Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-04-04
THE MUSEUM OPENED.
The Exhibits from the Worlds Fair ana
Those of the Historical Society Formal
lv Onaned


The Exhibits from the Worlds Fair ana
Those of ths Historical Society Formal
Iy Opened.
Speclat Telegram 70 tas Rsotsts-.
CHARLESTON, w. VA, April 3'-Ine
State Museum was opened this evening
with grand reception in the Capltol
building. Before the doors OF the
museum we're thrown open addresses
were delivered in the Hall of the House
of Delegates to a large concourse or
people. Governor McCorkle presided
aud introduced the speakers. Judge j..
II. Brown, DR.. J. 2. Hale, Maj. Thomas
L. Broun, Col. A. w. WatrOus, S. L..
Fiournoy and others delivered short
addresses.
The Second Regiment band dis
coursed music through the evening"
Fully fifteen hundred people were in
the building during the evening.
The West Virginia Worlds Fair ex-
hibits have been installed in the armory
at the State House, and with the arch
ives of the Historical and Antiquarian
Society, make a most instructive and
handsome display.
modlous quarters than at the Fair, and
Col. r. S. Carr, who had charge OF re-
moving the exhibits, has displayed taste
in their arrangement. While these eX-
hibits are complete up to date, 1t IS
suggested, as they are TO become per-
manent showing of the States wealth,
that people should interest themselves
10 add to them such specimens as may
be developed hereafter. Manufacturers,
especially, are requested 10 send to the
Capital specimen products or their FAC
tories. Ia this way individual manu-
facturers will have an opportunity 10
advertise their special lines.
Citizens from abroad who come TO In
vest money in the States industries
will hereafter come to the Capital, and
in spect the specimens and see what the
State has TO offer.
The display OF the Historical Society
is interesting and instructive, and is
we'll worth the visit OF any citizen from
the remotest corner OF the State. The
library comprises over 5000 volumes
covering the history OF the Indian wars,
the early settlements, biography OF
early settlers, sketches OF travel, his
tory of the government of Virginia from
the earliest colonial times, the history
of the formation of the State OF West
Virginia, with large number OF public
documents pertaining thereto, and a
large collection of books covering var
ious subjects written by West
Virginia authors. Among some
OF the most interesting OF
the relics and historical collections
are a portrait OF Daniel Boone, a steel
trap used by him to trap beavers in the
Kanawha valley in 1888 (given by
Boone TO Paddy Huddleston, by Hud-
dleston to his sou Jared, by Jared Hud-
dleSton to DR.. John p. Hale, and by DR..
Hale to the society, and a walking cane
cut by Boone on the Ysw Pine noun
tains in the Gauley region; an original
survey of ten acres OF land near Point
Pleasant, made by Boone in 1871, for
which the Kentucky Historical Society
has offered $500; autograph
letters OF George Washington,
Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe,
and Thomas Randolph aud an auto
graph card Of John Randolph; parch-
ment deed from Cuthbert Bullitt TO
George Clendennin for the land on
which the city OF Charleston is built and
the first two town plats; the vote OF
Kanawha county on the ordinance OF
secession in 1850; papers TO which there
are original autographs OF Millard Fill
more,S Daniel Webster and Edward
Everett; wooden powder bottle carried
by Fleming Cobb in the battle of Point
Pleasant in IVA; powder gourd used
by Capt. John Wilson in the war
of 1872; brick taken from the
ruins in Rome, Italy, 1000 years ago; a
snuff box of Herman Blenerhassett,
presented to J. G.. Laidley in 1905, aud
oy his son, Major A. T. Laidley, pre-
sented to the Society, specimen of need
lework done by the women Of the Val
ley of Virginia before the Revolutionary
war; a piece of canvass embroidery,
done by a member of the Laidley fam
lily in Scotland In 1850; handsome case
Of Indian relics, presented to the Soci-
etv by DR.. J. p Hale and Prof. j. f.
Cork; coins Of foreign nations many
centuries old; old State bank notes; old
English numismatic display, etc. The
collections contain thousands Of relics
OF various kinds and arranged In ele-
CANT glass top cases and easy Of inspec-
tion.
Miss Lulu Downtain, the librarian
aud custodian of the society's collec-
tion, keeps everything in excellent
shape and is always kind and generous
to a fault in showing visitors the dis
play, rehearsing the story connected
with each relic and making the visit OF
every one pleasant and profitable.