The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-26
Cesnola, director of the museum, several
rooms distant.
TESTING THE ALARM.

If an article is touched, or even dis
turbed, the alarm Immediately rings in
his office and the door of the room is at
once closed, thus catching the would-be
thief in trap. In fact, the system
might be compared to a mousetrap on a
large scale, the thief being tempted to
touch the glittering gold as the mouse is
to nibble the savory cheese. The result
is Identical, and it is a very much crest
fallen thief that the attendants find
when, in the presence of the director. the
gold room door is again opened and the
man arrested.
At the Museum of Natural History
similar precautions are taken to protect
the more valuable exhibits. The super
lntendent of the museum, when asked
what particular system the museum had
adopted, declined to give any ipforma-
ton on the subject, saying that in his
opinion the best way to get a place
robbed was to draw attention to the
fact that it was worth robbing. He
admitted, however, that the cases and
rooms were protected by an electric wire
arrangement, but refused to explain how
1t worked. 1t is, however understood
that to protcct some of the more vaIu-
able exhibits-one gem which is valued
at $2O0,O00-even some of those con-
nected with the museum are unaware
what special electrical continuance has
GLASS OVER PAINTINGS.
"As as instance of what mischief the
vandal can work in a museum" said
Gen. dt Cesnola, zone day an attendant
noticed a man leaning heavily on the rail
ing in front of a large painting. Think
ing that the mans weigh would damage
the rail the attendant very. properly re-
quested the man to desist. Thereupon
the man became abusive, and to show
his utter contempt for museums in gem
eral and that attendant in particular he
expectorated a quantity of tobacco juice
all over the picture. Had the painting
been an old one it would have been
totally ruined, for the tobacco juice would
have got into the cracks; happily [ was
able to get it cleaned. I had the man
arrested and tried to secure a conviction,
but failed. The man in court told the
magistrate that he had no wish to dam
age the picture, but explained that as he
was looking at it man behind him said
something so funny that he could not
contain himself and burst out laughing
so violently that the tobacco juice was
scattered all over the picture. And he
was discharged on this fimsy excuse.
This was a lesson to me. I deternin-
ed to take measures to protect my pic
lures from other vandals of the same
kind, and I began to glass over all paint
ings on the first row Visitors to the
museum may have noticed this glass and
wondered at the reason. This is the eX-
PLANTATION. Artists object that the glass
covering causes reflections and prevents
the painting being seen properly. This
is true, but between that objection and
the objection of having the pictures dam
aged by the first rufian that comes along,
1 prefer the glass. OF couse some of the
pictures on the first row, like Washing
ton Crossing the Delaware and others
are too large to put glass over, but do
it where I can"
In the museum of art there is but little
danger of fire, as the building is what
may really be termed absolutely fire
proof. The floors are all of cement, be-
ing covered with thin layer of wood,
so that if there was an outbreak of fire,
this thin layer only would be carbonized.
The walls are constructed of stone and
cement and there are, so to speak, no
draperies or other combustible materials
In both museums a never firing Vigil
ance is exercised to watch over and pre-
serve the treasures they contain in the
interests of the public which they are IN
tended to delight and instruct.