Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1909-02-04
FIRST TIME
IN YEARS
Historical Society
Throws Open Its
Rooms
MANY VISITORS PRESENT
New Arrangement of Exhi.
bits Makes Quite an
Improvement.

! Quite Il large crowd of people took
! advantage of the reception, given by
| the Historical Society of New Mexi-
CO. last evening 1t was the first time
! IN years that the society has thrown
open its rooms 70 the public in the
evening. The reception was given
in order that the legislators might
have an exceptional opportunity to
| view the finest collection Of South
western historical relics and antiuui-
tes, and also that the people of Santa
| re might come in and inspect their
| new arrangement. In the matter Of
| re-arranging the various specimens.
decided Improvement has been
made, though even now there is not
sufficient room to properly display the
great number of valuable exhibits.
The new order of arrangement has
greatly simplfed matters for the ben
etit of visitors and it is probable that
when additional space is secured, that
additional Improvement will be made
by way of carefully labelling each arti-
Gle and cataloguing it so that the
many sightseers that come to Santa
re and visit the rooms of the Histori-
cal Society can be supplied with a
| catalogue that will thoroughly ex-
plain the meaning and history of the
many wonderful things they see The
new classification of articles is as fol-
| lows:
]. Prehistoric. Before the Spanish
discovery.
2. Aboriginal. Relating to the Pu.
| eblo and other Indians.
). Spanish and Mexican, 1898 to
| 1916.
| 4. American, since 1886.
b. Books, manuscripts and pic.
lures.
| q. Mineral exhibit.
Constantly new acquisitions have
been and are still being added to the
various collections, the value of which
IS beyond price. The value of the col.
lectlons and the constant Improvement
Delng made is due chiefly to the inde-
iatlgable zeal and energy displayed bv
Governor l.. Bradford Prince, the pres
ldent OF the Historical Society. He
spent many hours and days lately in
the matter of suitably re-arranging ev.
erythlng to better advantage. One of
the particular improvements made is
the conversion of one of the back
rooms into library and reading room
Ihls change makes it possible for stu
dents and writer's, as well as others
to consult the numerous historical
publications with comfort and take
such notes as they desire. 1t was in
THIS room that the attention of the WIS.,
ltors was caught by newly acquired
Publication, which contains a full ac-
count of the expeditions of Cabeza de
Vaca and Marcos de Mia, printed in
Venice in 1856, within twenty years
after the events described. The book
is printed in the plain, clear type
Ct that period. Another book drew at
tenton, which contained a good por.
trait of Pedro de Alvarado, it being
formerly supposed that no such pic
ture was in existence. Copies of
this picture are now being made, one
for Colonel r. E. Twitchell for lee
ture purposes and another for use in
a publication. Besides these interest
ling and absorbing subjects the Wis.,
n itors found variety of other attrac-
tions. Constant regret was expressed
by many that they had not more time
to spend amid so many unusually in
teresting collections. Governor
Prince and Chief Justice Mills
graciously received the WIS.,
itors and cheerfully and willingly ex-
planned many subjects. Later they
We're assisted by Governor George
Curry, who for time had been de-
|layed on account of official business.
| The reception was one that gave
greater publicity to the work of the
Historical Society and without doubt.
deep interest was aroused which
will rebound to the benefit of the
Society.
In addition to the using of the So
ciety rooms for the reception, the
members Of the Daughters Of the
| American Revolution, had graciously
thrown open their rooms and were
themselves on hand to assist at the
reception.
The D. A. r.. rooms looked charm
ingly, the regular decoration being
supplemented by red, white and blue
lights and beautiful flowers. Mrs.
Victory, the chapter regent, Mrs.
Prince, the state regent, Mrs. Welt
mer. Mrs. Harroun, Mrs. Harvey, Mrs.
| Crichton, Mrs. J. e. Wood and others
of the Daughters assisted in receiving
and held regular levee throughout