The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1897-05-13

and an assistant secretary. The secre-
tary is the chief officer of the institu-
ton.
The first secretary, Joseph Henry,
served from 1876 to 1873. The second
secretary, Spencer Fullerton Baird, from
1878 TO 1887, and the third and present
secretary, Samuel Pierpont Langley,
from 1887 until this date. The publica,
tions of the Smithsonian institution
form library in themselves, and are
called The Annual Reports" "The
Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collec-
tions," bulletins of the National Mu-
seum," THE Annual Reports of the
Bureau of EthnoloRy," and The Bulle.
tin of the Bureau of Ethnology."
These books are given to educational
institutions all over the world. In re-
turn for these, and by purchase. the in.
stitution has received library of 300,,
coo volumes, which is deposited in the
congressional library for safe neepiag,
1t forms, perhaps, one-fourth of the
vast collection, and will be allotted a
space by itself in the new library build
ing. 1t is safe to say that to this instr
tuition great part OF the worlds mod
ern progress is due. At least, it has en-
| abled us to keep our shoulder to the
wheel with France, Germany and Eng
land.
In 1881, new library was built, at a
cost of $250,000, to accommodate the
growing needs of the National museum,
whose collections of wonderful curiosi-
hannnna lor hot 4 ha ~,
inal building was no longer able to hold
it. The bureau of exchange establishes
communication with scholars in all
parts of the world by which their pub
lications are exchanged for publications
of similar societies.
The bureau of American ethnology
has preserved all the vocabularies of
the different types of American Indians
IN substantial volumes. Their indefati
gable author, Powell, who has been in
charge of the bureau since 1879, has
undertaken many important expedi-
tions TO the west, notably among the
tribes of Utah, California, Arizona and
New Mexico, by which the stock of
knowledge added to American ethnol-
ugy has been very largely increased
The important expeditions of the Ste
vensons, Cushings, Fawles aud the
Muddeseffs among the Pueblo Indians
ard the ruins of the southwest; those
OF Holmes, among the prehistoric
quarry cities and villages of the east
ern part of the continent; those of
Thomas, among the mounds of the Mis-
sissippi valley and of the northeast sec
ton, among the Popago and Seri In
dians of the southwest, have also been
conducted under the authority of the
bureau of ethnology.
The Geological park was established
by the aid OF congress in the year 1890
for the preservation of such American
animals as were then on the verge of
extinction. The park is situated north
of Washington. in the beautiful pre-
cinci of Rock creek. contains 167
acres, and is the largest of its kind
i'm the world.
Besides the original bequest of Smith
son, congress every year makes an ad-
ditional appropriation for the mainte-
nnnce of the institution.
There have been numerous gifts from
b'''"NS iHi'iNH"i9' NN'"p's 'hosS VI
James Hamilton, of Carlisle, Pa; DR..
Jerome Kidder, of Washington, ID. c..
Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas G.
HodglIins and Robert Stanton Avery.
The museum has also received pumer-
Gus contributions of valuable curiosities
from various individuals in different
parts of the country. such as the gift
of DIR. Isaac Sea- of Philadelphia of
two valuable collections of gems; the
collection of Indian portraits, by John
Catlin, and Sarcoe's collection of fossil
plants and birds eggs.
SMITH ID. FRY