The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-16
Museum Can Do Business
Only on Week Days.
THE NEW BUILDING PLANS
PROF. HOLMES WRITES TO THE
BOARD CONCERNING IT.
FISH. OIL AND FISH SCRAP FACTORIES
Regular Fertilizer inspectors EIec'ed and En-
ployment of Extra Ores Authorized. John
R. Smith Trying to Get Bid Of his
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The Museum will not be opened on
Sundays. The Board of Agriculture
thinks it would not be good for the
morals of the people of Raleigh to do so.
For sometime the ACCESSIBILITY of open
ing the Museum on Sunday afternoons,
so as to give laboring people chance
to visit it and learn something of their
own State and its resources, has been
discussed. The curator reported that
other museums were kept open on Sun
days and the executive committee
though such n step wise one ana SO
reported to the Board yesterday morn
ing, but the members of the board
couldn't see it that way. They said
that if the museum We're opened, soon
the library would follow suit and then
the theatres, and so they voted the pro-
position down.
1t was decided, however, to erect
new building for the museum. No de-
finite plans will be agreed on at this
meeting, but at meeting of the eXecu-
and January LIST, steps will be taken
looking to an early beginning of the
work.
The following letter from State
Geologist Holmes, at Chapel Hill, dated
December 14th, and addressed to Mr.
j. G.. l.. Harris, was read before the
board yesterday. 1t embodies the views
of the board on the subject at this
time:
Dear Sir: Since our talk about the
museum enlargement this morning L
have thought the whole matter over
carefully; and | am so deeply impress
ed with the largeness of the opportuni-
ty now presenting itself before your
board in this direction and with the inn
portance of making immediate use of it,
that | beg to offer the following sug
gestions for the consideration of your
self and of the board:
THE Importance of the museum as an
educational institution for our own peo-
pie and as an advertising medium of
the States resources for the attraction
of capital and immigration are now
so well recognized, and the museum is
already so popular an institution, thai
feel that liberal action on the part
of the board in the direction of its en-
largement will undoubtedly meet with
general approval.
''That the museum needs large
amount of additional space for imme
date use is evident to all of its
friends. / left with you to-day mem
orandum of additional rooms needed
either for new exhibits or for the en-
largement of exhibits already begun;
and / feel certain that if this additional
space can in any way be provided for,
that within few years time there.
after this additional space can be fill
ed with additional valuable collections
illustrative of the natural resources,
history and development of the State.
We will then have for North Carolina
an institution which will be for this
State what the British museum at Lon
don and our own national museum at
Washington are for these two great
nations. But before we can secure
large additions by donation or purchase
we must have space in which to install
these valuable collections.
alt seems to be within the power of
the Board of Agriculture at this fine
both TO purchase the additional lot
asked for, adjoining the museum space
and also TO authorize It's executive COM
mittee to proceed with the preparation
Of plans and the construction of at
least the outer walls and the roof of
builing occupying this space. If /
am correct in this assumption, it is Il
great opportunity and | wish most
earnestly that the board might see its
way clear to take immediate advdnt-
age of this opportunity and pulld foE
itself and for the State monument
which will be great, both in its preina
nency and in it's influence. This would
he the greatest work ever done for the
State museum. At it's next meeting the
board might see its way clear to pro-
vide for the completion of the inside
work of the building and the installa-
ton of the exhibits ready at that time.
This would mould and start in opera
ton the great work of maturing the
museum. After that, i'll future, of course
there would be work to be done but it
would consist of minor details in re-
classifying, relabeling and i'll other ways
perfecting the exhibits. / believe that
an appropriation of $4,000 would covel
all urgency needs in this direction for
the present. This may seem large
appropriation to make for work OF
this sort at one time, but / am sure
no one can suggest Il Worthier or a
more important object for which such
an appropriation could be made, or that
would meet with more general approval.
You have ample precedent established
by your predecessors in office and
may say that in all my travels through
the State | have never heard a word of
murmur or complaint against the appro-
priation which they made for the new
building added two years ago, or against
the appropriation which the present
board made subsequently for the finish
ing and furnishing of the space added at
that time.
$50 thoroughly satisfied am / that a
move of this sort on the part of your
board would not only be eminently