The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-09-20
Rare Collection Of Antiquities.

iC Luz SOuh1J LJ NOUiAA VI LIE
tory and Natural Sciences, located in tn
Lewis building, Mount Holly, is an inst
tuition that has been very little patronize
during recent years, and the dust-covere
books and curios are, now being given
renovation and Encouragement which ha
been needed for a long time. This ard
uous task has been assumed by Albert P
Cardwell, one Of the bright young men 0
Mount Holly, and Samuel Brown, taxi
dermist of much ability.
There are many people residing il
Mount Holly who have never seen insid
the place and are perfectly Ignorant of thu
wonderful collection of antiquities tina
await their inspection.
The membership Of this ancient society
includes many prominent persons in Bur
lington county with corresponding mem
bers in several other states. Meetings are
held once month, and many interesting
papers on scientific and historical subjects
are read by different members, the his
tory of this county being given specia
attention.
This is truly museum which not only
illustrates all the history of the county,
but contains an interesting collection Of
all kinds of curiosities and relics from all
parts of the world.
Articles of the rarest historical interest
are here to be seen, and it costs nothing tc
view the collections, which abound in vast
numbers. They are worthy of more in
terest than what has been accorded them,
and they should receive better guardian
ship and more careful attention than in
the past.
1t would be difficult to enumerate the
most striking article, but there are revo-
lutionary relics in the shape Of wood
taken from American and British vessels,
and also piece of timber from the Re
lance, which was the first ship that ever
raised an American flag There are stones
taken from the walls of Napoleons bed
room in St Helena, and a stone from the
house in which Columbus was born in
Genoa, Italy; pieces of marble from the
Parthenon, Athens, and marble from
Westminster Abbey. A shaving from the
chair in which Queen Victoria was crown
ed is shown
Among other interesting things be
seen are the following: A small vial cen
tanning ashes of King Henry ". TFey
were taken from a stone at Eaton Hall,
England; great variety of old colonial
buttons, buckles, fire arms, blunderbusses,
swords, spears; war clubs from the Fiji
Islands, Indian bows with poisoned ar
rows, hatchets, mortars and pestles, etc.
There is a case containing a very elabo-
rate display of Chinese, East India and
South Sea Island curiosities.
A rebel flag some fourteen feet long,
taken from blockade runner during the
civil war, is to be seen.
In another case are to be found col
lection of wooden shoes from Holland,
pieces of the Atlantic cable, pair of stir
rups from Arabia, beautifully carved; a
sacred book from Siam in manuscript,
written on palm leaves; Chinese printing
block, from which books are printed one
page at time. There is model of a
Chinese temple, and two large fans, such
as are used by the wealthy people of
Egypt richly ornamented and painted
There is also very fair collection of
fossils, bones and teeth, largely taken
from the mari beds of Burlington county,
which have been noted for their richness
of deposit Several cases are devoted to
the exhibit of fossils, shells and animals
There is a complete exhibit of minerals
of New Jersey, and some from other
states. In the numismatic case are many
American and foreign coins, shin plasters
and colonial money There is perhaps
one of the largest collections of sea shells
to be found in any institution of its kind
in the state
The geological history of New Jersey
is well represented, and includes pieces of
anthracite coal with impressions of ferns,
leaves and animals feet upon them.
The botanical department is in the care
of William t. Harding, who was at one
time in her British Majesty S service as a
botanist, and who has circled the globe in
the pursuit of that study. There is a col
lection of all the woods in New Jersey
and many from other states and foreign
countries Each piece shows its natural
state on one side, and on the other side
there is high polish. There are all kinds
of dye woods from Africa India and
South Sea Islands. The collection of ferns
and grasses from South Asia was present
ed to the Society by the Misses Woolston
of Mount Holly, former missionaries to
China.
Nearly every bird, beast and reptile that
abounds in and visits Burlington coun-
ty is represented by mounted specimens.
The creatures are mounted in such way
as to illustrate their habits Of life, the
birds being shown in connection with
their nests and eggs.
The body of a colored woman, muir
deress, who was executed in this vicinity
years ago, is to be seen in good state of
preservation by those who desire to look
upon such a gruesome object.
The museum contains a well-assorted
library on scientific and literary works,
and its walls are decorated with fine oil
paintings illustrating natural history, by
John Collins, a former well known resi-
dent of Burlington, and an artist of much
ability
The Society's library is in the same build
ing and contains some 5000 volumes, and
is in charge of Miss Nan Deacon.
The society is an old one, being a con
tinuance of the ancient Bridgetown Lii
brary Company, whose charter was grant
ed by King George Ill, in the ante-revo
lutionary days, June 5, 1865. The origi
nal charter has been framed, and together
with the royal seal hangs over the Presi
dents chair in the assembly room.
The work of Encouragement will b,
competed III apOtu d hAohCh' "HSn wv
public will be invited to inspect the rooms
Petit Jurors.
Following is the list of petit jurors TO
the October term of courts:
Henry Reeves, Northampton
william H. Doolin, Burlington City.
8 Thomas G. Hammitt Medtord.
Clifford Satterthwaite, Chesterfield.
William IL. Kale, Florence.
Francis G. Dalton, Northampton.
Jesse Wells, Northampton.
samuel d. Hendrickson, Pemberton.
Joseph X. Evans, Eve ham.
| ~ Howard e. Frazier Florence.