The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-12-24
THE PRESIDENT TO
HELP NATIONAL MUSEUM
Arrangement With Smithsonian Made
Public.
COLLECTION or UNIQUE VALUE
Mr.. Roosevelt Wrote Secretary Charles
ID. Walcott Outlining His Proposed
Trip and Asking for Field Iaxi'
dermists to Accompany the TX
nedition.

Washington (SpeciaD The agree
ment between President Roosevelt
and the Smithsonian Institute as te
the Presidents hunting trip In Africa
was made public by Charles d Wal
colt, secretary of the institution, az
ter he had conferred with the Presi.
dent At meeting of the board OF
regents of the institution held Iues-
day he letter of the President, was
laid before the board, which, in turn
adopted the resolution given, there
by entering into a contract with the
President for certain work. The let
ter and resolution follow:
"The White House, Washington
oyster Bay, N. Y, June 20, 1908.
my Dear DR.. Walcott: About tho
first of April next, l intend to start
for Africa. My plans are, OF course
indefinite, but at present, hope they
will be something on the following
order:
by May 1st l shall land at Nom
basa and spend the next few months
hunting and travelling In British ana
German East Africa; probably going
thence to or toward Uganda, with the
expectation of striking the Nile
about the beginning of the new year,
and then working down 1t, with side
trips after animals and birds so as
to come out at tidewater, say about
March 1st. This would give me 10
months in Africa. AS you know,
am not in the least game butcher
| ] like to do q certain amount OF hunt
| ing, but my real and main interest
| is the interest of faunal naturalist.
Now, it seems to me that this opens
! the best chance for the National Mu-
scum to get a fine collection not only
of the big game. beasts, but of the
smaller mammals and birds of Afri-
ca; and looking at it dispassionately
| believe that the chance ought not
to be neglected. \ will make ar
rangements to pay for the expenses
of myself and my son. But what !
would like to do would be to get
one or two professional field taxider-
mists, field naturalists, to go with
me, who should prepare and send
back the specimens we collect.
The collection which would thus
60 to the National Museum would
be of unique value. 1t would, hope
include specimens Of big game, to-
gether with the rare smaller animals
and birds. l have not the means that
would enable me to pay for the field
naturalists or taxidermists and theii
kit. and the curing and transport Of
the specimens for the National Mu
scum. OF course, the actual hunting
of the big game l would want to dt
myself, or have my son do, but The
specimens will all go to the Nationa
Museum, save very few persona
trophies of little scientific value
which for some reason / might lik'
to keep. Now. can you, in view o
getting these specimens for the Ma
tional Museum, arrange for tn
services of the field taxldermists AM
for the care and transport OF tn
specimens? AS ex-President, I shoul'
feel that the National Museum /
the museum to which my collection
! should go.
i, with high regard. sincerely yours
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
= ITO Hon. Charles d. Walcott, Secre
0 tary Smithsonian Institution, WASH
r ington."
j Resolved, That the board of r.
gents of the Smithsonian Instituto
express to Theodore Roosevelt, Pres
ident of the United States it's al
probation OF his very generous o
n fer contained in his letter of the 20t
II of June, 1908, to the secretary of til
! institution with respect to his expcd
i. tion to Africa, and that 1t accept I'll
\ same"