The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-11
TRE COMING MUSEUM.
[coslMUN1cATED.l

WUeIS COuSlucIcQ as du euUCaGlOn2l
institution, and the immense num-
bers who visit such places in the
old World is an evidence of their
popularity, but beneath this surface
visiting students of every kind go
there for study in their special
lines.
There the antiquarian and arch
aologist, the geologist and mineral
Ogist, the student of national custom
and history, Of natural history in
all departments, and even the in
terested curiosity-seeker find room
and scope for special interest and
quiet entertainment. Some have in
combination the aquarium, where
all manageable fish sport themselves
in plate glass fronted tanks, to the
intense enjoyment of their visitors
others have connected with them an
art gallery, and these donations and
judicious purchases Of the munich
pality lay a foundation for students
in the art of painting; others have
with this their rooms for sculpture,
works original, and copies of works
whose fame is worldwide, show
even in posture the power and per-
lection of the masters in this pro-
fession /; these reproductions are in
valuable to those whose tastes are
forming, and probably so situated
that travel to see the originals
would be an impossibility. There
is no country more interesting
than this in its geological and
neurological features, and cab
inets of vast interest, filed
with extra fine specimens
could be created with but
little expense; not only so, but the
interest everywhere growing in re-
gard to this mountain region would
give such opportunities for ex-
change that but little time would
elapse before a grand collection
would reward this effort. Tourists
from all parts Of the world passing
through here with duplicates prob-
ably numerous enough elsewhere)
would prefer something from this
locality, and thus each would be
mutually benefited.
During our last fair there were
one or two well arranged groups of
local insects, butterflies, and these
are probably more numerous than
we sometimes imagine. Such col
lections should be purchased for
permanent cabinet or exchange
there is also gate a variety of ma
tive birds here, although they are
rare, but Of the wild or game
varieties, such as duck, etc, this
district IS very rich, while of rep
tiles there are quite a few, some
unique, and all worthy of a place in
any collection. There is now the
nucleus of such an institution in
this city. Many very valuable
things are there, some remarkable
relics, and not few curiOsities, but
they are poorly housed. and lack
both room and arrangement. The
curator is man of rare ability, and
one not easily replaced, but unable
to do justice to himself or his
charges. The concern (private or
public is, however, only in its
infancy, and its resources are only
accidental, and Unsustained by ap-
preparation its real worth and
influence will continue to be but
small.
If our Legislature were III the
mood, or had the means, this, if pri-
vate, should become public property ;
otherwise, even with its present
character, there is abundant mate
rial to justify assistance in placing
it in a good, convenient fre-proof
building, such a one as even in an
architectural sense would be a
credit to the city, and an ever pO-
tent advertisement of the diversi-
fed resources of our territory.
If it is felt that there are many
calls upon the treasury. and that
this would in some sense be local,
yet the idea can never be disputed
that a nation or state must have
much of its reputation grow from
or depend upon the institution of
its capital; and if this suggestion
is not supposed to be educational
enough in its outlook, make the
same building the depository for
your territorial library; give it q
chance to grow by continuous APP
by communication
with state librarians gather
state literature; accept of
duplicates from libraries all
over the Union, and particularly
from individuals philanthropically
inclined, who now believe that
Utah is more dense in its ignorance
than Egyptian darkness; seek to be-
come acquainted with publishers
and have no computations about
receiving their requests as tribute
to our rising state; do not forget the
authors, some of whom are wealthy,
and as to those who are not so, all
contributions of their works would
come before a community who are
under obligations to read increas-
ingly, and whose destiny is to be-
come highly intelligent. The same
course would be pursued in regard
to current literature, and a good
public reading room would as nat
urally grow from the library as the
library might grow from the mu-
scum; the whole, with a little
timely and continuous fostering,
would finally rebound to the honor
of every assistant in so good a
work, and the reputation and fu-
ture of this, the gem state of this