Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-12-15

WAS lne intention OF LIE. Draper. SAYS
the report, Ito be generous to the So
ciety he loved so well, but it appears
that he did not appreciate the preca-
riOus condition OF his estate, dying lp-
parently in the belief that he was Ieav-
ing us property OF considerable value
A special appeal is made for gifts 70
the antiquarian fund, which is designed
for the purchase of desirable articles
of Wisconsin antiquities. historic manu-
scripts and relics. etc. Public spirit
ed citizens can find no more worthy
object for their gifts and Requests,
than this antiquarian fund, designed TO
keep ut home Wisconsin archaeological
remains and historical relics As 1t is.
too many such have already been at
tracted to eastern museums with large
purses
The report refers at some length to
the part the society will take at the
worlds fair. On account of the gen
eral interest In the topic we venture to
give this section of the paper in full.
The executive committee have de-
cided that it is impracticable to make a
large display: a. it has no money
of its own to spend for such purposes;
(2 the appropriation from the state
board of worlds fair managers is but
$400, which will not go far in the con-
Struction of cases, mounting of spaci-
mems and transportation; 81 in eth
nolOgy, archaeology or historical relics.
it cannot enter the lists with the
Smithsonian institution, the Peabody
museum and several other large eastern
collections, the accumulation of which
has cost princely fortunes. What we
can do, will be done. We can make Il
creditable display with our native cop
per implements and selected speci-
memo Of Wisconsin stone tools; Il few
unique relics can be shown, such rs
those appertaining to Daniel Boone,
End our priceless PerrOt Ostensorium
These are to be exhibited in Depart
ment NJ, occupying the gallery of the
northern half Of the manufacturers and
liberal arts building. In the Wisconsin
state building we shall have on exhi-
biti0n Il collection of bound books by
Wisconsin writer's to be accompanied
by an exhaustive photography of Wis
consin Authors
The report reviews at some length
the work i'll progress in the library
and contains a wealth of detailed in
formation about the institution, Stats
teal and otherwise, it is shown that
during the year the total gifts aud
pamphlets reached the astonishing figure
of $500 coming from friends of the
society all over Europe and America :;
of these 5,251 were duplicates of what
was already on the shelves, but they
will be used in exchanges with other
libraries. The accesSiOuS of the year
aggregated G,27S books and pamphlets,
making the present strength of the Ii
blary 152,474 by all odds the largest
reference library west Of the Allegha-
mics.
In the portrait gallery oil portraits
lave been received of John Bcntly,
Robert Luscomb Christian Preusser,
UrieI B. Smith, aud John H. Van Dyke,
Milwaukee pioneers; the late Secretary
Lyman c. Draper, and the late Li)ar-
ian Daniel c. Durrie, and George 3.
Smith, of Madison. There were also
received crayon portraits of Hiram II.
Bond, Charles +. Brown and David
Ferguson, Milwaukee pioneers; Darwin
Clark, Madison; Edwin Hurlbut and
EliphaIat S. Stone, OconOmOwOc; and
ChriStobal Colon, the only living de-
scendant of Columbus AS for cabinet
photographs of Wisconsin pioneers, the
list is very large.
In reporting the acceSSiOns to the mu-
scum, the secretary makes plea for
new cases, and for other improvements
which will greatly add to the capacity
and attractiveness Of the place. at
is not our province Us an historical so.
ciety," he says, ''to make the museum Il
univ ersal catch-basin. The state uni
vcrsity has ample natural story and
geological collections, open to public
view in well appointed museums. The
field properly left to us is that of eth
nOlOgy, archaeology and history, and in
that alone should We seek for Access
sions We have already the nucleus
for q good museum of this character,
but only a nucleus. A purchasing sum
of $500 dollars per annum would enable
us slowly to build up a highly credit
able collection which, arranged with
scientific care, would be of great popu-
lar interest and an important factor in
the higher education of the people.
At the Columbian exposition OppOrtu-
mites will be presented fir the acquisi-
ton of valuable material illustrative
of the history of man in his several
stages of development; and it is to be
hoped that the legislature may feel
sufficient interest in the enterprise to
encourage us to take advantage of
them"
In conclusion the report refers at
some length to the future of the So
ciety. 1t is contended that the insti-
tuition should more and more supple
ment state aid by developing its own
resources. The society ought from timo
to time to be made the recipient Of
rich gifts from wealthy men and wO-
men in Wisconsin, for the maintenance
of a larger growth and a wider sphere
of usefulness. An earnest appeal is
made to the members to use their best
endeavors toward securing this end.
In the meantime" says the report
1--WE are again obliged to ask the legis-
Iature to extend its helpful hand We
need, imperiively need, an increased
annual appropriation. % for the en-
largement of our book purchasing
fund; (2) for the better and more scien-
fife maintenance of OTr museum OF