Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-03-23
A MUNIFICENT GIFT.
The Mining Museum to be
Donated to the Deseret Uni
versity.
The Establishment of a Depart
ment of Mining Proposed.

!
upon the administration of the laws in
! Utah, many matters of material interest
to the Territory seem to have been for
gotten. Among these is the Salt Lake
Mining Institute. This institution was
organized by the leading mining men OF
the Territory in October, 1888, for the
purpose of collecting and keeping on ex-
hibition complete exhibit OF
the mineral resources of Utah,
and compiling useful data and
information in connection Herewith.
Rooms were secured in Commercial
block, at the corner of West Temple and
Second South streets, and the institution
was placed in the hands of Prof j. E.
Clayton, president of the association.
As result of Prof. Clayton's untiring
efforts the Institute now has the finest
collection of minerals and geological
specimens to be found in the whole
Rocky Mountain region outside of Denver.
1t is now proposed by Prof Clayton, and
the project is endorsed by various mem
bers of the Institute who have been
approached on the subject, to donate the
entire collection to the University of
Deseret, with the understanding that
department of mining and economic
geology be added to that institution.
MY idea is" said Professor Clayton
this morning, "that, while the University
may not now be just what we might de-
sire it, yet it will some day be in fact,
what it now is in name, the University of
the Territory. The members of the In
stitute seem to have lost all interest in it,
and the Institute is behind some $50 in
its finances. l have attended to the ex-
hibit without compensation, but will be
called away from the city during the
greater part of the summer. 1t would be
a shame to keep the collection locked up,
or allow it to be scattered or sent out of
the Territory. 1t would be an invaluable
aid to classes in mining and geometry,
and could not be replaced for $1,000. /
have decided to donate my own private
to the University, no matter
what the Institute decides to do with the
balance"
THE COLLECTION.
Prof Clayton then showed the reporter
through the museum, and the collection
is one well worth the time of any one to
examine. 1t is contained in seventeen
large cases, in addition to many large
boulders of ores. 1t includes everything
of interest to the geologist or miner,
rom huge slabs of Silver Reef sand
stone to the beautifully polished and
Brazilian pebbles; from a
black mineral wax candle to coarse mug
gets of yellow gold Not only is every
mineral resource of Utah represented. |
out curious and valuable specimens from
almost every quarter of the globe are ex-
libited. Colorado, Nevada, Idaho and |
Montana are represented by one case of
'res each, and the remaining eleven
Eases are devoted to Utah and foreign
exhibits. Prof. Clayton's private col
ection is one of the works of a life time,
md contains some of the most interesting
md valuable samples. 1t would require
weeks time to examine each of the several
thousand samples. The museum was
1sited last summer by hundreds of tour
SIS and strangers, and it presents as COM
'lete an advertisement of the mineral
wealth Of Utah as could be conceived.
There is little question but this valu-
BILE coll ection will be donated to the Des-
ret University. 1t is to be hoped the
egents of that institution will appreciate
be munificent gift by establishing de-
artment of mining, and giving especial
Instruction in this important branch of
cience.
The importance of establishing the Of
ce of Territorial geologist should be i'm
ressed upon the members of the next
territorial Assembly. Utah Legislatures
eretofore have done but little towards
ncouraging or advancing the develop
lent of Utah's vast mineral resources.
A