The Washington times., 1901-07-07
A LONG.NEEDED GIFT.
The Rogers Bequcst Welcomed by
the Metropolitan Museum.

!
NEW YORK. July 6-The Metropolitan
Museum authorities are delighted beyond
measure with the news that the late
Jacob 5. Rogers has left somewhere
about $S,000,000 to that institution An
endowment fund has long been the dream
and the greatest desire of everyone con-
nected with the management of the
museum the only means Of placing it
on a firm foundation and giving it ii po-
sition among the great museums OF the
world, through the possibilities of growth
and constant development, which can
only be accomplished through an assured
annual income.
Mr.. Rogers had for many years taken
an active interest in the affairs of the
Metropolitan Museum, but solely on the
business side. He became an annual
member in 1879, paying SO year dues.
and he was in the habit of making fire.
quent visits to the museum itself, coming.
in fact nearly every other week, and
always making a point of seeing General
di Cesnola, the director, and asking him
many questions in regard to the financial
condition OF the institution and the inter
est taken in it by the trustees and other
wealthy men connected with it.
4 had, of course. known Mr.. Rogers all
those years" said General di Cesnola to-
day, but | only regarded him as an an
nual member who seemed to take good
deal of interest in our affairs, and who
might possibly leave US couple of thou
sand dollars in his will. His name meant
nothing to me, and / had no idea he was
rich; in fact. ! thought he had asked 50
many questions that he had already got
the full worth of anything he might leave
to us. / don't know that he ever visited
the art collections. 1t seemed to be the
financial side only which interested him
This endowment fund viii put the mu-
scum in position to make New York abb
solutely the art centre of this country
Instead Of $4,000 a year TO spend in buy
ing objects for the collection, as at pres
ent, see what the income from this fund
puts in our hands!
There will not be any difficulty about
the museum receiving this bequest. Eight
years ago a millionaire consulted me
about leaving some property to the mu-
scum, but he said he would not leave it
if there was any doubt about the charter
of the institution preventing It's accept
ance. Therefore, on March 4, 1898, we
had the charter amended as follows: said
corporation may take and hold by be-
quest. purchase. or lease, either abso-
lutely or in trust, for any purpose COM
prised in the objects of the corporation
any real or personal property necessary
or proper far the purposes of its moor
poration. That covers this gift thor
oughly, and we have no Inheritance tax
to pay on it, either. When we get an
endowment of twenty-five millions we
shall have about the same income as the
British Museum, and be able to go for
ward with work on that same scale. Last
year the British Museum spent &l2I6s0
in purchases. and we should be able to
do the same.
The first improvement to be under
taken with this fund viii be In regard
TO the staff OF the museum. At present
there are only three curators, but there
is need for six or seven, and they should
be experts and men of weight and author
ity Then there is the need of fuller and
and more elaborate catalogues. and count
less other smaller matters. Since 1873 the
value of the museums property has
grown enormously. At that time, only
twenty-three years ago. the value Of the
exhibits was estimated at S29J.O3O with
a debt of $50 900. At present there Is no
debt, and the collections are worth
SI2 0gO. .O00 At present the income of this
drawn chiefly from the annual
dues. which amounted 10 $4,000 last year,
and the sum received from the depart
ment of parks is $4,000 There is fund
of nearly $4,000, made up Of various be-
quests ir connection with collections OF
pictures and art objects donated at diff
ferent times TO the museum, but the in
come from these funds has to be devoted
to certain objects, generally the care and
of some particular ccilec-
tioz."