Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-15
THE GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Interesting Meeting Held Last Night at
Cosmos Club.
The Attractive Program Arranged for
the Winter-An Addition to
the SOcicty's Relics.

A very interesting meeting Of the Geo
| graphic Society was held last night in the
| Cosmos Club Hail. Gen. Greedy In the ch air.
| Prof. Milton Whitney Of the Agricult lral
Department presented a paper on "The
| Geographic Distribution Of Soils" and
many important facts were brought out In
| the address and the discussion that fol-
| lowed regarding the different kinds of soils.
| the conditions required for various crops,
| the effects of fertilizers and the essential
| variations that determine the value Of soil,
| its retention of moisture, SC.
| Dr. c. Hart Merriam Of the same depart
| ment then read his annual report as vice
president of the society, on The Geo
| graphic Distribution of Life" In which he
| developed the laws of thermal control that
| regulate the distribution of animals and
plants, as first proved by his own research
| es, carried on, principally, during his Cele-
| brated Death Valley expedition. The region
investigated. embracing parts OF Gaiif9rnia
Nevada. Utah and Arizona, included the
highest and lowest portions OF the United
| States, namely Mount Whitney, In the Sier,
/ ras, some 1900 feet above sea level ana
Death Valley, 800 feet below sea level
| Gen. Greedy paid the speaker deserved
| compliment n closing the meeting and
| stated that his paper. when puphsheo IN
attract great attention from specialists In
| this line of work.
| An Old HnrpOon.
| At the meeting of the board Of managers,
| before the meeting of the society, letter
| was read from Senator Perkins Of Califor-
| mia, presenting to the society an extremely
| interesting relic in the shape of the head
1 of a harpoon that was found in whale
| taken in Boring sea in 1880, bearing the
| name Of the old whaler "MonteZuma Inns
| vessel was one of the old ships that were
| Id with Stnn
| harpor by the federal government during
| the war of the rebellion, and had not been
| in Boring sea for ten years previously, 80
| that for sixty long years that whale car
| ried this weapon with him in all his wan
| derings Indeed, the old Montezuma used
| to cruise in Barfin's Bay and Davis Strait,
| and may have struck the whale there 80
| the harpoon may have visited the open
| polar sea, witnessed the struggles of Col
| linson, Mares, Payer Nordenskiold and
] Greedy, the sinking of the Inflated jeanette
| and made the northwest passage to Berins
| sea!
| On the motion of Mr. Gardiner G. Hub
| bard, president of tho society, vote OF
| thanks was adopted, and 1t was resolved TO
| frame the valuable relic and add ii to the
collection of the society. which. by the
way, contains the flag that Peary carried
the farthest north.
OF Special Interest.
The next meeting of the society will be
| of special interest, as John w. Foster, eX-
| Secretary of State, will speak on the politi
| cal geography of Asia Gen. Foster has
only recently returned fIom his tour Of the
world, and while in China was received
1 with marked distinction by Viceroy Ii
| Hung Chang who at that time still wore
| his yellow jacket anu peacock feathers.
| Winters Program.
| A new program of this winters lectures,
issued today, says that the society now
| thOnSanH
| bers, including the President and Vice
President Of the United States, members
of the cabinet and Congress, officers of the
| diplomatic corps and the army and navy,
| scientists, professional men, superinten-
dents of colleges and schools, teachers, and
| other prominent residents of Washington.
The object of the society is stated to
| be Ito increase and diffuse geographic
knowledge by original research, publica-
tons, series of lectures by eminent author
tiles, and by establishing a geographic IL
brary and map room for the use of men,
bers and their friends"
| The winters lectures are divided in two
classes, popular meetings held in National
Rifles Hall on Friday evenings and tech
| meal meetings held in Cosmos Club Hall
| on alternate Fridays. The lectures ar
| ranged are as follows:
| Popular Meetings.
| December 81, THE Political Geography Of
ASIA" John w. Foster. ex-Secretary OF
State.
| December %. "Erosion: Its Effects on
Forests and Soils" Professor N. 8. Shaler
of Harvard University. This is a joint
| NEE ting with American Forestry Associa-
| ton, at National Museum.
| January 4, Greenland" Professor 7. G.
Chamberlin of the University of Chicago.
| January IS, "rhe Nicaragua Canal" MIR.
| John r. Proctor, president of the civil ser
| vice commission.
February 1, ''The Seine the Meuse and
| he Ila NJ To Of
| Harvard University.
February 10. Recent Discoveries In AS
| syria and Babylonia," Rev. Dr. Francis
| Brown of New York.
March l. The Gulf Stream Lieut.
Commander ]. E. Pillsbury. U.s.N.. for
five years captain Of the Blake"
March Is, Turkey" Rev. DIR. Henry H.
| Jessup of Beyroot, Syria.
March 20, Argentina" DIR. d. Estanis-
| lao s. Zeballos. Argentine minister
| Other lectures in this course Oregon, by
| Senator j. H. MITCHELL Labor and Indus
tries of the South. by Carroll ID. Wright,
| United States commissioner of labor; The
| Tehuantepec Railroad, by Mr.. Z. II. Cor
thell, C. E.; Chile and Peru. by Miss Lily
Grove of England; Wyoming. by j. w.
| Hoyt, ex-territorial governor of Wyoming
| and addresses by Mr.. George KEENAN, and
| Mr.. Gardiner G. Hubbard.
Technical Meetings.
| January II. The Northern Appalachians.
Mr.. Bailey Willis Of the United States geo
| logical survey.
January %. The Headwaters of the Mis-
sissippi. Elliott Coues. NJ. D.
February 8. Topographic Forms, Major
| Gilbert Thompson of the United States
geological survey.
| February 20. The Fur Seals of Boring
Sea, Mr.. ]. Stanley Brown Of the Alaska
| Commercial Company.
| March s. The Mexican Boundary, Mr.. A.
| T. Mosman of the Mexican boundary COM
mission.
| March %. The Alaskan Boundary, Mr.. j.
| K. McGrath and Mr.. II. p. Ritter of the
| coast survey.
| Real Estate Transfers.
Deeds in fee have been filed as follows:
| Frank L. Browning and ]. Thos. Sothoron.
| trustees, to Jos. b. Kleindienst, part
original lot IL. 50. Al: $500. Timothy d.
| Daily and w. Mosby Williams, trustees