The Washington herald., 1907-10-06
WAS AN OLD MUSEUM
Philadelphia Relic Recalled
by History.
CHINA WELL REPRESENTED
Was Present 1f Nathan
Dunn, One Time Prosperous
Merchant in the Orient-Figures in
LIfe-liI<e Poses-A Chestnut street
Drawing Card Fifty Years Ago.

The old Chinese Museum stood at the
northeast corner Of Ninth and George,
now SAMSON street, and from 1898, when
it was first opened TO the public, until
its destruction by fire on July 5, 1854 II
was favorite hall for lectures. concerts,
banquets, and other like entertainments
says the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
While the place has always been called
the Chinese Museum by the older per-
sons who remember 1t, that was not. as
a matter Of fact, It's original name. Built
In 1887 by the Philadelphia Museum Com
pany. which had taken over the museum
and collections Of Charles Wilson Peale
after his death, il was primarily intended
for the purposes Of that exhibition COM
psny and was named simply the Mu-
scum. The upper story was occupied by
the collections Of the museum company
and the Ninth street end Of the lower
/ floor. which had two apartments, con
tanned the collection brought from China
/ by Nathan Dunn The rear portion Of
the floor, which was entered by a door
+ on SAMSON street, was used as a lecture
room
Il had been part Of the business Of the
Philadelphia Museum 70 give courses Of
. lectures on various subjects connected
with natural science. The Philadelphia
2.Jseum however. may be left for an
. other article. II is only the Chinese N1u-
scum which need be referred 10 now.
Owned by Nathan Dunn.
Nathan Dunn. who brought the collec-
! ton to this country, WIS a merchant
who had passed a large part Of his career
/ IN China While in the Celestial King
/ dom be collected an immense quantity
/ OF figures, some OF them life size 70
/ Illustrate the civilization Of China Mr..
Dunn came 20 the city about 1885. and
/ his counting house and residence was in
PorUc1 square. lie lived In 9. the
house now numbered 9o3 Spruce street
| The pogoda, which was a feature Of the
T Labyrinth Garden. out Coates street at
/ that time, Is said to have been brought
/ 20 this city by this merchant Al that
( place probably was shown part Of the
/ Chinese collection which for a few years
was a drawing card az the Museum at
Ninth and SAMSON streets
/ Although some Of this collection eventu-
/ ally found its way into the possession Of
/ the late Col Wood who built the museum
+ at Ninth and Arch streets. another gen
Grafton has since grown up. 20 which the
collection is totally unknown. In this
connection Il IS we'll 20 take the very IN
/ terestns description Of the Chinese col
/ lection from Caspar Souders History
/ Of Chestnut Street" which was published
about a half century ago:
Many LIfe-IiIse Figures.
THE collection is wonderfully COM
/ plete." says Nr. souder.
First. there were life-sized and Efe-
( Ike wax figures. which represented every
order Of the Chinese. from the blind beg
( gar 10 the mandarin Of the first class
These figures were all dressed exactly az
the originals dress. and all were presented
I in the exercise Of their respective voca-
ti0ns. The huge room IN which the col
/ lection was exhibited was fitted up with
compartments in which were represented
Chinese streets, Chinese parlors. Chinese
chambers, Chinese workshops. Chinese
I stores. and Chinese temples. AlIthese were
appropriately furnished, not with painted
shams in the way OF tools, fixtures, &c,
1 but with real substantial articles. which
were made IN China. and which az that
moment had their real counterparts In
[ the houses and shops Of the Celestials.
There was a cabinet OF curiousIy
wrought furniture, and in which e party
T Of high government officers. with their
scribes, &c. We're engaged IN the discus
sion OF some business matters. The waxen
mandarins were all clad in the splendid
embroidered garments Of their order. and
the descriptive catalogue would teach the
visitor how to distinguish the different
/ grades OF officers by the color OF the but
ton on the top Of each cap. Close 70
where the great men were IN council
would be a group Of their wives. with
their little feet peeping out from their
embroidered skirts, and (the wives taking
tea together out Of many porcelain cups.
while their lords were engag ged In dis
cussing public affairs"
Patronage Once Good.
In the beginning the patronage Of the
museum was good, but as the novelty
began TO wear off the receipts began 10
dwindle. Il had been believed that Mr..
Dunn would bequeath the collection TO
the city, but it appears that he met with
| financial difficulties. In 1872. or the next
year, the collection was removed. Part
OF it went 10 London. Later Col Wood.
who was a purchaser of much Of the
stock at the museum for his own venture
which he opened at the Bolivar House.
had a large or even principal part Of the
Chlnese hgures at his museum, at Ninth
and Arch streets, where it may be said
that it never was an attraction. the the
atrical performances being depended upon
for support
For some years the Horticultural So
ciety was accustomed to hold its annual
exhibitions in the old museum. Signor
Blitz gave his performances here for
years. until the destruction of the build
I ing sent him 10 the Assembly Buildings.
It was here that in April. 1917, the fate
Of the then newly formed Pennsylvania
Railroad was decided The company had
been incorporated the previous year. but #
was evident that the project would fail
unless the necessary financial assistance
could be secured. The enthusiasm of the
meeting resulted in this being brought
about. and from that time the railroad
no longer was a project. It became
reality.
The last interesting piece OF history
connected with the building occurred on
March II, 1854, when the consolidation ball
and banquet was given there. The fol-
/ lowing July the building was devoured
| by the fire, which started in the National
Theater, on the corner of Ninth and
Chestnut streets,
Joy for the Bar Flies.
From the Columbus tOhio) state Journal.
The contention Of Attorney c. D.
SAVERS that the portion of the city