The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-06
A CENTENNIAL MUSEUM
THE INDIANA COMMISSION REPORTS
AND ADJOURNs SINE DIE.
Recommends n Building in Blind
Asylum Site-A T~wenty-Cent Tax
Levy foe Five Years.

The Indiana Centennial Commission, as
constituted by the last Legislature, has
gone out OF existence. and the last official
act of the body was consummated yester-
day. when President Eli Lilly delivered to
Governor Matthews the final report of the
commission, TO be transmitted TO the Legis-
lature. The report recommends that the
Institute for the Blind be removed from its
present location, which has long been con-
templated. and that the two blocks of State
land occupied by it be used for the erection
of a permanent building. which shall be a
museum of the arts and industries and nat
ural resources Of the State. The report
enumerates a list of divisions into which
this exhibit should be divided. making it
show all the natural resources of the State.
as well as the progress in the arts. science
and manufactures i'm the State since its or
ganization as a Territory.
IL further recommends that the State set
aside from the tax receipts 2 cents on each
500 for five years, which would yield about
1000. 600. to be devoted TO the aid of a CEN
tennial exposition to be held in this city.
probably at the State fair grounds. begin
ming May Z, 1900. the centennial anniversary
of the date of the signing by the President
VI AAC INV Clt0lllic AtiOlpiidt III y anu
extending six months. This part of the
recommendation is made with the proviso
that it shall not become operative until In
dianapolis and Marion county shall have
appropriated $50. 900 for the same purpose.
Ii is also recommended that the Legislature
pass suitable laws making it possible for
cities and counties of the State to appro-
pirate money to make an exhibit at the ex-
position.
The report was handed to the Governor
yesterday, accompanied by the following
letter from President Lilly:
I'm accordance with the directions OF the
Indiana Centennial Commission. which adj
journed sine die Dec. 29. 1896. | have the
honor herewith to transmit the report re-
quired of ii by concurrent resolution No Il
of the General Assembly of 1885, the same
to be submitted to the General Assembly
now about to convene"
The report in full follows:
To the Senate and the House Of Repre-
sentatives of the General Assembly of the
State of Indana-The last General Assem-
bly, OF the State OF Indiana. by a unani-
nous vote. passed the following concurrent
resolution No. 2D:
Whereas. the Fourth of July in the year
1900 Will be the one~-hundredth anniversary
of the establishment of the government OF
the Territory of Indiana: and.
Whereas. ii is deemed hitting that such
anniversary should be adequately cele-
brated by a State exposition. which would
exhibit the century of development in In
diana as a Territory and State; therefore,
be it
Resolved. BY the Senate of Indiana of
the General Assembly. the House of Repre-
sentatives concurring. that within ninety
days from the adjournment of this session
of the General Assembly, the Governor
shall appoint a commission of thirty men,
bers, two from each congressional district
and four from the State at large. which
shall. after full investigation and consider
alton. report TO the next session of the
General Assembly its recommendations for
the proper realization OF the project and
that said commission shall serve without
pay and in compliance with said resolu-
ton the Governor appointed commissioners
as follows:
FOR THE STATE AT LARGE.
Eli Lilly. Indianapolis; Hugh Doherty.
Button: Glenn Studebaker, South Bend;
E. B. Martindale, Indianapolis.
For the Districts-Firs district. Philip
w Frey, Evansville, and Jas. Burkett,
Cannelton: Second. Thos. B.. Buskirk,
Paoli. and John Weathers. Leavenworth
Third, Chas. l.. Jewett, New Albany, and
H.. c. Hobbs, Salem; Fourth. j. III. Russo,
Lawrenceburg. and Will Cumback, Green's
burg; Fifth. John W. Cravens. Blooming
ton. and Jos. /. Irwin. Columbus; Sixth.
Arthur W. Brady, Muncie, and J. n. Hus-
Greenfield. and Chas. T. Doxey. Anderson;
Eighth Thos- j. Mann. Sullivan; and
Frank McKeen, Terre Haute; Ninth. Eli
Marvin; Frankfort, and c. C. Shirley. Ko-
komo: Tenth, NJ. NJ Hathaway. Winamac,
and j. c. Hadley. L~ogansport: Eleventh.
+: B; Smith. Hartford City; and f. L.
Cullpch. Fort Wayne, and S. A. Woods,
Angola; Thirteenth. James A. Arthur,
The commission was assembled on Sent
20. 1895. and organized bv the election of
Eli Lilly president and the appointment of
Myron d. King secretary. The commission
acting under said resolutions has given full
Investigation and consideration of the mat
ter so submitted to it and now has the
honor to submit Communications for the
proper realization of the project.
A MAGNIFICENT MUSEUM.
We recommend that there be constructed,
on lines of architectural beauty and grand
eur. of Indiana stone, glass, iron and other
materials, "A magnificent fre-proof build
ing suitably divided into departments for
the purpose of containing a memorial mu-
scum. devoted TO history. the sciences. in
dustrial arts and fine arts. a feature of
said building to be a great auditorium cap
able Of accommodating the largest state
and national ~assemblages.
The scope of such a museum is Sug-
gested by the following. intended TO dem
onstrate that an exhibit of this character
would be of permanent and inestimable
value. not only to our own State. but to
the world, representing as it must our
origin and progress.
Historical Department
Antiquiies-Mound builders. Indians. rel
les. primitive implements, articles of house
hold furniture. etc. etc, his
toric manuscripts. maps, letters. records.
books, etc. etc, inventions and discoveries,
war museum.
Scientific Department
archaeological. geological, neurological,
biological, plants. animals.
Other departments would represent indus
trial arts and fine arts. and a part of the
DnlldlnU would ha sci aside for lGGnrn-
blages.
VIEW IN DETAIL.
Historical Department.-In the subde-
partment of antiquities there should be as
complete a collection as possible of the rel
les left by the mound builders and the In
dams. The value of such a collection to
the historian and the anthropologist. the
benefit of whose labors we all reap. is be-
yond question. to say nothing of its value
TO every student. In the subdepartment Of
relics there should be collected articles of
every character representing the life of our
early settlers, and especially those which
belonged TO our historical personageS. In
the subdepartment of documents there
should be original treaties. maps, letters.
records. books and all first hand sources OF
information or a documentary character.
In the subdepartment of invention and
the products of our genius i'm he way Of
patented articles and discoveries in every
field of investigation. In the war museum
there should be such an array Of war rel
les. war records, including a complete his
tory of every Indiana regiment and battery.