The Columbus journal., 1910-10-05
cQ0ZWcIYUT AWNW LOOKING N0aI4 ron ~ es7Hxx7

cudcs some of the greatest scientists OF the
United States, and. in its nonresident member
ship. some of the greatest scientists of the world
There are botanists. astronomers. ornthOlo-
sist; and. in fact scientists of all kinds and de-
scriptions. TO be found nightly in the great.
sweeping parlors of the clubs quarters. There Is
cst as much hospitality and tollity in the club
- are to be found in the rooms of any social
organization in the world-and learning besides
.aere, also. In order to be a member Of the Cos
club you must have something besides
money and social standing 1t is probable that
there are many members OF other organizations
in Washington. who would be willing to throw
their memberships into the deep sea. il the act
would buy for them admittance into the club
OF these scientists.
The headquarters OF the Cosmos club are In
the old Dolly Madison" residence 1t was there
that the widow of President Madison lived and
.leid social sway for years after the death of her
husband. During the Civil war, for a time, Admi-
raj Wilkes lived In the Madison house II was
Wilkes who took Mason and Slidell from the Brit
ish steamer Trent" and thereby nearly brought
on war between the United States and Great
Britain at time when such a war might have
insured ultimate victory to the Confederate arms.
Tho biological survey OF the United States
government has lost the services OF DR.. G. Hart
Merriam, who for years was the surveys chief.
and who In the early days worked hard to
mako theservice what he succeeded i'm making ii.
one of the most useful departments of govern
ment. DIR. Merriam has accepted the direction OF
the Hartman Foundation for Geological Re-
search. Mrs. Hartman. the widow of E. H. Har-
,riman, the great f1nancier and railroad man. has
icarred out the wishes Of her husband. and has
issf aside a large sum OF money to be used for
purposes of geological study. Acting unquestion-
ably in line with her husbands wishes. Mrs. Har-
iriman requested DIR. Merriam to take charge Of
the work.
Ii IL probable that the former chief of the bio
logical survey is the foremost authority I'm the
United States In matters pertaining to certain
tines of natural history work. 1t was DIR. Mer-
riam. mere than any other man. to whom Theo-
dore Roosevelt went for advice about the scope
Of his expected work in Africa. The doctor and
the colonel have been friends since boyhood:
when in New York state both were pursuing bird
studies and exchanging letters on general sub
jects of natural history.
These words about DIR. Merriam ard the Har
'riman Geological Foundation lead one to tell
story about the late financier, which perhaps
will throw some light side of his life con-
corning which most people probably know little
One year ago last winter I went south from
Washington. bound for Augusta. Ga. with a
friend. f. H. Harrman's private car was at
tachod TO the train at one of the stations on the
way. 1t happened that my friend was a close per
sonal acquaintance of Mr.. Hartman. and he was
invited to dine with the financier his private
car and told to bring his friend with him.
provided the friend would like to come.
There Were several men Of large affairs at
that little dinner party. of the guests being
the president of one of the greatest railroad
systems in the world. The conversation. natu
raily ABOUT big affairs of the financial world
concerning which knew very little. and am
free to confess. cared much less. After hearing
n good deal about certain things concerning
which the discussion was more or less uninte
rible to me- ventured to break into the CONVEX
sation and to tell Mr.. Hartman that had such
OF the Journals of the chairman Alaska EXpedi-
ton" as already had been published, and more
over that had read them.
Fer tine next two hours had ample evidence
that E. H. Hartman cared for something besides
railroads. Ten twelve years before he had