The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-28
WONDERS OF A STATE.
MANY 10 BE Found IN THE NORTH
CAKOLIHA MUSEUM.
In the Mineral Exhibit IL tho skeleton OF
of u Largo Right Whale Killed on
tho Coast Near Beaufort.

RALEIGH, ". c., March 27.-SpeciaL-
To any one not familiar with 1t a reveal
ton Is in store for them on visiting the
state Museum. II Is solely devoted to as
complete and comprehensive an exhibit
as possible OF the vast and varied re-
so,. es Of the State and. as such. Is I'M
surpassed I'm the United States. Most OK
the older ana richer States have larger
and more elaborate museums. but AL
such have a wider scope. being deNoled
10 exterior eHniLits as well as those De
lonlin:. 10 their cwh States. NIsllors
from all over this country as wei as
shrinking OF foreigners are constantly
payin, their c'ni mtr,s 10 thlS Noi'u
Carolina lnsthut'oH. AMI the surprise
felf and Ct ni,iin'ertary Opinions express
ed by such are a source OF great pride
u tie officers IN CT arSe.
The method OF instaiiation and display
Of ca iDits ah'i he ctfdii'Cn In whlcn
the nicely ca'rtttd rooms are kept are
Tho result # IL. Ing and careful study
OF all the great eNposi,ions OF the past
fifteen years Ind Ct familiarity on tbs
pa:t o. The oi'irers .. tie institution with
other AMI larser r.VGms in Washing
ton. New York and elsewhere.
So much for generalities and now for
some details.
MINERALS.
The first room entered Is that devoted 10
minerals-soieutinc display. economic
minerals, building stones. ores. &c. This
IS a magnificent and lofty hall. nearly
50xGj feet In size. by % feet TO the huge
joists OF North Carolina pine supporting
the handsome truss roof From these
trusses swings the skeleton OF great
Right Whale (Balacua cisarcticd) - feet
long, killed near Beaufort by the whalerS
OF that place few yelrs since. Although
no, the largest ever killed there II Is con-
siderally above the average and is, alD
gether. the most interesting exhibit N
the whole building to majority OF the
visitors Around the walls are arranged
upright cases containing elaborate. ex'
hlbits OF the iron ores OF the state. coal
graphite, pyrite, a large case devoted en-
tire.y 10 mica and anoti er 10 kaolin and
Tale. In the handsome oak desk cassI
arranged I'm series on the stained floor OF
room are TO be found asnestos. number
OF meteorites (amOng the one or "a
lbsD fine exhibit OF corundum nickel
ores, tin ores. a tremendous array or
gold ores copper ores. silver ores. an eiA
CANT collection OF crystals and rough
gems and one LARGE case devoted 10 the
rocks OF the state. In the goa cases are
fac-simlles OF son OF the large nuggets
discovered during the past few years
giant among which Is the great Reed
Mine (Cabarrus Coz nugget Of 1895. This
nugget weighed gross about % los and
was worth about 5000. In the gem cases
are cut gems OF wonderful beauty and
hrllliance and many ~ rarity and value.
a. .-.fs.s ~ al
topaz anletnyst sAsenite. Upalest eut
quartz olig0clasc opaque beryls. golden
beryls. aquamcerine ruby sapphire. cats
eve. garnet, citrlnc topaz. cinnamon
stone. rock crystal and last but not least.
hlddrnnite ana diamond. one gang OF
cases Is devoted entirely 10 scientific
exhibit or all the minerals known TO
occur In the state. and they are many.
BUILDING STONES.
The building stones are cut In inch
cubes. one face roiished and the Others
dressed in the different styles IN which
they are used for different purposes.
Among them are the gray GRANTEES. pink
GRANTEES, olive, black, red and notified
GRANTEES Of fine quality, red, brown and
gray sandstones. pink. black, blue, blue
gfay, gray. blue. notified and checked
marbles. leopardite. both dendritic and
spotted serpentine, soapstone and that
rare and beautiful orbicular diorite. In
all. a mineral exhibit hard to beat In any
other 50. 2S6 square miles OF territory. We
had almost forgotten TO mention the
beautiful series Of transparancies hanging
in the windows. % large pictures OF
scenes all over the State. from the cot
ton steamers In the port OF Wilmington
to the tunnel opening Of the Cranberry
Iron Mine I'm Mitchell county