Gunnison news-champion., 1910-09-30
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eludes 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 ornitholo-
gists. and, in fact scientists of all kinds and de-
scriptons, TO be found nightly in the great
sweeping parlors of the clubs quarters. There is
just much hospitality and joty in the club
TO be found in the rooms of any social
organization in the world-and learning besides
there also. In order to be a member of the Cos
club you must have something besides
money and social standing II is probable that
there many members of other organizations
in Washington. who would be willing to throw
their memberships into the deep sea II the act
would buy for them admttance into the club
of these scientists.
The headquarters of the Cosmos club are in
the old Dolly Madison" residence. II there
that the widow of President Madison lived and
held social sway for years after the death of her
husband During the Civil war for time, Admi
raj Wilkes lived in the Madison house. II
Wilkes who took Mason and Slidell from the Brit
ish steamer Trent" and thereby nearly brought
between the United States and Great
Britain at a time when such war might have
insured ultimate victory to the Confederate arms
The biological survey of the United States
government has lost the services of DIR. c. Hart
Merriam, who for years was the surveys chief
and who in the early days worked so hard TO
make theservioe what he succeeded In making IT,
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 r. II. Har-
riman the great fnancier and railroad man. has
carried out the wishes of her husband. and has
~ aside q large sum of money to be used for
purposes Of geological study. Acting unquestion-
ably in line with her husbands wishes, Mrs. Har-
riman requested DIR. Merriam to take charge of
the work.
1t Is probable that the former chief of the bio
logical survey is the foremost authority in the
United States in matters pertaining to certain
lines of natural history work. 1t DR. Mer
riam more 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
iects of natural history
These words about DR. Merriam and the Har-
riman geological Foundation lead one to tell
story about the late hnancier, which perhaps
will throw some light side of his life con
cerning which most people probably know little.
One year last winter ] vent south from
Washington. bound for Augusta. Ga. with
friend E. III Harrimsn's private car was at
tached to the train at of the stations the
way. II happened that my friend was a close per
scnal acquaintance of Mr.. Hartman and he
invited to dine with the fnancier on 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 al
that little dinner party. OF the guests being
the president Of one of the greatest railroad
sysfems IN the world The conversation. natu-
rally about big affairs Of the financial world.
concerning which | knew very little and l
free to confess. cared much less. After hearing
a good deal about certain things concerning
which the discussion more or lees unintelli
eible to me. ventured to break into the conver-
sation and to tell Mr.. Hartman that had such
of the Journals Of the Hartman Alaska Expedi-
ton as already had been published. and more
Over that I had read them.
Fer the next t~o hours | had ample evidence
tha- 2 " Hartman cared for something besides
r-frca9z Ten or twelve years before he had