River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-11-02

GAVE a MILLION.
Marshall Fields BiS Donation to the CO.
lumbar Museum.

DONATION TO the Co
lumbar Museum.
CHIC AGO, Oct 80 Out of the passing
glory of the exposition Chicago will re-
ceive a grand museum. and everything
| indicates that it will be located Ia the
grandest building in Jackson parlx--the
Palace of Fine Arts. What wa few
weeks ago only well developed idea
is now an assured fact The wealthy
men of Chicago and others not wealthy
who contributed 70 the building up of
the exposition will now spend their
money for the building of the museum
by an act of unusual generosity
Marshall Field has set the ball rolling
with donation of 81 1000, 900 toward
| furthering tho plan, and George NJ.
| Pullman has promised another 500, 600
Mr.. Fields gift is made on the condi-
ton that $500, 900 be raised outside of
his contribution. and that $1,000, 900
stock of the exposition be assigned to
the trustees Of the projected museum
! Mr. Field gave $1,000, 900 with as lit
tie ceremony as he would pay an ad
mission fee to Jackson park. He gave
his subscription Thursday afternoon,
but it was not made public until FRI
| day. Messrs. Aver and Ellsworth of
the museum trustees went to Mr.. Field
and told him of their plan to provide
funds for the project and asked him
what he thought he could do in the
matter. The famous merchant asked
! for a couple of days in which to con-
slider the matter. Accordingly he was
waited upon Thursday morning, and
told his visitors that he would give
| 81 Zoo, 900 toward the enterprise, and
stated the conditions under which the
donation was to be made. These were,
of course, accepted at once by the com
mittee. Mr.. Fields munifcence fred
| public enthusiasm and generous con-
tributious have since been made. For
starting the fund SO literally the
museum viii probably bear Mr. Fields
name. The organization committee of
the board of trustees have been very
successful in securing displays for the
museum, and altogether the outlook
| is roSey.
Nothing succeeds like success, and
the Chicago university people aud the
Armour institute have fallen in with
the interest shown by others, and in
order to make the museum the grand
est possible will give it such
exhibits as they at first secured
for themselves. For weeks there
have been representatives of muse
ums working among exhibitors TO
secure displays. Among these workers
were the university people and the Ar
mour institute. They secured a great
many exhibits. but when they saw the
superior character that would be
reached by the great collection
they donated theirs. Edward Aver,
of the finance committee, has
given his Indian display. 1t is valued
at $4,000. and in recognition of this
Mr. Aver will probably be elected pres
| ident of the board of trustees. Another
generous donation is the Jessop collec-
tion in the Forestry building. This is
another $780, 600 exhibit which has been
added. Then the exposition company
itself spent $3.50, 900 in securing exhib-
its in the department of ethnology.
All this goes to the general collection.
Many of the most valuable exhibits
at the exposition, from historical and
scientific point of view, have already
been donated to the Columbian mu-
scum. Many others can be obtained
at pii ices which will merely cover the
original cost of collection or manufac-
ture. Exhibitors in every department
of the Manufactures building show
willingness to leave their choicest
relics to the museum, and fully one
half the exhibitors in Mines and Min
ing will donate their displays. In
Transports zion promises have been re-
ceived from a number of railway com
panies, boat builders and foreign com
missioners that their displays or parts
Of them shall remain and be the means
Of teaching coming generations how
ideas were expanded in building vehi-
Giles until the marvels of the present
day was achieved.
A rough estimate as to the material
at hand 10 be placed in the bailding
after next week places the money value
of il at over half a million dollars. the
historical value of many of the articles
and collections offered is difficult to de-
termine, but it is great. Many of the
states are eager TO have their displays
perpetuated. as are also the foreign
governments.
Along with the property of the fair
available for museum purposes are
many groups of statuary about The
grounds. The idea is to select the best
of the collection and also many models |
which have been preserved. The inten-
tion is To make jackson park the most
scientific museum on the continent.
The Art palace. which probably will !
be secured for the permanent home of
the Column ian museum, has often been
declared 10 Toe the architectural gem of
the exposition. IL IS an example of the
purest type of classic architecture and
ITS location at the head of the north |
pond is in thorough harmony with the |
surprising beauty of the building. In
shape the Art palace is oblong, meas |
uring 500 by 500 feet.
The building is entirely freproof the !
walls being of solid brick, while the |
galleries and roof are of iron. 1t is |
lighted entirely through slIylights, |
supported by iron frames. In the en-
tire building there are eighty galleries |
ranging from thirty feet square to &c !
by 100 feet.
1t is proposed to keep the building |
practically as il stands at present, |
though at some future time the staff |
wheel covers the brick walls may be |
u