The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-31
Washington Letter,

1t is amazing how little we know of the
history, the struggles and difficulties that
have been confronted by those In the past
who laid the foundations of institutions that
are now the marvel of our times. The stran-
ger who visits the picturesque structure of
red free stone, Familiarity known as the
smithsonian" standing in beautiful park
of fifty-two acres, is not expected to under
stand all of its strange history, its aims and
objects. Few Washingtonians eyen have
any conceptions outlying the idea that it is a
grand inausoleum of dead bugs and beetles,
pierced with pin-stuffed birds, animals, and
real dead mummies. The masses are really
in heathenish ignorance and little mission
airy intelligence may be healthful light let
into this intellectual darkness. This institu-
ton owes its existence to strange English
man named Smithson, who was eleven years
old at the time Of the declaration of indie.
pendence, was living during the war of 1912.
had never set foot on American soil, aud
had no friends in America That this shy
Eaglishman, describing himself in his will
''as the son Of Hugh, first duke Of Northnm-
berland, and Elizabeth, heiress of the Hun
gerfords of Audey and niece of Charles the
Proud, duke of Somerset should at his
death in Genoa in 1920 make provision for
this massive structure is novel full of ro-
nance. On examining his will it was found
his large fortune was left to his nephew,
Henry James Hnngerford, during his life.
time, and to his children after him: and in
case he died chlldless, then the property was
Milled to the United States to found at
Washington IAN Institution for the increase
and diffusion of knowledge among men,
Ihis English nephew had no hankerlng
Tor children and did not wish to send any
mortal out into this cold world hurdened
with the care OF 100000 He died unmar-
rled aud ehildless in 1885. The Congress of
The United States with great reluctance set
about asserting the right of our government
10 the money, ami Richard Rush was sent
out TO England as a u. 5. agent, and moth
ing but his bulldog tenaeIty ever wrested
the money from the clutches of the English
chancery court into whose greedy nav ii
mad fallen. Two years of amicabIe litigation
over, he lost no time in getting out OF the
feach 81 greedy claimants who began 10 APP
pear. Fortunately Rush got to sea with his
eleven boxes of British gold, and the two no
table claimants found they had been out
wltted. Had they appeared few days ear
lier the court OF chaneery and the LAWYERS
would have gobbled every dollar, and the
Smithsonian would never have been erected.
Meantime II dawned upon our wise men
that they had an elephant upon their hands.
and while discussing what should be done
with the funds the government loaned the
money TO the State of Arkansas, whose off
GERS sqaandered it. The bonds given as Sc
curity were repudiated, and the whole loan
was lost. There was much discussion as to
what should be done under the circnm-
stances, and in 1916 an act was passed by
Congress establishing the institution.
The corner stone was laid in 1S47 and the
structure was completed in 1856. The origi-
nal bequest with interest in 1867 had
reached the sum of S7I4,000 The building
was built of Seneca free stone from quarry
on the Potomac twenty-three miles from
Washington, is AT feet in length with an ex-
IRENE width OF 100 feet. It's architecture is
Norman. belonging chronologically to the
twelfth century, and 1t is the first non eecle-
siastical structure of the kind built in the
United States. The building costing $780,
600 was built out of the accrued interest.
aud the sum of S650,000 was deposited in
The Treasury the interest Of which pays the
running expenses of the Institution, Great
credit is due to the late Professor Henry.
who gave himself assiduously to the inter-
ests OF this institution. This distinguished
physicist won high rank among the scien-
lists OF the world in the realm of electro
magnetism, and made it possible to apply its
principles to the telegraph which now be-
girts the world. The life-size statue recent
ly unveiled in the Smithsonian grounds is
but feeble expression of the grateful re-
gard of the public for this distinguished
scholar and scientist. The work now being
done under the direction of the Smithsonian
Is increasing knowledge among men mt
only in this country but throughout the civ
ilized world. Fish culture as prosecuted by
the q. 5. fish commission is stimulating fish
culture in every country in the world, while
the National Museum has reproduced here
at the capital the exhibits of the Centennial
to be admired by daily tbrong of visitors at
all seasons of the year. PEAKS.