procuring information that tex
books may often not contain. One young
lady pupil from our High School was heard
TO say short time ago, while inspecting
the elegantly prepared chronological speci
mems, "If l only had some body just tc
give me few words of explanation with
these would learn more than l could in
six menths with my tiresome old book"
Wa can not attenlDt to enumerata all