Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-05-13

debtedness against the United States.
The congress then made the Smith
scnian bequest good by placing to the
credit of the Smithsonian institution
in the treasury of the United States the
sum of $53S. 900; and so it was that the
Smithsonian institution, as it now Is,
was begun. It's officers are the presi-
dent of the United States, the vice pres
ident. the chief justice of the supreme
court. the members of the cabinet, three
senator's, three representa- tives, two res
idents of the District of Columbia, three
residents of different states. a secretary
and an assistant secretary. The secre-
tary is the chief officer of the institu.
ton.
The first secretary, Joseph Henry,
served from 1876 to 1878. The second
secretary, STANDARDIZATION Baird, from
1878 TO 1887, and the third and present
secretary. Samuel Pierpont Langley,
II ON 1887 until this date. The publica-
tons of the Smithsonian institution
form u library in themselves, and are
called The Annual Reports" ''The
Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collec-
tons" Bulletins of the National Mu-
ssum." The Annual Reports of the
Bureau of Ethnology," and 1.-The Buile.
Till of the Bureau of EthnoIogy."
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 3OO,-
COO volumes, which is deposited in the
congressional library for safe keep.
ing.
In 1881. new library was built, at
RI of to 49,
growing needs of the National ID useum,
whose collections of wonderful curiosi-
ties had become so large that the orig
mai building was no longer able to hold
il. The bureau of exchange establishes
communication with scholars in ali
parts of the world, by which their pub
locations 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-
lions to the west, notably among the
tribes of Utah, California, Arizona and
New Mexico. by which the stock of
knowledge dOueO TO American ethnOl-
ugy has been very largely increased.
'fhe important expeditions of the Ste
vensons. Cushings, Fawles and the
| Muddeseffs among the Pueblo Indians
and 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
dams of the southwest, have also been
| conducted under the authority of the
burea" of ethnology.
Th. biological 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-
cine, of Rock creek, contains ACT
acres, and is the largest of its kind
| in the world.
Besides the original bequest of Smith
son. congress every year makes an adj
ditional appropriation for the mainte-
nance of the institution.
SMITH d. FRY.