The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-12-18
The Fairbanks Museum.

Tie Fairbanks museum of natural
science, which was presented to the
town of st. Johnsbury, by Col. Franklin
Fairbanks, president of the Fairbanks
Scale company, was dedicated Tuesday
evening in the presence of large gather
ing. There was music by the st. Johns
bury band from 7:15 to 1880 o'clock,
followed by the chanting of the 14Sth
psalm by the Mahogany quartet and
prayer by Rev. L. I. Fairbanks.
Col Franklin Fairbanks then made
the address of presentation. In the
course of his remarks he stated his feel
ings and objects of this munificent gift.
No other State can boast of at fine an in
stitution of the sort. He said:
This day, one of the happiest of my
life, marks the completion of plan,
long cherished, that of erecting build
ing suitable for the objects in natural
science, which | have been collecting
from my boyhood. | have been a care
full observer, going about with my eyes
and ears Open Not bird comes within
my vision but try to learn its name, its
habits and its uses, and its song, if it has
any In the summer time this is never
ending source of delight, and so l might
mention butterflies, beetles and all in
sect life. the flowers and ferns and many
other objects of study, which live and
move in great profusion about us all the
summer long.
"Now if this collection will create in
you desire to know the facts regarding
the life which is around you, and which
your eyes see and your fingers touch; in
short, if you are hereby induced to study
and investigate the things that are near
est you, my aim will be accomplished
and trust through the aid you may re-
ceive on yonder building you may make
far greater progress than can compre-
hend."
The museum is one of the finest build
ings in the State and its contents the
finest private collection in America.
Here are found all the New England
birds, beetles and butterflies. EthnOl-
ogy is represented by South Sea island,
Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Alaskan and
Eskimo implements of war and domestic
utensils. Musical instruments from
China, Japan, East Africa and farther
India, testify to the aesthetic tastes of
dwellers in those lands. The lower forms
of animal life are shown i'll specimens of
fine corals and shells. There is large
collection of American and foreign but
terflIes and beetles, the finest private
collection of birds in America, with
handsome botanical and mineralogical
specimens from all parts of the world.
The building itself is of long meadow
red sandstone, in the Romanesque style
of architecture. 1t is in the form of the
| letter l., with an octagOnal tower 70 feet
high in the angle. 1t has frontage of
| l07 feet on Main street and S4 feet on
Prospect street. The lOggia leads into a
vestibule through, which one enters the
main hall, 35 by 104 feet, interior meas
ure, with barrel ceiling of highly pol
lshed oak. This room is 30 feet high,
beautifully lighed and has large win
dow of cathedral glass at either end
| The sides are filled with cases, while the
gallery, which is II ct from the main
! floor, has alcoves between the windows,
while table upon the gallery railing
gives convenient space for the exhibit
tion of delicate specimens. In the build
! ing is the office, classroom and labOra-
tory, all elegantly appointed. The
museum is heated by hot air and lighted
by gas and electricity. Lambert Pack
ard of st. Johnsbury is the architect
Franklin Fairbanks, the youngest of
the four sons of Gov. Erastus Fairbanks,
was born in st. Johnsbury, June 2Sth,
1928. Hewas educated at the local COM
mon schools and academy, and at Pink
erton academy at Derry, n. IL. At the
age of II he entered the employ of the
Fairbanks Scale Company, and was ad-
mitted to the firm in 1851. In 1915,
when the scale business was incorpOr-
ated, he was elected vice president and
general superintendent. At the death
of his brother in 1888 he was made
president of the company. He is at the
head of several other local com
panies, is a director of the Nicaragua
Canal Company, of the Tamarack and of
the Boston and Montana Mining Com
panies, is a trustee of NOrthfield Semi
nary, Rollins Collins, Florida, and of the
Vermont Soldiers Home.
The degree of NJ. A. was conferred