The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-10
SCIENCE and P. GGRRIGAN
EXPLORER M THE CITY STREETS
MADE A DESCOU'ERY
AND when he Got on tho Elevator Jon I'm
the RIchm0Uh Borough Hail He GaVe IL
60 tho y. 4. A. 0R A. and ~. AHelpcd n
worthy institution and Won Glory.

worthy Institution and Won GLORY.
When the Hon. Patrick Garrigan severed
his connection with the Street Clearing
Department Of the city of New York several
years ago he was not generally known
AZ a patron Of the arts and sciences His
name had never peer mentioned in tho
annual report OF the curator Of the Metro
politan Museum. and the vast pile occupied
by that institution contained no rare and
costly object Of art or virtu bearing this
sign or any like 1t:
Presented to the City Of New York
by
The Hon. Patrick GarTigan.
The morning mail Of the Honorable
Patrick was not loaded Town with re-
quests for donations 10 the cause Of art
or proposals that he should finance scien-
tito expeditions TO either Of the best known
Poles. Indeed IL is doubtful il Mr.. CARR
gan himself had any suspicion Of the scien-
tito career that he was embarking upon
that rainy morning some years ago when.
broom In hand, he trudged sturdily about
his business not far from tho corner Of
Cherry and Catharine streets. Some inkling,
however, may nave flashed across his
mind while he was in he process OF ex-
ploring zinc garbage can No. I2.9O2.
Else why should no have taken the trouble
TO rescue from its neighboring senile shoes
and dissclnte bottles a hard. spherical
object % a dirk gray neutral hue2 Rescue
IL be did. at all events. To theu nscientifO
eye IL looked like something that the cat
had brought in. but not to the y of Gar
rigan. For years he treasured his find,
even after. as before stated. severing his
connection with the exploration bureau
Of the Street Cleaning Department OF the
city OF New York
II may be that this retention Of prope rty
that really belonged to the city Gr New
York has all this time been weighing uDon
:he mind Of Mr.. Garrigan until he could
endure It no longer. Or IL may be that in a
burst Of ambition Mr.. Garrigan determined
a. one stroke to place his scientific fans
upon a more enduring foundation than II
had ever occupied beneath the Rgis Of the
White Wing.
Whatever the motive. and one should
perhaps be charitable enough to callit public
spirit. MFR. Garrigan. who is now the honored
elevator man Of the Staten Island borough
hall. has presented to the Staten Island
Association OF Arts and Sciences the hard.
spherical object OF a dark. gray neutral
hue which he rescued from its unscientifc
surroundings in zinc garbage can No. 1902
on that rainy morning some years ago.
It now reposes in a specimen case con-
tanning the marine corals Of the infant
museum that Is growing 80 rapidly under
the care Of the Staten Island Association
Of Arts and Sciences, and sure enough il
bears this label:
Presented by Patrick 0arrigan.
1907.
Mr.. Garrigan. when found yesterday on
the elevator job at the Richmond Borough
Hall, was not disposed TO be communion
tive regarding his gift TO the museum.
In fact he did his modest best to rooh-pOOh
the whole affair. This becoming re~tioence.
IL was learned from several of Mr.. Gerrigan's
associates at the Borough Hall. is ChRrac-
teristic OF Mr.. Garri2an's customary attitude
in all matters of a purely personal char
aCter. In fact IL was stated by moro than
one Of whom information was sought
that. for an elevator man. Mr.. GarriSan's
modesty IL phenomenal.
But Howard r. Bayne. who is resident
Of the Staten Island Association OF Arts
and Sciences n who runs = Manhattan
law Office on the side. was not so r]ctlcent
He spoke in glowing terms OF the muHif-
cence of Mr.. Garrigan and added that il
was typical OF the syirit that was manifested
~ vi SNAtNAA 4 ~ NV W NlAf
aims and purposes of the Staten Island
Association of Arts and Sciences became
generally known.
This association and its Predecessor.
the Natural Science Association of Staten
sland. are now over a quarter of a century
old. Ii has a collection of the fora ami
fauna Of Staten Island and a Consi iCrable
scientific library which occupy a big room
in the Richmond Borough Hall. The city
has appropriated 81. 900 for the purpose of
a z WaN Ahaa A-I -aA...
for the proper display Of Mr.. GarriGan's
gift and the other specimens that cop
stitute the collection. IL ia expected that
by next spring Dr. Charles Louis Pollard,
who used TO be an assistant curator at the
Rational Museum at Washington and is
now in charge of the Staten Island Museum,
will have IL in shape for public exhibition.
At present Mr.. Pollard is aid by the
Staten Island Association of Aria and
Sciences, which shoulders all expenses
of the museum excepting the matter OF
rent and the $4,000 for the roper dist lay
of Mr.. Garrigan's gift and the other spec
imens. IL Ia believed that when the
public understands the importance Of the
WORK the museum Is doing IL grateful
city will jump at h chance to equip il
more munificently.
For" said President Bayne yesterday,
II am told That our collection is nov l9raer
than was that Of the Metropolitan Museum
when It first began TO receive municipal
aid"
Everybody knows that strange things
are 10 be found on Staten Island. hut the
authorities OF the museum look forward
regretfully To a time when there won't be
any more fauna there than are to be found
at present on Manhattan Island. As Walter
Kerr inquired in his address nj the dinner
eaten TO celebrate the twcnty-fifth ami
Versary Of the society. Has not the VILLAGE
OF Blazing Star been succeeded by the
settlement Of ~Iinoleumville?
IL Is, therefore, one Of the chief objects
OF the museum TO collect and preserve
scientific souvenirs hat shall in future
days, az Mr.. Kerr remarked in that address
already mentioned, possess the greatest
interest when the hand Of civilization has
lone her work by sweeping from the face
OF this region al that nature intended IL
TO hold" But everybody knows that that
time has net yet arrived and that there are
still IN Staten Island plenty at places where
the hand Of man has scarcely set foot. while
In Manhattan there's nothing much left
but Teddy bears.
According to President Bayne, the
museum now old many specimens of
local botany. mineralogy. geology and and
80 on. Certainly IL includes various zoo
logical exhibits like little stuffed brides
thai used to sing gayly through the smoke
from the BayOnne oil refincries, together
with many nests containing samples Of the
pretty eggs they used to have the hardi-
hood TO lay. There il also at least one
stuffed rabbit. BIT this is no catalogue.
DR.. Pollard IL now engaged upon hat work
and when he has finished IL is hODed that the
museum will be freely used by the Staten
Island teachers In instrictlng their pupils