St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-29

scum and its maintenance.
1t was important that suitable person be
!ound to take charge of the work of securing
and classifying exhibits. wise choice was
made in the selection of F. J. Y. Skiff, who
was chief of the department of Mines and
Mining during the fair and who had acted as
director-general when Colonel George R. Da-
Wis had been unable to serve in that capacity.
Professor Skif supplements the fine all
round equipment of the trained newspaper
man with an executive ability of the first
class. OF all the men to whom Director-Gen-
eral Davis confided the task of organizing
exhibit departments no one distinguished
himself more. The department of Mines
and Mining was his creation, and had there
been nothing else at Jackson Park last year,
those visitors who gave the Mining building
the attention it deserved would have been
satisfied.
The home of the museum is the Fine Arts
building, which was unanimously voted by
visitors to be the architectural gem of the
fair. Most OF my readers have seen it OF
heard much of it, and It's therefore unneces-
Sary for me to give it the detailed descrip-
lion which it would otherwise deserve. The
d. museum is situated on the northern bank Of
= the North Lagoon. 1t was designed by c. 3.
4. Atwood, chief designer of the construction
department of the Columbian Exposition, and
is in every respect worthy of being the de-
pository of the valuable collection within its
walls Those who visit the museum now are
surprised at the rapidity with which the
work OF reconstruction upon it has been
pushed. In every room men have been at
work for months, and each room is full of
exhibits, most of which are already in place.
The place of honor in the centre of the build
ing has been called the Exposition Memorial
Court. In it are characteristic souvenirs of
the great fair of 1898, the central object
being the famous st. Gaudens statue of Co.
lumbus, which represents tho great discover
er taking possession of America.
Next to this in universal interest is prob
ably the exhibit OF relics of the world-finder.
1t occupies three rooms to the left of the
north entrance on the main floor. Here are
almost all of the treasures collected by the
Latin-American department of the EXPOSE
ton which were shown in the reproduction
of the convent of La Rabida. Fac,smiles are
ON exhibition of such few relies as are not
present in the original. The yatican's Won
derful exhibit is preserved in its entirety,
with the exception of two maps-even the
much-admired mosaics being included.
There are in all nearly q thousand pictures
and five hundred other articles illustrating
the life history of Columbus, with relics of
= the court of Ferdinand ard Isabella and of
, the early history of the convent.
Perhaps the most comprehensive collection
in the museum is that relating to botany and
forestry, which is III charge of Curator Mills
paugh. At present, in spite Of its extent it
is but the nucleus OF one destined to be tho
worlds greatest. Already the forestry dis
play is the best in the United States. Espe-
cialiy is it rich in I42tin-&Me2:can specimens,
which collection is re-Ga..s lie m@st coG.-