New-York tribune., 1895-08-17
PART III.
PAGES II TO IA.
WAS 1T STATE PROPERTY? +?
WHAT is SAID ABOUT THE PROFESSOR
HALL COLLECTION.
PROFESSORS WHITFIELD AND BICxMoRE DE-
CLARE THAT THE STATE GEoIOGIsr HAD A
PERFECT RIGHT TO SELL HIS spEcl-
MEMS TO THE MUSEUM OF NAT
CRAL HISTORY.

MEMS 10 THE MUSEUM OF NAT
URAL HISTORY
During Wednesdays sitting at Albany Of Assem-
hlvman Abels subcommittee of the Legislature.
which is engaged in investigating the affairs in the
department of the Regents OF the University OF
che State OF New-York. Me,vl Dewey the sec
,eary OF the Regents. testified that during a visit
,o New-York In 1883 ne saw at the American Mu-
seum OF Natural History a collection Of specimens
which he Informed had formerly belonged to
the State. but had been bought from Professor
Hall the State geologist. for $4,000. The coec-
ton which is said to be the finest OF It's kind in
America. IS now in the original wing of the Mu-
scum and consists Of many thousand specimens
Of fossil organic remains from the rocks OF the
different geological formations represented in Amer
tea together with rock specimens OF the geological
svstem Of New-York State. The collection was
gathered by Professor Hall during his surveying op-
.ra,ions In America extending over a period Of
fifty years. The inference that Professor Hall, in
S,sposng Of this collection selling property Of
the State not borne by Professor Albert s.
Bekmore and X. p Whitfield. when seen yesterday
BY Tribune reporter Professor Whitfield. who
is the curator of the geological and archaeological
department. OF the Museum. said:
The collection belonged indisputably Profess
cor Hall. and there is foundation for the belief
,ha, the State has claim upon 1t. Professor Hall
has been making this collection since lsi3. and has
personally bourht great many of the specimens.
l was engaged for many years with Professor Hall
30 the surveying operations of this State. and
an well acquainted with the history of the colec-
ton. The State paid the professor salary Of
$500 year for producing the yearly volumes Of
the 'New-York Natural History II necessary
70 collect specimens include in this history and
Professor Hall spent the whole Of this money
every year in collecting the necessary data Now
Mr.. Dewey apparently maintaip1 that because the
State paid the professor a salary for doing spe-
cfc work. which he performed the collection BY
right belongs 10 It,
This matter has been thoroughly probed before
and Professor Hairs prOprietorshp has always been
acknowledged In 1869 when he offered to sell 1t to
the state. the Regents. after giving 1t their con-
that the question first brought UP as TO Pro-
fessor Halls right to hold the collection. AS re-
suit Of agitation in the Legislature and In the
newspapers. a committee was appointed. consisting
Of the Governor. Secretary OF State and Controller
and DR.. J. V. l. Pruyn. the Chancellor of the Re-
gents. They thoroughly investigated the matter and
decided that the collection rightfuly belonged to
Professor Hall. This occurred some time in the
early seventies and in 1874 the trustees of this
Museum purchased the collection for $4,000. and
rot $4,000, stated in the evidence. That Is
concisely the history of the collection and Pro-
lessor Halls ownership is beyond question
Professor Bickmore said tersely, but with efnpha-
sis: The collection belonged 10 Professor Hall. and
the State never had the shadow OF a claim upon II.
Do you think trustees would have paid away
so much money for specimens which they might
probably have relinqush later? No. The trus-
tees proved Professor Halrs title TO the collection
before they completed the purchase OF that you
may be sure
Morris K Jesup, the president Of the Museum, and
John H. Winser. the secretary. were not In the
city.