The herald., 1895-11-24
VALUABLE INDIAN RELICS
The Palmer Collection at the Chamber
Of Commerce
csatsining Hany Rare Specimens Of the
Workmanship Of the Aboilg'uees.
Project to Purchase Them

The Palmer oollection OF Indian curios
at the chamber OF commerce continues &,
attract widespread interest and atten
tion. A noted visitor from the east yester-
day stated that collection Of this size
Sonian institute at Warrington, whore u
would occupy more prominent and con-
spiouous position. Los Angsles. how
sver, feels a just pride In the knowledge
that California, and particularly this
representative city Of the southern part
Of the state, is drawing yearly more end
more that class OF persUns Of education
and culture that make up the sightseers
OF the world, and that this city Is there
fore adapted as yell as any In tho United
states to give promi to this sxhibit
and to obtain for 1t the apprscia ton that
Il deserves.
Dr.. Palmer made the collection for Los
Angeles, offering 1t as. Loan to the
cham Der of commerce. Howev,r, as
negotiations from the MUSEUMS at San
Francisco and Chicago have been ad-
vanccd for its purchase, prominent citi-
xens OF this city ars en''eavorine to retain
It here, AMI have started q fund TO secure
1t IS q permanent exhibit The pricr OF
$4,000 which vas placed on the coll elton
represented the actual cost of oDtain ing
the curios. Besides this, Dr.. Palmer has
been engaged during tue last seventeen
years in making the collection 10 order
TINT 1t may be retained here, DR.. Palmer
not only the amount OF Ills time spent.
but tw0.thlrds OF his cash expenditure
II the city will undertake to raise the
remaining third. or about $500.
Five hundred dollars have ALREADY been
subscribed and 1t Is thought the palance
will be raised without mu5n difficulty.
The collection nun hers many hundred
articles. large and small, that we're found
in tue Indian burial Rrouuds at Santa
Barbara and ntncr sections III Southern
California. 1t may " presumed that the
superstitious Indian was buriei in his
ornam MS and that the various vessels
used as COOKING pots, drinking cups.rtc.,
We filled with fooi and water necessary
for his cum Tort IN his long journey to
other and happier hunting grounds. Or
it may be that as the wealth of most
print i've races consisted In their jewels
and the number Of cooking uton sils they
possessed, thst many an Indians worldly
goods were buried with him. Or per-
haps in their flight from place to place
from the paleface 1t was necessary for the
In ians 10 hide their treasures In the
earth, expe, ting to return for them ut
some future time.
There are six large cases in the exhibit,
and they illustrate without words the
different phases of ths primitive Indian g
life, his desire for sdUrnment, his love OF
his pipr. smoked for peace or otherW Use,
his fOndness for spnrt ar his love OF the
chase, - well as his forethought for do.
mestic comfort. There are many va
rieties of brilliant beads, charms, buttons
and o;her ornaments of glass, shell. bone
and wood, of pipes showing the different
operations of their manufacture and &C m.
pletion. There are arrows and number
less arrow points OF finest Workmanship,
hsh hooks made vi bone and shell IN end.
less variety, and fishing line. the only
and ted 'ous handiwork. Several cases are
devoted entirely to illustrating the vari-
GUS stages in tho manufacture Of pestles,
mortars, cooking utensils and vessel. OF
all kinds, from the unwieidiy pieces OF
rock with few strokes cut in them to
the finished articles. These creations
with the rude i'm plements used in max.
ing them, that also illustrate the same
crude handiwork, show the greatest skill
and 'an infinite patience that seems pa
thetic in these days. Baking and mealinR
IN great nun bers. made OF soa pstone and
sefpentine from the qnarries that were
situated at Catalina island.
A stone for grinding meal that Is In
this collection must bave been used by
two wome.i sitting on tie ground with
the stone between them, the one throwing
in the grain, the other grinding. This
illustrates the bible al prophesy
Manv of the exhinits are particularly
valuable, for tie reason that they are
single specimens and cannot be dupli-