The New York herald., 1922-05-01
Says American Museums
Ambitions Need More
Backing.
NEW BUILDING PROGRAM
Asiatic and Oceanic Wings, De-
signed in 1875, May Soon
Be Constructed.

Americas incubator of adventure,
the American Museum of Natural His
tory, issues to-day a clipped and mat
ter-of-fact report of thrilling and
perilous expeditions conducted into
the hinterlands of five continents in
the last year for teh sake of science
Donald b. Macmillan to the Arctic to
discover that Crocker Land is myth;
William X. Gregory to Australia to
save some Of tie vanishing life of that
rather mysterious region; Roy Chap
man Andrews to Shensi and little
known district of Mongolia; Rollo II.
Whitney's account, to collect birds
and Carl Akeley to the Belgian Congo
to collect gorillas. There Is enough
adventure between tho lines Of the
deliberately made prosiness Of the re-
port to fill a dozen novels Of wild life.
President Henry Fairfield Osborn an
nounces that the musuen, in cooperation
with its sister Institutions, the Botanical
Gardens, the Geological Park and the
AQldTluIIl, ~ DeSlllIllIlS W iuilii tiS
dream OF the natural philosopher Fran
els Bacon---to bring together the plants.
the animals, the rare beasts. rare birds.
varieties of fishes-"whatsoever nature
has wrought in things that want life and
may be kept" SO that 1--WE may have in
email compass a model of universal ma
ture made private"
But it needs money to continue devel-
opment along its ambitious lines. A new
general endowment of S2.000,000 is
wanted. DR.. Osborn states. For the cur
rent year the estimates of expenses were
more than S121.000 beyond the income,
and the trustees were forced to cut down
the work Of the museum by the amount
OF more than $4,000 and have guaran-
teed to raise $4,000 through their per-
sonal contributions. The deficiency is
recurrent and can be met, DR.. Osborn
says. only by raising an additional gen.
eral endowment of at least 81 900.
Contributions i'm Sight.
1t is probable that the museum will re-
ceive $3.50, 900 from the John +. Emo be-
quest. leaving S1.750.o00 to be raised.
Toward this amount one OF the trustees
has agreed to contribute $250.000 pro-
vided that three other contributions Of
the same amount are secured.
will be able to build Sections and 10,
as designed In 1875. the Asiatic a.. /
Oceanic wings. and completely fill them
with specimens now in the store rooms,
including many large and beautiful
groups already prepared and others that
are awaiting preparation.
The city agreed last year to build
these sections at a cost of $500, 600,
the decision renewing building construc-
tion at the museum after lapse OF
sixteen years. With sections 0 and 10
built. seven sections remain to be
erected at probable cost of ss,610.0 058.
and when these are finished the insti-
tuition will consist of seventeen halls
devoted to the natural history of all
parts OF the world. The total cost OF
the buildings will have been about S15.-
100000. The proposed new buildings
are designated as Maxwell, African.
Roosevelt, Astronomic. Central Amer
Jean. Ancient Mexican and the new lee
ture amphithcater.
Growing in Appreciation.
"For every dollar contributed to the
American Museum by the city from tax
funds" DIR. Osborn states, "the citizen
receives SO In value. The growing ap-
probation of the Museum by the public
is shown by tho attendance. which has
risen from 61S,152 In 1910, to j,171,397
in 1921"
While the city has done very well for
the Museum, giving 1t S5,369,674.35 for
maintenance, building and equipment in
the last sixteen years. more than twice
as much-s1 $50. 6.556.28-has been con-
tributed by the trustees. members and
friends of the institution.
The principal achievement of the
Tlr- net. sf..
ing of the Akeley African Elephant
Group, n masterpiece in design. An
other unique habitat group for Roose-
welt African Hall is assured now that
Akeley has secured five fine specimens
of the gorilla, the largest male
weighing $50 pounds and having an
arm stretch OF seven feet, eight inches
Acknowledgment is made to tho Ring
ling brothers of circus fame for tho go
rilla John Daniel. that died of homesiclS-
ness while the circus was at Madison
Square Garden in the spring of 1921.