USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > Discovery and conquests of the Northwest, with the history of Chicago, Vol. II > Part 26
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An injunction, issued May 31, 1892, restraining the city from erecting any building upon the Lake Front park, was dissolved upon a rehearing, June 23, mainly upon the ground that the legislature of Illinois, by an act of 1890, had authorized the city to permit the erec- tion of buildings connected with the Columbian Expo- sition upon the lake front, and to retain some of them permanently. By this decision the Art Institute became firmly established in its rights upon the lake front.
Among the conditions under which the Columbian Exposition made an appropriation of $200,000 for the
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building were the following: That at least $500,000 should be expended upon the building; that the build- ing should be controlled by the Exposition for the use of the world's congresses from May 1 to November 1, 1893; and that it should contain rooms and appliances suitable for the meetings of the world's congresses. The cost of the building to date has been about $785,000.
The Art Institute came into full possession of the building, November 1, 1893.
The building is built of Bedford limestone, thor- oughly fireproof, and may be described as in style Italian Renaissance, the details classic, and of Ionic and Corinthian orders. The front is eighty feet back from Michigan avenue, the building 320 feet long, the wings 170 feet deep, with projections which make the whole depth 208 feet. The rear and center are not yet built. It was planned with great care for exhibition purposes, and there are few better buildings in exist- ence for the exhibition of pictures and fine art objects, as regards lighting, accessibility, simplicity of arrange- ment and convenience of classification. A view of the building and plans of the main floors accompany this description.
The ownership of this building is vested in the city of Chicago, while the right of use and occupancy is vested in the Art Institute so long as it shall fulfill the purposes for which it was organized, shall open the museum free to the public on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, shall make the mayor and comptroller of the city ex-officio members of the board of trustees and shall conform to some other simple con- ditions.
During 1897 a lecture room, in accordance with the original plans of the building, was built, and presented to the institution by Charles W. Fullerton as a memorial to his father, Alexander N. Fullerton. This room seats 500 persons, and is a model lecture room, as regards
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MONUMENTAL STAIRCASE AND DOME. [Proposed; from Architect's Drawing. ]
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THE HENRY FIELD MEMORIAL ROOM,
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SONG OF THE LARK- Jules Breton.
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PORTRAIT OF A GIRL-Rembrandt.
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comfort in seating, ventilation, acoustic properties and tasteful adornment. A library building of the most beautiful and commodious description, also embraced in the plans, is almost completed, through the generosity of Martin A. Ryerson, and will be occupied in the autumn of 1901.
The accessions to the collections during the last six years have been numerous and important, so that the Art Institute now ranks, as an art museum, among the first three or four in the country.
Mrs. Henry Field has committed permanently to the Art Institute the entire collection of paintings which belonged to her husband, the late Henry Field, a former trustee of the Art Institute. This collection comprises forty-one pictures, and represents chiefly the Barbizon school of French painters, including Millet's well known "Bringing Home the New-born Calf," Jules Breton's "Song of the Lark," Troyon's "Re- turning from the Market " and fine examples of Rous- seau, . Corot, Cazin, Constable and Daubigny. The collection is placed in a separate room, known as the Henry Field Memorial Room, and held in trust by five trustees, appointed by Mrs. Field. Mrs. Field also authorized the trustees to order from Mr. Edward Kemeys, the sculptor of animals, two monumental bronze lions, to stand upon the flanks of the great external approach of the museum. These lions were unveiled May 10, 1894.
In 1890 the dispersion of the choicest works of the famous Demidoff collection of works by old masters, which had been withheld from a sale at which most of the collection was sold in 1880, furnished an opportun- ity through which the Art Institute secured thirteen works by old masters, chiefly of the Dutch school, some of them famous examples of the artists by whom they were painted. The reception of these pictures marks an epoch in the artistic growth of the city. The collec- tion contains five examples of portraiture, which are
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THE WATER MILL-Hobbema.
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PORTRAIT-Franz Hals.
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THE VIDETTE-Meissonier.
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representative of Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Frans Hals and Holbein; "The Guitar Lesson," by Terburg, and "A Family Concert," by Jan Steen, which are admirable works of these artists; a landscape by Hob- bema, which may be counted among his masterpieces; "The Jubilee," by Van Ostade, a work of the highest merit, and creditable examples of the work of Teniers, Ruysdael and Adrian Van de Velde.
The museum has also been gradually accumulat- ing valuable paintings by purchase and gift. Among the American painters represented are Chase, Hitch- cock, Alex. Harrison, McEwen, Dannat, Inness, Vedder, Pearce and Davis. In 1898 a fine collection of about sixty paintings, which had for some time been exhibited in the galleries, was bequeathed to the Institute by Albert A. Munger, a life-long citizen of Chicago. Among works of the highest merit this collection contains Meissonier's "Vidette "; "The Bathers," by Bouguereau; "Just before Sunrise," by Corot; de Neuville's "A Piece in Danger "; Detaille's "Reconnaissance "; Jacquet's. "Queen of the Camp"; "Springtime and Love," by Michetti, and Munkascsy's "The Challenge." Ge- rome, Rosa Bonheur, Van Marcke, Fromentin, Vibert, Roybet, Charlemont, Zimmerman, Achenbach, Jacque, Schreyer, Troyon, Courbet, Isabey, Makart and many other leaders of the modern world of art are repre- sented.
The Art Institute also keeps up important loan collections, and holds passing exhibitions, so that the exhibition of pictures is very extensive.
The collection of reproductions of sculpture is also very large and comprehensive. A great proportion of it is the gift of Mrs. A. M. H. Ellis, who has put it, under the name of her former husband, as "The El- bridge G. Hall Collection." In accordance with the wishes of the donor, it includes only full-sized fac- similes of original works of sculpture. It includes not
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MAIN HALL, FIRST FLOOR
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TEUCER-Thornycroft.
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FRENCH HISTORIC SCULPTURES.
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NAPLES BRONZES-Presented by H. N. Higinbotham,
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only classical, but Renaissance and modern sculpture, the contemporary collection being the most important in America. Among modern sculptors represented are Dubois, Mercie, Barrias, Cain, Chapu, Falguiere, Ro- din, Fremiet, Thornycroft, St. Gaudens, Bartlett, French, Potter, etc. The French government sent to the Columbian Exposition, as a part of the national exhibit, an extensive historical collection of archi- tectural casts, reproduced from collections in Paris, destined to become at the end of the Fair a part of the permanent collection of the Art Institute. This re- markable collection, which is unsurpassed in its kind, either in quality or extent, is now installed, as far as room permits, in the galleries of the Art Institute, but a considerable part of it is stored away.
Another element in the sculpture collection is the gallery of reproductions of the antique bronzes of the Naples museum, 109 fac-similes of the most famous statues, busts, tripods, statuettes, lamps and other objects found at Herculanæum and Pompeii. This collection was the gift of H. N. Higinbotham. They were purchased through the fine art department of the Columbian Exposition, and are certified by the director of the Naples museum to be perfect reproductions.
Another department, which has already attained importance, is that of original Egyptian antiquities. Through the interest of Mr. Getty, Mr. Ryerson and Mr. Hutchinson accessions have been made of typical "Egyptian objects of great rarity and value, sufficient to form a collection respectable in quantity, and more than respectable in quality. There is also a very care- fully collected and adequately representative collec- tion of classical antiquities, Greek vases, figurines, lamps and fragments, and marble Roman remains, both sculptural and architectural. Other fields of art are represented by collections of embroideries, tapestries, painted fans, textiles, etc., presented by the society
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THE OLD CASTLE MICHEL.
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of ladies called the Antiquarians of the Art Institute, and of musical instruments, armor, etc.
In the summer of 1900, Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Nicker- son presented to the museum of the Art Institute their splendid private collection of jades, crystals, paintings, etc., and fitted up two galleries for the permanent instal- lation of the collection.
The library is a well established department, con- nected both with museum and school. It contains at present not more than 2,400 volumes, but it is strictly confined to fine art, and includes many valuable works. In it is kept the great collection of large carbon photo- graphs, known as the Braun autotypes, 16,000 in num- ber, including reproductions of the paintings, drawings and sculpture of most of the well known galleries of Europe. These are the gift of Dr. D. K. Pearsons. The library is open at all times to members and students, and is practically a free public library upon Wednesdays and Saturdays, open days of the museum. It has the prospect of large extensions soon.
The school of instruction in art practice has always been a vital part of the Art Institute. It includes well organized departments of painting, sculpture, dec- orative designing and architecture. Excellent accom- modation has been secured by building a series of low skylighted studios in the rear of the main building, and the students enjoy the full use of galleries, library, lecture room, etc. It has grown to be the most com- prehensive and probably the largest fine art school in the United States. There are 500 regular day students, about 300 evening students, and 350 normal and ju- venile students. The whole enrollment is about 2,000 a year, and the number of instructors about seventy. This school is wholly self-supporting, earning and ex- pending about $40,000 per annum. The most ad- vanced branches are taught, and distinguished teach- ers from a distance are called in from time to time. Diplomas are given upon the completion of prescribed
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MEN'S LIFE CLASS, 1897,
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SCULPTURE LIFE CLASS, 1898.
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courses. The history and theory of art, as well as practice, are made subjects of instruction.
The Art Institute is without endowment, except a bequest of $75,000 received from Mrs. E. S. Stickney, during 1898, and a beginning of a life membership fund, now about $12,000. It has never had any assistance from city or state except permission to build upon pub- lic land. Its support is derived from membership dues, door fees, tuition fees and voluntary gifts.
The trustees have steadily aimed at making the in- stitution self-supporting, if possible, from the regular sources of income, chiefly membership dues, door fees and tuition fees.
The Art Institute is in the fullest sense an institu- tion conducted for the public good. Without a dollar of assistance from the city, save the permission to build upon the lake front, its managers have erected a museum building and gathered a collection which com- mands the respect of all competent judges, and which is the subject of pride and satisfaction to all right minded citizens. The art school has grown to be one of the very foremost, both in the number of students and the standard of excellence. The fine galleries are open absolutely free to the public more than 160 days every year, and upon other days not only the members and their families, numbering more than 10,000, but public school teachers, to the number of 4,600, and all professional artists are freely admitted. Classes study- ing art are admitted free at all times under easy condi- tions. Public school children are admitted with their teachers to certain exhibitions. The reference library is practically open to every student of art. A continual series of exhibitions, lectures and activities connected with art is kept up, whereby the torch of artistic culture is kept burning in the community.
In short, the trustees have established and main- tained a public museum and school of art of the highest
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STUDENTS AT WORK IN GALLERIES.
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ALICE -- Chase.
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character, not only without large private gifts of money, but without any kind of governmental aid.
Mr. T. B. Blackstone has since left $25,000.
Mrs. Maria Sheldon Scammon (the widow of John Young Scammon), who died April 28, 1901, bequeathed to the Art Institute a tract of land of the value of about $50,000, of which the proceeds are to form the founda- tion of lecture courses upon art, primarily for the benefit of students, preferably by persons of distinc- tion not already connected with the Art Institute, to be known as "The Scammon Lectures."
W. M. R. FRENCH.
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. HISTORY
Captain Meriwether Lewis was mur- dered and robbed while on his way to Washing- ton, D. C., by Joshua Grinder, October 11, 1809, in what is now the county of Lewis, Tenn.
It was rumored at this time that he committed suicide, but doubtless this orig- inated in the east, where he was known to be of a hypochondriac disposition, but which affliction had entirely disappeared with his active, out-of-door life in the west. It was a theory, groundless and cruel, that even the perpetrators of the crime did not stay to urge in their own defense. In erecting the only monument in this broad land that stands to the memory of the great explorer, the state of Tennessee recognized the value of local evidence over groundless theory.
The monument was built at the cost of $500, appropriated by the general assembly of Tennessee in 1848. Its base is of uncut sandstone, surmounted by a plinth of Tennessee marble, on which were cut the inscriptions. Above this rises the marble shaft, about twelve feet in height, roughly broken at the top, emblematic of the violent and un- timely end of a glorious career. Five years before erecting the mon- ument the general assembly passed an act creating the county of Lewis. The introductory clause of the act read as follows: "In honor of Captain Meriwether Lewis, who has rendered distinguished serv- ices to his country, and whose remains lie buried and neglected within its limits." The new county was carved out of four others cornering near the grave, in near a circle with it as a pivotal point.
Of him Thomas Jefferson said: "His courage was undaunted: his firmness and perseverance yielded to nothing but impossibilities. A rigid disciplinarian, yet tender as & father to those com- mitted to his charge. Honest, disin- terested, liberal, with a sound under- standing and a scrupulous fidelity to truth."
VERNE S. PEASE, in The Southern Magazine, February, 1894.
THOMAS JEFFERSON, IN 1803, AT THE AGE OF SIXTY. First Published in McClure's Magazine.
OREGON.
Oregon, though now one of the great states of the Pacific northwest, yet is within the toils of Chicago's commerce. How this came about forms one of the most interesting chapters of American history, with which Chicago's history is interwoven. Three nations have laid claim to the Oregon country, as it was first called, which embraced the territory along the Pacific coast from the forty-second parallel, northward, to the parallel of 54° 40'; being the southern limits of the Russian possessions, which that power owned by virtue of priority of discovery by Behring, the celebrated Russian navigator, after whom Behring Straits were named. Spain claimed this country on the ground that Juan de Fuca, in 1592, discovered and entered the straits which bear his name, and that Bruno Heceta sailed along this coast in 1775. The English claims rested on the voyages of Meares in 1786, and later, on those of Vancouver in 1789, along the coasts and into the Straits of Fuca. The claims of the United States, which came in last, transcended all these in the princi- ples of national rights, especially as to priority of interior exploration as against England.
At St. Petersburg, April 5, 1824, Russia having relin- quished any right which might accrue to her south of 54° 40', the question of ownership to the coast south of that parallel was left open to negotiation to the other powers just named. France never set up any claim west of the Rocky Mountains, which range was the western limits of Louisiana, an undisputed title to
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which had been vested in France by virtue of La Salle's exploration of the Mississippi river to its mouth in 1682. This immense country had been ceded by France to Spain in 1763, the orders for the surren- der of which were issued at Versailles, April 21, 1764. Spain held possession of it till, by the secret treaty of San Ildefonso, October 1, 1800, she retroceded it to France, and the latter power sold it to the United States in 1803. By treaty with Spain in 1819, that power made a deed of cession to the United States of any territory on that coast she had hitherto laid claim to, north of the forty-second parallel, at the same time ceding Florida to the United States for a consideration of $5,000,000. Mexico won her independence of Spain in 1821, at which time this parallel became the bound- ary line between Mexico and the United States. The former power confirmed this line in 1828. This treaty was very timely and fortunate for the United States, as a defined issue with England could now be made with- out complication with any other nation; for previous to this treaty, as far as priority of discovery was concerned, Spain had the advantage of any other country.
Now came a contest between Great Britain and the United States for this immense empire, slumbering in obscurity, inhabited by savage tribes of Indians, some of them hitherto unknown to civilization. The claims
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of the United States rested, first, on the explorations of Robert Gray, who sailed from Boston on September
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30, 1787, with two vessels, the "Washington" and the "Columbia," under the patronage of J. Barrell, S. Brown, C. Bulfinch, J. Darley, C. Hatch and J. M. Pintard. Their destination was the northwest coast of America, by doubling Cape Horn. The object of the expedition was to establish trade relations, which it did to the entire satisfaction of the proprietors; but these objects were insignificant compared to the na. tional character destined to grow out of it. The ex- pedition arrived at the mouth of the Columbia river in 1792; up which stream Captain Gray with difficulty sailed over the sand bar at its mouth, and made his way along its meanders till the snow capped peak of Mount Hood became visible. He named this river the "Columbia," after the vessel which he had the honor of command- ing, in the service of its proprietors; but in the sub- limer service of America, as history shows it to have been. He returned to Boston by a western passage around the world. No American vessel had circum- navigated the world before, and to him belongs the dis- tinguished honor of first carrying the stars and stripes on such a voyage.
The next link in the chain of these great events was the purchase of the French province of Louisiana, as already stated, April 30, 1803, for $15,000,000 ; added to which were the cancellation of certain Ameri- can claims for spoliation on the high seas. This pur- chase was a timely check upon England, who certainly would have wrested this province from France, had not Napoleon, then in power, sold it to the United States, which prevented such an inevitable humiliation to both countries. Had it not been for this sale, British America would have been our northern boundary, as it now is ; and our western boundary, from the head waters of the Mississippi, along its bank to the Gulf of Mexico, crossing the river so as to include New Orleans. Let it not be forgotten that France, in 1778, made a treaty with the United States, the first article
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of which guaranteed the independence of our republic ; and, twenty-five years later, sold Louisiana to this republic, giving it the key to an empire from ocean to ocean. All hail to our sister republic! Spain was deeply wounded by the transfer of this province to a power with whom she had been in rivalry from the first ; but her protest to this transfer had no weight with Napoleon, who had no love for Spain, as evidenced by his having annulled the old alliance between France and that nation, called the "Family Compact."
Thomas Jefferson, when secretary of state under Washington, in 1792, had proposed to send an expedi- tion up the Missouri, for the purpose of securing the fur trade with the Indians; and when he became presi- dent of the United States, even before Louisiana had been purchased, he took measures to send an exploring expedition to the Pacific coast. For this purpose the services of Meriwether Lewis, a captain in the regu- lar army, and afterward private secretary to President Jefferson, and Capt. William Clark, were secured by Jefferson to explore the Missouri river to its sources, thence to cross the divide of its watershed, and find some stream that led to the Pacific. They had a command of forty-four men, a few of whom were to accompany the expedition no farther than the head- waters of the Missouri. A few days after President Jefferson had given Captain Lewis his instructions as commander of the expedition, news of the conclusion of the treaty for the cession of Louisiana reached the United States, and without further delay the expedition started. Their route lay up the Missouri river, as far as they could go with their boats, thence across the divide to the headwaters of the Columbia river, with horses purchased from the Indians. From the head- waters of boat navigation on the Columbia river they navigated this stream to its mouth, arriving at Cape Disappointment, situated on its north bank, November 15, 1805, where they remained till March 26, 1806.
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Previous to their departure from St. Louis, President Jefferson had given Lewis and Clark authority to pur- chase necessary supplies for the return of the expedi- tion, either across the country or for passage in vessel around Cape Horn for the whole company, but thanks to the good management of the commanders of the expedition, there was no necessity for using this authority, and they commenced their return, up the Columbia river to its sources; thence across the divide to the headwaters of the Missouri river; thence down that stream to St. Louis, arriving there September 23 same year, their return thus having been by the same route on which they had advanced into the unknown two years before.
In 1811 John Jacob Astor established a fort, which he named Astoria, on the south bank of the Columbia river, ten miles above its mouth. This fort was cap- tured by the British, and named Fort George, during the war of 1812, but was restored at the treaty of Ghent, in 1814, after which it became a permanent point of American occupation under its original name, and as such, an evidence of American ownership.
Much has been said and written on international law, the binding force of which is a resort to arms if diplomacy fails; there is an unwritten law of nations that priority of discovery, exploration and occupation is an acknowledged national title to lands thus discov- ered, explored and occupied. On this basis rested the title to the Pacific coast between the parallel of 42° on the south to the parallel 54° 40' on the north. Both England and America based their claims on this prior- ity, as above stated, controlling which was a boundary line between the two nations, on the north, which was established in a preliminary way when Astoria was re- stored to the Americans by the treaty of Ghent.
At this time the forty-ninth parallel was first men- tioned between the American and British commission- ers, but at the treaty of Utrecht, negotiated in 1713,
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