The record-union., 1893-06-29
TIE STATE MINERAL CABINET.
1t is Growing = Improvements and
Additions.
Meeting of the Trustees Yesterday-An
Educational Catalogue in Prep
aratfon-What 1t Is to Re.

The Trustees of the State Mineral Cabi-
net held their final meeting for the fiscal
year ending June 30th at the city's Art
Gallery yesterday morning, Hon. E. }.
Gregory presiding, DR.. George Pyburn
Secretary, j. a. Woodson member.
The subcommittee on new octagonal
case reported the same completed, and
the bills for construction were audited
and allowed and reported to the State
Board of Examiners. The case is a very
handsome structure. 1t is over four feet
in width. has eight sides, stands about
three feet two inches high and is almost
wholly of glass and walnut. 1t is
mounted on handsome turned legs and
has four doors. 1t is movable, and can
be placed to secure light undor changing
conditions. This case was constructed
from the doors taken out OF the old cabi-
nets when they were rebuilt last year. It
is the intention, after time, to build sew
eral OF these cases, as the cost is very
light, and they make most desirable and
necessary additions. There are undlS-
played many valuable specimens, enough
TO I'LL four such cases.
The board resolved to purchase from a
scientific association al the Last line Of
illustrative specimens arranged to order,
to show the whole meteorological range in
connection with the examples now i'll the
cabinets, thus completing the collection
owned by the State upon a scientific
basis. These examples are, of course,
small and cost but little, but they are adj
mlrable for the purpose of making the
meteorological history OF the cabinet COM
plete as an educational factor.
The board resolved to prepare a new
pata lnuna and GaT11Ala
mod and criticised. The plan is to have
each mineral group introduced by a
note of statement that will inform the
mind OF whoever examines the collection
concerning matters that will illuminate
! the intelligence. Such a catalogue Will
add greatly to the value of the cabinet
and make it greatly more interesting to
the people. For instance, as the cata-
Iogue now reads, it is simply a list of the
chief OF the several thousand examples in
the cases, giving their respective mum bers,
the classes of minerals being arranged in
groups, according to the Dana system.
Under the new catalogue each group will
be introduced by simple understandable
statement concerning the group. Thus, if
the group is that of strontium, or zinc
ores, or nickel, or manganese, or cobalt,
the note introducing the group will eX-
plain where the mineral is mostly found,
IN what condition, what is the method of
extraction, how it is treated for uses COM
merc4al or scientific, its value to man, its
specific gravity, how long it has been
known, what are the classes into which it
Is divided, what, in brief, has been its
history, to what practical use it is put in
the arts or the sciences, by what vulgar
name 1t is known, how 1t may be recog-
niZed, and so on. These notes will really
compose quite textbook on mineralogy,
but with only brieiest reference to the
geological history and relation of the
mineral.
The purpose of compiling such cata-
logue was expressed to the Legislature
| last winter by the board, and that body
gave the board $500 for its use for the two
years succeeding, with knowledge of the
work contemplated. And the same was
true the year before with regard to the re-
built cabinet. and now again regarding
the new cases. The board is gradually
making the cabinet greatly more valua-
bic by adding new specimens and feat
ures, and in that work the Mining Bureau
and State Museum assists it by contribu-
ton of duplicates occasionally.
The board resolved TO go to San Fran
cisco at an early day and pay an official
visit to the State Mineralogist, and
consult regarding exchanges and fur
theL contribution of duplicates, and on
the general subject of making the cabinet
a still more valuable educational feature.
During the month ending June 18th
over 700 persons viewed the mineral cabi-
net. Since the introduction of the glass
shelving and the new glass sides the light
in the cabinets is greatly better, and the
pleasure of examining the contents very
much enhanced. When all the collection
in the possession of the board is fully dis
played as cases can be prepared the inter-
est in the cabinet will still more increase