The Washington critic., 1888-02-11
AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES
The Proposed Expansion of the Ma
tiODal Museum at Washington,
MAJOR POWELL's IDEAS.
An Appropriate Feature Of the
Great Exposition of 1892.

OIfbN iIANOhlttOl Ol IoD-s
Major Powell, director OF the United
States Geological Survey, is taking an en-
thusiastc interest in the proposed expan-
sion of the National Museum in this city
so as to make therein q vast collection of
American antiquities records and relics
of the ancient peoples Of the Western
world. To a reporter who called upon
him yesterday Major Powell said that it
would boa surprise to most people TO
know that England, France and Germany
are paying large attention to American
antiquities, and making far more extern
sive collections than any of the American
nations the United States only excepted;
and they are vieing with the
United States in this matter
by sending expeditions TO American
coasts and TO the interior OF the country
for this purpose, The great museums Of
London, Paris and Berlin already contain
large and valuable collections OF our am
tiquities, and the materials of early
American history are rapidly being car
ried away to other lands. All of this mat
ter has great scientific, historic and popu-
lar interest, an interest rapidly growing
from year TO year in America and Europe
alike.
The Bureau of Ethnology,
under the supervision of Major Powell, is
making an organized and systematic
effort TO collect and preserve these mate
rials, and Harvard University is system
atically collecting the relics of the Mound
| bailders. The collections of European
nations are made irrcgularly, aud 50 care
lessly that much Of their scientific and
historic value is lost, though popular I'm.
terest remains in them us curiosities
| American nations other than the United
States are doing very little to preserve
such records, but are permitting them to
be rapidly destroyedand lost.
CAS- to the fate of these relics
Of former peoples, If prompt steps are
not taken for their preservation, Major
Powell said, they would soon be
lost or destroyed; In his earlier
visits to Utah Territory he found
of stone, and one, two, or three stories
high. The sites of these pueblos were
along the streams, which were used by
these ancient peoples to rrigate the lands
Of that arid country. Since his earlier
visits these ruins have all been destroyed
The materials Of which they were erected
have been used to build houses, stables
|
Many of the Ruins
had been destroyed anterior to his frs
visit TO the country. Salt Lake City i
the site ofan old pueblo, and nearly ever,
town in Utah is on the site or in TIN
neighborhood of an ancient pueblo, tn
vestiges of which are now almost who'll,
obliterated. A similar destruction o
these relics is going on throughout tn
whole southwestern portion Of the Unitet
States. Farther east, too, they are bein
:. lost or destroyed In the same manner
discoJYample, when America was frs
country nj there. was in the region o
Missouri a peopiehTaced in the state o
on mounds. 10 pullt Jheir mouse
These houses were construcv.
bers planted in the ground and sot tlm
erect into which there were woven snln,
poles and withes, and the whole covered
with plaster. The people themselve
were very skillful in the making and us,
of pottery and in many other arts anC
industries. Scarcely vestige Of this art re
mains. 1t is recorded in the travels o
early explorers, and only a few fragment
now remain on the ground. Similar illus
trations might be brought up from ever,
, part of the United States. AS time goe
on all these relics of the earlier culture o
this country, of the ancient peoples wit
dwelt here prior to the advent of tn
white man, become more and more valu
able, and rapidly the relics of .heir his
tory are being lost.
Major Powell was asked as to how h
. proposed to awaken interest in this sub
ject and to check the destruction and Oh
liberation of these footprints of people
, which have passed away. He said tina
, , as it was proposed to organize an expos
! ton in honor of the anniveTsary y Of th
/, discovery of America by COY m9us, j.
believed that the occasion could be util
lied for this purpose; that grand col
lection of the antiquities of Americ
would be the most appropriate thin
for such an occasion; and rs IL wa
r believed that all the nations {
America would take an active and dee
u interest in grand international exhib
: ton, they would doubtless be pleased
! take each its share in the collection an
y preservation of these precious relics, al
I in this manner we might obtain for Il
great National Museum at Washington
vast collection Of the antiquities of Anne
: lea which would be of priceless value.
Ifsteps could be taken at once to enli
the cooperation of all American nation
;, the work could be fairly accomplished
Z the time the celebration was inaugurate
y y And if such a collection were once mad
d II would be a repository of historical IN
! terials to which the scholars of the wor
: would gladly resort. The sites of the
: Ancient Cities OF Europe,
a Asia and Africa are now being explor
n by governments, societies and learn'
y men throughout the world, and they a
= exhuming from the ruins Of the far ha
l. the early history of the Aryan race
q history when 1t emerged from barbaris
d into civilization. We have in Anne
lea, scattered in ruins, mound
shell-heaps, caves, on the rocl
and in the forests, the history
U many peoples as recorded in their art
!, Among the fragments of population lie
we have the languages, traditions, al
customs, and it is yet possible to obta
k these before all of the native peoples a
absorbed by modern civilization; but d
|. time when this material can be collect'
, is speedily passngaway, and as the Walt
n of this early history is being appreciate
: the possibility Of obtaining it is becomir
4 less and less.
d The Major was asked whether he b
: lieved thorough
= Study of American Antiquities
: would afford evidence of visits of lcelan'
+, ers 10 our shores before the time of U
lumbus. He replied in the negativ
g He did not believe that the claims for Il
: discovery of this country by Norseme
q could be subsiantiated by relics or trac
of settlement found upon lands With
the territory of the United States, I'll
>. old stone mill near Newport he had pc
sonally examined with much interes
= IL was undoubtedly old, perhaps ol
! enough TO have appeared old to the color
l. ists al tha time of the revolution; but Il