The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-07
THE ASHES OF
JAMES SMITHSON.
What Would the Founder of Smith
sonian Have Said About His Fun
erRl9


sOnian Have Said About His Fun
eraIs
Washington, Feb. 6.-The remains Of
James Smithson, founder of the
Smithsonian Institution-who died in
Italy more than seventy years ago,
and were lately brought to the United
States-are still in the Regents Room
of the Institution, where they must
remain until Congress grants permis-
sion to inter them in the grounds 1t
is hoped that Congress will at the
same time authorize the erection of
handsome monument
The Wondering coffin which rested
nearly three-quarterS of a century in
foreign soil, was put into a new me-
tallic casket and that inclosed in a
strong box and brought across the At
lantic by the United States dispatch
boat Dolphin. James Smithson was not
an American, and his best monument
is the institution he founded. Could he
have had his SAY" about it, it seems
to me that he could not have chosen
to have had his coffin opened at this
late day and its contents talked about
on two continents. At any rate the
pitiful evidences of decay are entitled
" TIC lCSpCCl VI Sll6IlCSs Alex
ander Graham Bell, who was respon-
sible for the removal, gave out the fol-
lowing for publication: Il was sur
prised at the remarkable state in
which the remains were found. The
skeleton was complete The bones
have separated, but they did not
crumble when exposed to the air, as 1
feared they would. AS the stone slab
covering the grave was removed, it
looked as though the body was COW
cred with a heavy blanket, under
which the form was outlined. 1 could
not explain this until the discovery
was made that in the passage of time
the casket had crumbled to dust. 1t
was this dust which lay like a rug
over the remains
In this. gruesome connection 1 am
reminded of a conversation 1 heard
in the street car the other day. There
were two girls talking as fast as their
tongues could run. Said the taller of
the two: I'VE just got back yesterday
All the family from far and near were
at the funeral. You see, she was sick
so long we had plenty of time to get
our clothes all ready. Everything was
done just as she always said she would
like to have it done. The flowers were
white. and there were no set pieces,
N-A~ ~ NAAO NAeASNS mai III WHiNC luUG-
roses with white dove that looked
as II 1t were just flying out of it. 1t
was the loveliest dove you ever saw,
and what do you thing grandmother
she gave 1t to me, and am going to
did with it after the funeral? Why,
have 1t on that new black and white
hat of mine, Don't you think it will be
perfectly sweet; and I'll think of
Aunt Sue every time 1 put the hat
on" A man across the aisle, evil
IDENTIFY tickled by what he had heard
told this story to his companion loud
enough for everybody in the car to
hear: There was man in our town
who wore a toupee to conceal the fact
that he had no hair on top of his head
in the place where the hair ought to
grow. He died. and as the undertaken
was making him ready for his last
public appearance the wife came in
with a pot of glue. I thought you'd
need this said she. What for?, asked
the undertaken. To fasten his wig on
with, said she. oh. that's all right
said the undertaken. I've got it fixed.
I just used couple of tacks.'"
Director Edgar of the Department
of Public Safety in Scranton, Pa. has
opened vigorous war on fiat-wheel and
other street cars which come under the
head of nuisances. He has caused the