New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-29
A HANDMAID OF HISTORY.
THE USEFUL WORK OF THE WESTERN
RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
ONE OF TIE OLDEST AND MOTT ACTIVE IN
sTITUTIoNs N TIE wESr-ITs VALU-

of those interested In historical and scientific re-
search than the Western Reserve Historical society
Of this CITY, Among the Oldest ORGANIZATIONS of us
kind in the West, II has, through quarter Oh d
century perstently earnestly and judicously carred
on the difficult work OF collecting ana preserving
historical data bearing upon the settlement ana
development OF the Northwest, and more especiai!
Of Ohio and the Connecticut Reserve. BeS'oeS 'hs
il has encouraged OF the most notable ana 'aiu
able Geo logical and archaeological investigations IN
the Central West, and published large humDer Vi
highly interesting and valuable monographs upon
scientific subjects To-day Its library ana museum
has probably but one superior in It's class west OF
the Allegheny Mountains. and that an INSTITUTION
receivnr financial assistance from the state II WIS
cOnSn.
Early in 1867 about twenty Cleveland gentlemen
Interested in scientific and historical matters, en-
tered upon the definite work OF collecting ana pre-
serving historical data and encouraging original
scientific Investigation. Judge {. [. Badwih theh
vice president OF the Case Library, was one OF tine
most enthusiastic and with him were Colonel Charles
Whi,tlesey Judge J. ID. Cleveland, j. II. A. Bone
now Editor OF 1.-THE Cleveland Plandealer'' ana
such substantial financial supporters as joseph fer
kins. Leonard Case, founder Of Case School OF Ap-
piled Science and of the Case Library, ana W. D.
Gordon With these energetic and enthusiastic
students and such liberal patrons the society
Gourshed from the first and now has membership
approyimating 300 including such eminent ONO men
as ok President Rutherford b. Hayes, John d. ROCHE
Teller, ex- congressman Amos Iownsehd anu l. e.
Burton Judge ". J. Boardman General NJ. j. Leg
gett General James Barnett. Il. H. Prrnue anu L.
f. Holden. The late Judge Rufus j. Ranney one Oh INC
most eminent jursts the State has produced, was
also an active member. The objects OF tne socieV
are declared By the bylaws to be To discover pro
cure and preserve whatever relates to the history,
biography genealogy antiquities and statistics con-
nected with the city OF Cleveland and the "es'e'"
Reserve and generally, what relates TO thc history
Of Ohio and the Great West" How successfully these
have been carried ont may be judged from Driei
description Of the work already done
Thousands Of papers and documents have been col
lected that but for This society would probably nave
been DESTROYED. No less than twenty-three volumes
OF field notes surveys and similar data connected
with the settlement OF Northern Ohio, ana twenty
five groups OF letters, diaries and personal ana
business memoranda, are among the priceless treas
ures Already many OF these are Invaluable anu
others will become rare as time goes on The
library proper besides these large cohecuohs vi ~
script comprises 1900 volumes OF whch more
tbon 2 900 bear upon the general and Local history
n, the West II contains many rare ana costly "orh'
also among which may be- mentioned Loru Mug
borough's "Aniquities OF Mexico Win inc 'o'nr
nous copies in colors OF the picturewrlung vi '"e
Aztccs I'm nine immense and richly bound rolios' anu
n hand painted edition OF Hall and Mckennys III
/ Marcy The library IS also rich In works OH
cneolocy having over 600 volumes in this department.
MANY OF them being exceedingly rare Inc secre'"'.
receives REQUESTS TO assist in tracing iamiy uesoeh'
from people in all parts OF the country
The museum Is especially notable FOR It's conrc'ioh
Of Indian relies and implements. Many ricn r''n""S
y, tho molndbuilders and limestone FOSSILS III large
uuohors from the Lake Erie Islands are also among
tho highly prIzed possessions OF the society. Inc
roc,,on Of Indian fnts bone needles, stone SPACES
or hoes axes, pestles and the Ike Is very i"'e' N
fine while rare copper beads. rings sh"hs anu m
ages taken from Northern OHIO mounds are among VI.
remains OF prehistoric But the most wohoeri"
and nriceess possession Of this character III ,ne
| museum Is the palaeolithc Implement louha ~ '"
- Mills In the undsturbed gravel OF glacial terra'e
ro,r Newcomersown, OHIO, in October 1907 ""u
nronounced by Professor e.. FREDERICK Wright.
oh.rln author OF The Ice Age OF North A"rr''"'
and other eminent authorities to be rene VI i''a'
older than the glacial age. and similar 10 the i'"p'
men,s found In the gravels at Trenton y. o., ny
Professor Abbott and by Others NJ MadisonVe' O"o
woaor, Ind and Little Falls, MINI. 1t was io"ha
a,, foot h.,ow the surface, Is OF the Dlack NM vi
m. lower Mercer limestone and Is SAID by iroieso
Wright TO be- In many respects inc ihoS' nv
find Of the kind ever made on the continent ,n
WRIGHT has also recently presented the socieN WIN
other rare and valuable relies OF pre-s'a'l '''" "
ua,rc the stone mortar from the snake River ei"''
and similar remains Ito" VI"
outside OF Paris. .
rho rnuseum also possesses n collection OF over
600 photographs OF persons and things ic'"'.ns :.
,bnriginal life. only ten Others cothpai'o'c WIN
heinc In existence and complete SET OF the ' ""N
,,ohr. casts which the United states Geological sur
vov mnde of the clin ruins. dwellings anu an,en
W. l,,nwos, There are said u be but halt ugzon
sets OF these remarkably interesting iePrrs ,n An
othsr ' valuable possession of the society y saree n
acre lot on Key's Island, Lake rye, sue" With
orsoctIon the Immense and wonderful groovcN WI,
% acers cut in the limestone OF the Ma,,rn,e
,t,n,a there. As lime comRany, w wns evil
S'rosS facial action this eift to the society," VIII
be particularly appreciated by geoosc'' S'"1'"''
r T%s pn all i Of the society however are the
work by which it Is most widely known' hi.cts
eighty four h,eGea Professor ~ L. Reds Archae-
oogy q Ohio being the last The enSoT nnsh
IA mem 81 WI, lat. professor g. Frederick Wright In MS
e'rsIss the results North Of x x'sa are Ills I'll.
S SD"ia on tho Terminal Mone published oioh by
il in 1854 the beginning OF ms nse "s an
N w9rM in, esicacr Other valuable monographs OF
the society include one by the iat fo~v- colonel
cb,Tes Whit';cscy's Ancient Earthworks OF inc
Cnyahoga Valley which is careful yc,n n most , Of
Which has since DESTROYED by the tn per tSs
city Professor Claypoes pam,v Voey and Cor
no,is paIdwins Burial Csts In Northeastern ohlo
Many OF The publications Of the society ars both Se IN
ths country and abroad. One OF the acnieye =, S
NJ which the society Is justly prond Is inc Worh J, u.u
IN securing the purchase and publication By the sae
Of the papers letters and Journals OF e'rIni tr'nl
:, clair Iut for the interest shown ny tms OF
s.n,aon and It's persistent advocacy Of their pnr-
chns. by the state through Its indl'is meh ms pie
80 collection wouh have been scattered ana LOST
The society has also performed notable public ser
vice In securing and preserving eomple.s e, a., a.,
maps Of ohio Ohio counties and TIE Nor,owes. ~ !,
general. over 200 are In the collection ana IL
il impossible - duplicate IT, ,..,.. !. soo,
to be in fine home Of It's own; For years r,,rg s a.
~ sccetv for savings But the quarters have be-
come cramped and 1t impos sible to show all ne
collections 4 few months ago. after the SOCIETY for
eowngs moved into It's and larger building,
nlnn 70 bmv the older building for this society was
pnt on foot and carried 70 successful cu,mnntlon.
Tho huIldng Is OF stone. three stories high with
basement and thoroughly nrepr,of situated on the
..i - - thc nihlc snInrc IL is Admirably Mtted