Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-01-03
First Scientific Society Organ
lied Early in Nineteenth
Century.
FOUNDED BY NAVY SURGEON.
Influenced Development of Important
Bureaus Now Maintained by Uncle
Sam to Solve Nations
Problems.

The great scientific bureaus MAIN :
tanned by Uncle Sam at Washington;
with their thousands of employees
dealing with the country's problems in
every branch of science, and the impor-j
tant learned societies and scientific es-
adjustments of the national capital,
We're influenced in their early growth
and development in greater or less
degree by scientific society which
flourished in Washington during the
early years of the last century. The
columbian Institute for the Promotion
of Arts and Sciences, now all but for
gotten, was the first learned society es-
tablished in Washington, it's organiza-
ton dating from June, 1916, 16 years
after the occupation of the city as the
FEDERAL capital, and less than two years.
after the Invasion by the British
troops. The population of Washington
was at that time little more than TO-
900, and the repair and reconstruction
of the public buildings was still in the
initial stage. The history, organization
and achievement of this society are
fully described in an interesting bulle-
tin of the United States National Mu-
scum by Richard Rathmun, assistant
secretary of the Smithsonian institu-
ton, in charge of the National museum.
objects Were Diversified.
The objects of the Columbian insti-
tute, which was chartered by congress
Of "a u
whole very diversified, those speciii-
ca1ly named ia the beginning having
been almost wholly of Il utilitarian ma
ture, such as the government has from
time to time assumed and made the
basis of the work OF several scientific
bureaus Four years later, however,
an organization was adopted which
gave to the institute the latitude of Il
comprehensive learned society. Among
all the activities planned only Il few
were in any way conspicuously car
ried out, in default of the necessary
support, the most important and mate
rial of these being the establishment of
a botanic garden and a museum. The
4 former occupied the extreme eastern
! end of the Mall which then approached
much nearer the capitol than at pres
ent, and included the site of the pres
ent United States botanic garden.
Starting with Il cabinet of minerals
which remained predominant in this
connection, this feature soon developed
into a general, though small, museum,
containing specimens of zoology, bot
any, ethnology, archaeology, fossils, etc.
Transferred to the National institution
in 1871, some eff the objects are now
readily distinguishable in the United
States National museum.
Navy Surgeon First President.
However unfortunate in the realiza-
tion of it's ambitions, the Columbian
institute nevertheless occupied an ell
yiable position among the earlier asso-
Citations of this country for the breadth
and Importance of it's objects, even if
they be regarded only in the nature
.of suggestions which have since been
so fully recognized in the organiza-
tion of the government and elsewhere
and for it's hearty and unsetish efforts
7 ITO carry them out. The Columbian in
stitute owed it's establishment and
early successes to masterful mind
that of DR.. Edward Cutbush then a
surgeon in the navy, and the first pres.
ident of the society, though acknowl-
Judgments are also due to Thomas Law
for the suggestion of such society at
the seat of government.
The membership of this institute in
cluded a great many of the prominent
men of every walk of life in Washing
ton. among them John Quincy Adams
stAndrew .JaclsYn, John G. Calhoun
r s. = sess ss:.ell :knnwn representa,