Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-11-03
SOME PRECIOUS RELICS.
Mementos of Our Great Men In the "u-
scum at Washington.

, .rentos of Our Great Men In the Mu-
scum at Washington.
The most valuable jewels. IN the
National Museum in Washington are
the relics of our great men near tle
entrance. These are worth tens OF
thousands of dollars in intrinsic Valuc
of the gold and jewels OF wnlcn tney
are made. to say nothing OF tne
| workmanship There are swords Dy
the dozen set with diamonds, guns
! inlaid with precious stones, and canes
which have heads of gold in when
gems are imbedded. A guard is de-
tailed to watch them night and day.
Each case has burglar alarm con-
nected with it, and the least med
ding would set an electric bell ring
| ing and call the Museum army TO-
gether.
The Grant collection is one. 1t IS
made up of hundreds of gold articles
exouisitely engraved, and brougnJ TO-
gether from all parts OF the World, OF
| rare stones, of china more valuable
than though it were of solid gold, and
of other articles which, ii melted
down, would fully pay the PRESIDENTS
salary for a year or more.
In one case there is a complete col
lection of gold and silver coins OF ia
pan, which has wonderful numls-
matte value, as it is the only com
| plete set in existence except one IN
| the Japanese treasury. Some OF the
gold coins are quarter OF an inch
| 1opr
| of dinner-pail. Seven of them cost
IS. 900, and there are perhaps nun
dred in the collection.
In another case there are half a
| dozen large elephant tusks which the
King Of Siam gave to General Grant,
and there are six pieces Of costly jade
given him by one of the princes OF
China. All of the swords presented
| to him are there, and many Of them
have diamonds set in the hits. The
sword given to General Grant by the
Sanitary Fair at New York has q
solid gold head, representing the
| Goddess of Liberty, which has two
rubies, two diamonds. and two sap
phires set in it. The sword of Chat
| tanooga has fourteen diamonds i'm
| bedded in it, and many Of the gifts
which he received from foreign mon
archs are of gold set with diamonds.
One of the medals which are in the
collection contains $500 worth OF
gold, and is as large around as the
bottom of a tin cup. The gold ar
| ticles in this collection would fill a
peck measure, and many cities, too,
gave General Grant a gold box con-
tanning the papers in which their
| freedom was presented. The box
which he received at Ayr. Scotland,
is as big as cigar box and is Of solid
gold. The city of Glasgow gave
him a still larger one beautifully
chased. and the gold box which he re-
ceived from the city of London is q
wonder of artistic workmanship,
bearing an engraving of the Capitol
on one side and the London Guild
hall on the other. Enameled on its
golden surface are the union jack, the
red, white, and blue, and the God
dess of Liberty shaking hands WITH
the British Lion.
There is beautiful cigar case Of
gold from the King of Siam. a model
of the table on which Lees surrender
was signed, in solid gold, and a solid
gold invitation card as large as a
postal card and about five times as
thick, which was sent to General
Grant in solid silver envelope, in
viting him to d masked ball at San
Francisco. There are number Of
silver menus, gold-handled knife
which the miners Of Idaho gave him,
gold-headed canes set with diamonds,
and medals and other articles of gold.
Jewellers Weekly.