Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-02-27
CURIOS OF TOzIER'S
GREAT and RARE COLLECTION
To BE AT SEATTLE FAIR
Legislature of State of Washington Is
Asked to Provide for It's Purchase
Was Gathered by Captain Tozier of
Revenue Cutter Service While Along
Northwest Coast-History of Same.

This Magnificent Collection" as it
is called by the curator of the United
States Museum in Washington, D. c.,
was made by Captain d. f. Tozier dur
ing the many years he was in command
OF the United States revenue cutter
service of the Northwest Pacific coast
Collection of Indian Curios.
Captain Tozier was an enthusiastic
and lndefatigable collector, who spared
neither effort nor money in his deter
mlnation to secure specimens of every
thing made, and in actual use by the
Indians of Alaska, Northwest British
Columbia, and the state of Washington
His official duties took him, year
after year, into all the bays and har-
bors of three thousand miles of sea
coast. He visited every remote Indian
village of the islands and main land,
from the Aleutian isles, our most
northwestern possessions, down the Pa
cltc shore to the Columbia river,
Grey's Harbor, Straits of San Juan de
f'uca, Puget sound and Hood Is canal,
always with the fixed purpose of gath
ering the most characteristic and valu-
able specimens existing in the places
visited, to add to his collection.
1t took him years, in some cases, to
secure particular piece that he want
ed, and only the most indomitable per-
severance and patience, with liberal
cash payments, has accomplished his
purpose to make this the most complete
collection of the work of the Indians
of Northwest America, that has ever
been made.
i In addition to the exhaustive Alas
kan and British Columbia collection,
every known tribe of the state of
Washington is represented by its bas-
kerry, carving or bead work.
Many of these Indian tribes are al
ready extinct, while the others are rap
idly passing away, or being merged
into reservation settlements, so that
the distinctive work of the existing
tribal remnants of Indians is even now
almost wholly lost, or so mixed that
the specimens to be found today of
recent manufacture are almost value
less for chronological purposes.
The scientific, chronological and his
torical value of this collection can
hardly be estimated now, and it will
grow more valuable as time goes on, if
it is properly cared for and preserved
as it should be. The few pieces of
ancient Indian work in existence today
are being scattered all over the world
and it will never again be possible to
get together so valuable a collection as
this represents, because it is made up
largely of the most ancient specimens
to be found in Northwest America.
!, In the collection are IL mammoth
house totems measuring from 6 to IL
feet high and weighing from 600 to
10000 pounds according to Professor
Gilstrap's estimate), which are con
: coded to be the best representative
specimens of this kind of work extant
1t is stated on good authority that it
cost the British Museum of London
$4,000 to land only one similar
house post in London.
There are also the largest and best
specimens to be found of war, racing
sealing, fishing and travelling canoes of
cedar, and bidarkkas made of skin and
intestines. The large war canoe meas
ures 40 feet in length and would easily
carry rs men. A racing canoe is still
longer, measuring nearly As feet from
stem to stern, but as narrow and grace
full in line as a modern college she'll
= There are whaling, fishing, war and
, ceremonial outfits and paraphernalia
Dancing and ceremonial masks and
head dresses of every known tribe in
Alas "a and Washington. Travelling
chests, wonderfully carved and deco.
rated, and more wonderfully Joined to.
gcthcr. Carved feast dishes of every
variety, many of which are curiously
inlaid and polished. Curious old seats
of ancient design. Copper shields and
bead, horn, ivory, shell, copper and
silver ornaments. Black slate carved
boxes, plates, totems, pipes, small fig
, ures, etc. This slate collection is alone
very valuable collection.
Over 1900 Baskets.
There are over 1900 baskets, ancient
hats, mats and pouches, representing
the work of every tribe of the state OF
Washington and Alaska, and showing
, every variety of weave, Irvine and coil
and every stitch used in intoxicating
embroidery and beading known to the
Indians.
The study of American art will in
time make this collection notable for
its variety of artistic designs. The
legends connected with them are as
interesting as the specimens themselves
and as valuable in thir way because
they are all that can be secured OF
prehistoric American literature.
= This collection is far too large to be
properly cared for in any ordinary mu
: scum, and many valuable specimens in
it are being damaged and forever lost
to the world because of the crowded
and packed condition in which it i:
, being stored, where moths and destruc
tive vermin have access to it. and have
already destroyed many things that
can never be recovered.
The owner realizes that he cannot
: himself secure for this collection the
home and care required for its preser
vation, and he desires to have it placed
where it will forever receive care com
mensurate with its value, in order tC
. preserve it for the education of oul
{ children and future generations.
Education for Children.
/, Knowing that it belongs, geograph
r ically and historically, to Northwest
! 4