USA > Tennessee > Davidson County > Nashville > Nashville Business Directory, 1860-61 > Part 6
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folio. Kippis' Dictionary, 5 vols, folio. Forces' American Archives, 9 vols, folio. Critici Sacri, etc., Frankfort, 1696, 7 vols, folio. Thurloe's State Papers, 7 vols, folio. Clarendons' Life and State papers, 4 vola. folio. Knights Shakspeare, 8 vols, 8. Grant Whites' Shakspeare, 12 vola, 12mo. Johnson & Steven's Shakspeare, 15 vols, 8. Churchills Voyages, 6 vols, 4to. Audubon's Ornithology, 7 vols, 4to. Audubon & Bach- man's Quadrupeds, 3 vols, 4to. Nutall & Michaux's Sylva, 6 vols, 4to. Loudon's Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicnm,[6 vols .. Weales Bridg- es, 4 vols. Aide Memoire to the Military Sciences, 3 vols, 8vo. New York Natural History 19 vols, 4to. New York Documentary History, 10 vols, 4to. Jardines Naturalists Library, 40 vols, 12mo. Blackwood's Magazine, 86 vols 8vo. National Intelligencer. from 1826 to 1853, 18 vols, folio. Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, 32 vols, imperial 8vo. Penn. Colonial Records, 15 vols, 8vo, and Colonial Archives, 12 vols, 8vo. Massachusetts Colonial Records, 5 vols, 4to. Plymouth Colony Rec'ds, 7 vols, 4to. Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, 10 vols, 4to. Schoolcrafts Indian Tribes, 4 vols, 4to. Pacific Railroad Survey, 11 vols, 4to. Japan Expedition, 3 vols, 4to. Wilkes U. S. Exploring Expedition, 19 vols. 40 of text, 39 vols, folio of maps 3 plates, &c. There are a num- ber of other rare works, and Kicperts' Classical Maps, Atlases &c. Bau- orkellers Raised Maps. The Coast Survey and Maury's Wind & Current Charts.
A good Library, properly sustained by the State, would prove, if suf- ficiently used, the most valuable gift, which could possibly be made to the youth of the country. It would give them the means of pursuing more thoroughly any investigation in which they might be or might wish to be engaged, and obtaining information, which they would not otherwise be able to get, and on the other hand, it would induce a spirit of study and enquiry, the tools (books) being easy of access. To render the Libra- ry of any great use to those gentlemen who have already acquired & lit- erary taste and ability, for the thorough examination of any subject ; it will be necessary to increase the Library ten fold to begin with. By an appropriation of $20,000, a fair start could be made ; which should be kept up by an annual appropriation of at least $5,000. Having thus spoken of this important institution at some length, we may now proceed to notice, another institution which is becoming an honor to the State for its purposes, and for what it has been endeavoring to accomplish. That institution is
THE TENNESSEE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. .
They partly occupy the Library rooms for its books, and the large room adjoining for its cabinets. The Society was first organized under the name of "The Tennessee Antiquarian Society," July 1st, 1820, and continued to meet until August 24th, 1822. December 23d, 1835, a So-
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ciety was organized called, "The Tennessee Society for the Diffusion ,of Knowledge." This organization continued until May 7th, 1837. On May 1st, 1849, a number of Gentlemen came together and organized the present "Tennessee Historical Society," being a re-formation of the pre- vious societies ; and continued without much intermission till November 5, 1851. The next meeting was on December 6th, 1856. The next February 25, 1857, and has since met regularly every month, and is in a promising condition of usefulness in its own specialities. March 6th, 1857, the Legislature passed a Joint Resolution, commending the objects of the Society, and giving them the use of the Federal Court room in the Capitol, when vacated, in connection with a State Geological and Agricul- tural, Museum. (See Acts of 1857-8, pages 429-30.) The show cases in the Cabinet of the Society are beginning to be full of very interesting relics and curiosities ; among which are a number of Indian relics, such as : tomahawks, war clubs, axes, arrow heads, pipes, tobacco pouches, baskets, nose ornaments, shield, head dress, pottery, and various imple- ments. Among the relics are the swords of Col. John Sevier, Capt. Sam- uel Price, Gen. Jethro Sumner, Col. Du'Puyster, and Col. Daniel C. Newnan. The flags of the First and Third Regiment of Tennessee Vol- unteers in Mexico, and of the Second Regiment of Cavalry in the War of 1812, commanded by Gen. Wm. Moore, of Lincoln county. The flag of the First Regiment was presented to the Society by the Young Ladies of the Nashville Female Academy, May 1st, 1858, in Watkins' Grove, in the presence of two or three thousand persons. It was a great gala day. A small but growing collection of fossils, minerals, &c .; Though lately the Society has been the recipient of the very late and valuable mineralogical cabinet of Prof. R. O. Currey, M. D. of Knox- ville, through his liberality ; a collection of continental paper money ; between two and three hundred coins of copper, brass, nickel, silver and gold ; among them is a Massachusetts pine tree sixpence of 1652, being the first coinage done in North America, and a silver coin, a Drachma of Alexander the Great, found in Pompeii, it is about 2,200 years old. Among the MS. is the Journals of Gov. Wm. Blount, 1790; and the Journal of Col. John Donelson, being the narration of a " Voyage in the good boat Adventure from Fort Patrick Henry, on the Holston river, to the French Salt Springs, on the Cumberland," (Nashville,) commencing, December 22d, 1779. There are a few rare old books, such as a copy of Polydore Virgil, 1664 ; of Dioscorides, 1852, and of Ovid, printed in Venice, 1482, being only about 30 years after the invention of printing by Guttenburg. The Societies collection of portraits is getting to be quite respectable, in number and quality. There are the portraits of the Gov- ernors of the State, as follows : John Sevier, William Carroll, Samuel Houston, Newton Cannon, James Knox Polk, James C. Jones, Aaron V. Brown, Neil S. Brown, William Trousdale, and Wm. B. Campbell. The
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portraits of Gov. Wm. Blount, Territorial Gov. ; . Willie Blount, Archi- bald Bosne, Joseph MeMian, Andrew Johnson, and the present Gov. Isham G. Harris, the Society do not yet possess. The above portraits are by Mr. Washington B. Cooper, a distinguished artist, as a portrait painter. They were obtained from the proceeds of an Exhibition of paintings, Curiosities, &c., held in the Representative Hall, from Septem- ber 22d to October 16th, 1858, and from the proceeds of an Amateur Concert given by the Society, November 19th, 1858, in the Chapel of the Nashville Female Academy. The other portraits in the gallery, are those af Dr. Feliz Robertson, two copies, one by S. W. Shaw, the other by W. Thurston Black ; Dr. Horace Holley, of Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky., painted by Earle, in this city, in 1823; Dr. James Priestly, by Earle ; Hugh Lawson White ; Dr. Philip Lindsley ; John Buchanan ; Terry H. Cahal ; Napoleon. Photographs of A. W. Putnam, Dr. Girard Troost, Col. John Sevier, Lord Byron and Gen. Sam Houston, and a number of excellent miscellaneous photographs, by our city artists Messrs. C. C. Hughes ; C. C. Geirs, Joseph Loiseau & Bulot ; and T. F. Saltzman. Besides the above, there are a number of interesting relics, curiosities, &c., entirely too numerous to particularise. The collection of books are about 8 or 900, pamphlets, 1000.
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On , the Society was the recipient of a magnificent full length portrait, painted by Mr. Geo. Dury, of this city, of Hon. Felix Grundy, presented by Randal W. MacGavock, Esq., in a speech in the Representative Hall of the Capitol, before a large audience, and an oration by Hon. Jno. M. Bright, of Fayetteville. Within the last two months they have been presented with an Egyptian Mummy presented by Mr. Jeremiah George Harris, Purser, U. S. Steamer Wabash.
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THE STATE ARSENAL.
In the Capitol is worthy of notice. It occupies the North Crypt of the building, and contains some 8 or 10,000 stand of arms besides several field pieces of artillery, &c., all orderly arranged in closed cases. Mr. John Heriges is the State Armorer.
THE OFFICE OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
Is another point of interest among the many attractions of the Capitol. It occupies a room on the first floor. The office of State Superintend- ent of Weight and Measures, is held by Mr. Heriges, & most able and efficient officer. By Act of Congress, May 19th, 1828, the troy pound was fixed upon as the standard of weight. This was the first enactment on the subject to much purpose, though laws had been enacted on the subject as early as 1741 by North Carolina. In 1836 Congress passed a resolution directing complete sets of Weights and Measures for standards to be made for each State, similar to those then used for the U. S. Custom . Houses. & soon as these sets were completed, they were sent to each
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NASHVILLE CITY AND
State. Our Legislature passed a resolution March &d, 1854, directing the Governor to appoint a Superintendant, and that a set of standards should be made for each county. Under this resolution Mr. Heriges was appoin- ted, and still holds the position to the satisfaction of all. The standards which had been sent here at first, having been neglected and misused for want of a keeper, ' Mr. H. went east, and succeeded in procuring an en- tirely new set, together with three most beautiful balances. By Act of March 1st, 1856, the U. S. Standards were adopted as Tennessee Stan- dards. On March 10th, 1858,an act was passed regulating the entire subject of Weights and Measures, being the most complete legislation on the subject possessed by any of the States. This act required a room in the Capitol to be set apart for the standards, and that in addition to the sets of standards to be made for each county, that there should also be made a set of substitute Weights and Measures for each county. A Sealer of Weights and Measures was directed to be appointed for each county. Under these several acts, Mr. H. has finished a set of iron substitutes for each county, as follows : Ten 50 lb. weights and one copy of the 50, 20, 10, 5, 4, 2, and 1 lb. weights; and one copy of the 8, 4, 2, 1, and >2 oz. weights. A cedar peck and half peck ; a tin gallon, quart, and pint. A yard measure being a strip of pine glued between two pieces of cherry, to prevent warping. A hopper, brand, and stamp. The balances will be of iron, being 22 inches long between the supporting knife edges. The above substitutes are nearly all finished, and more than half distributed to the several counties, so that the system is fairly inaugurated. The standards for the counties are not yet prepared, they will be made of brass instead of iron, and will only be used for the verification of the sub- stitutes (when they become deteriorated by use) and not for general pur- poses. Each county is entitled to 92 lbs, 1512 oz. of brass weights, and 542 lbs, 15 1-2 oz. of iron weights, which makes a total for all of the 85 counties of the State of 7.902 lbs and 5 1-2 oz. of brass, and 46,152 lbs. 51-2 oz. of iron weights. Total 54,054 lbs. 11 oz.
The U. S. Standards in the Superintendants office are most beautiful specimens of mechanical skill and perfection. The weights are of brass, highly polished, and kept in mahogony boxes, avoirdupois from 50 lbs. to 1-10,000 of an ounce, and troy from 1 1b. to 1-10,000 of an ounce. The standard yard measure of brass, with matrix in a box. The Liquid ca- pacity measures of brass, gallon, half gallon, quart, pint, and half pint. Dry capacity measures, brass, half bushel. Three Standard Balances, respectively 42, 30, and 15 inches between the supporting knife edges. The Standard Balances are in framed cases, glassed ; they are all finished most perfectly, and as to their extreme accuracy, we have the testimony of foreign savans to bear us out in our own favorable opinion. The Superintendant of Weights and Measures of France testifies in a most enthusiastic manner of their oxcellence, after a severe test of the set pre-
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sented to France by our government. They are perfectly sensible to the microscopic weight one ten-thousandth of an ounce, or even less. Mr. H. has constructed a large iron balance for his office, 69 inches between knife edges. They are as accurate as the government balances. A fifty pround weight can be adjusted to within one grain of perfection. The extremely small quantity of electricity generated by rubbing & glass bottle or paper is sufficient to sensibly effect the equilibrium of the beam of this balance, when applied to the pans.
On the whole, this department, should and would excite a great deal of interest in the mind of any intelligent visitor.
THE PENITENTIARY.
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THE Penitentiary is located in the extreme southern portion of the city. It is a large building, capable of accommodating about four hun- dred and fifty convicts, but we regret to say, it is insufficient to comfort- ably accommodate all that, at present, it has been found necessary to send there from distant parts of the State. Convicts are put to some use- ful employment.
OFFICERS .- The present Agent and Superintendent of the prison, is W. H. Johnson, Esq .; Inspectors, Jno. D. Winston, W. G. Harding John Overton ; Architect, A. Heiman ; Chaplain, Wm. H. Wharton ; Physician, Felix Robertson ; Jas. A. Bostick, Assistant Keeper ; R. H. Campbell, Treasury Clerk ; Wm. Page, Auditing Clerk.
MECHANICS INSTITUTE AND LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
THIS Association was chartered by Act of Assembly, January 30th, ) 1844. ".Its objects," as stated by the Constitution, are general instruc- tion in popular and useful science, and its application to the Arts and Manufactures by means of classes, schools, conversational meetings, reading rooms, a library, museums, models of machinery, apparatus and such other methods as may be devised for the promotion of its purposes." Under this charter the Institution was commenced. The library was formed from two others, called the "Nashville Library," and the " Mer- chants Libaary," both of which organizations had declined. The present library contains about five thousand volumes. The first exhibition was beld in Odd Fellows' Hall, on the week commencing October 1st, 1855 ; the second, October 13th to 22d, 1856, at the same place ; the third, October 15th to 26th, 1857, at Ewin's Hall. Each of these exhibitions were eminently successful. The institution is endeavoring to obtain by Act of Assembly, the transfer of $10,000, appropriated'to another object and now lying idle. Tne object aimed at by the Mechanic's Institute is
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NASHVILLE CITY AND
to erect a suitable Hall for its accommodation and the more efficient car- rying forward of its grest and important purposes.
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YOUNG MEN'S MERCANTILE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
THIS association has just been chartered by the Legislature. Judging from the material represented by the body of young men, who have taken the iniative in this movement, it is reasonable to predict that this will be a most valuable and useful organization.
CITY HOSPITAL.
THE City Hospital is under the control of the Medical Faculty of the Nashville University. It is proper to state for the information of many not knowing to the frct, that this building was originally the State Luna- tic Asylum. The increase of patients made it necessary to erect another larger and more commodious building for their accommodation, and the old building was taken for a Hospital for the sick. It is located in the south-western portion of the city, and presents a very respectable ap- pearance. A proposition is before the Legislature to take it down, and appropriate the gounds, and erect a fine new mansion for the State Executive.
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STATE LUNATIC ASYLUM.
This State has an asylum for the insane, which may justly challenge the admiration of the world. With a spirit which is gratifying, not more on account of the liberality of her citizens than their humanity, they responded in a manner worthy of their patriotic and humane senti- ments when a call was made upon them, for means to erreet this noble and invaluable institution.
The Hospital is located a few miles south of the city, on a tract of val- uable land, containing several hundred acres, of which'a portion is im- proved and in a high state of cultivation. The structure is of the castel- lated style of architecture, with twenty-four octagon towers of paopor- tionate dimensions, placed on the corners of the main bullding and its wings, while from the main building rises an octagonal tower twenty- five feet above the roof, sixteen feet in diameter. A range of battlements from tower to tower surrounds the whole edifice, following the angles of the several projections, giving a fine relief to it from any point of view. The extreme length of the Hospital, from east to west, is four hundred and five feet, while it extends from north to south, two hundred and ten feet. There are two airing courts in this area, each of them about one
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hundred and fifty feet square. The heighth of the building from the ground to the top of the main tower is abont eighty-five feet. The cen- tre, right and left, of the main building is four stories high without the basement ; the intervening ranges and the wings are three stories high.
Its interior construction and arrangement is in accordance with a plan which experience has demonstrated as the most approved and best calcu- lated to promote the great and benevolent objects had in view in institu- tions of this character. In all the minutia of detail, the comfort, conven- ience, and health of the patient have been carefully studied. Its wards dormitories, corridors, and various other apartments, exhibit alike the same happy features of admirable arrangement. The whole building con- tains two hundred and sixty five rooms, exclusive of all domestic apart- ments, laundry, bath rooms, cloths rooms, and several rooms in the base- ment. It is capable of accomodating two hundred and fifty patients.
The ventillation of the Asylum is a decided feature in its construction. It is carried on by means of a centrifugal fan seventeen feet in diameter driven by the steam engine, which also occupies a conspicuous position in the affairs of the institution. The air is conducted through subterranean passages to the central chambers in the basement and thence through the steam-pipe chambers into vertical flues, passing through the entire build- ing. The quantity of air discharged may be carried up to seventy-thou- sand cubic feet per minute, which gives about two hundred and fifty cubic feet per minute to each occupant. Thus a supply of pure fresh air may be constantly kept up during the most oppressive weather.
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The means of heating the building are no less complete or easy of at- tainment. The series of vertical flues, before alluded to, are constructed in the longitudinal walls of the halls, starting from a coil or hot air chambers in the basement story. From these flues the air, heated to any desired temperature, enters the halls and rooms of the different stories near the floors. By this arrangement the air supply is constant, with- out reference to any external condition of weather or temperature.
Water is pumped by the engine, from a reservoir to a tank in the center building, and from thence distributed by means of pipes to other parts of the Asylum. There are five tanks which hold, collectively, about eight thousand gallons of water. There are several bath-rooms on each floor of the entire building.
The judgment and good taste of the able and efficient Superintendent and Physician, Dr. Cheatham, in adding a green-house and nursery, and filling them with choice flowers, shrubbery and fruit trees, has met with entire approval by the State authorities and become one of the most im- portant as well as useful features of the institution.
Various kinds of amusements have been provided for the patients, which exercise a tranquilizing and soothing influence over the unfortu- nate inmates.
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NASHVILLE CITY AND
TENNESSEE BLIND SCHOOL.
The munificence and philanthropy which has characterized the action of the State in public benefactions to the unfortunate is among Tennes- see's brightest ornaments. In 1844 the Tennessee Blind School was es- tablished, and a public building erected shortly thereafter in this city, where the blind are cared for and taught, not only many of the useful branches of Science (by means raised letters,) but, also, numerous or- namental pursuits, such as music, bead work, etc., together with a num- ber of useful occupations. The building is a large four story brick, built after an approved plan, for institutions of this kind, combining utility, convenience and comfort. Its location is on the Lebanon turnpike near the City Reservoir.
The present Superintendent, Mr. J. M. Sturtevant, has occupied that position for ten years, and is deservedly and justly popular. There are now about thirty pupils in this Institution The Board of Trustees, ap- pointed by. the State, consists, at present, of the following gentlemen, who are well and favorably known : Rev. John T. Edgar, Rev. R. B. C. Howell, Dr. Robert Martin, W. F. Bang, Esq., C. W. Nance, Rev. A. L. P. Green, Hon, R. J. Meigs, and Russell Houston, Esq.
The studies pursued are, Arithmetic, written and mental, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar, Composition, oral and written, Rhetoric, Geography, Algebra, Latin, and Music. Most of these branches have been taught with the same success as in confmon schools. The school is open to visitors at all times during the session.
PROTESTANT ORPHAN ASYLUM.
THE limited space left us, requires that the mention made of & num- ber of institutions which should claim attention, must necessarily be brief.
The Protestant Orphan Asylum is one which should enlist the sympa- thies of the entire community. It is situated on Mclemore street, be- tween Church and Broad-a very pleasant and desirable location. This benevolent enterprise owes its origin to the efforts of a number of kind and generous-hearted ladies, through whose agency it has been sustained and conducted for fifteen years. Its administration is in the hands of a Board of Managers, in which are represented, the all various Protestant Churches of the city.
Many unfortunate children have here found a home and are watched over with maternal solicitude and tenderness, and their infant minds im- pressed with lessons of virtuous instruction as well as mental discipline.
The system adopted in the government and education of these orphan children, in point of completeness and excellence, is apparent to the visi-
TENNESSEE ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE.
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tor. It evinces the fact that the hearts of the managers are enlisted in the. work, and that they exercise a sleepless vigilance in keeping it up to its present brigh standard of usefulness.
A proposition is now on foot to establish another Asylum of like char- acter in Watkins' addition to the city, with a view of separating the sexes. As an inducement, it is understood that the ground has been generously donated for that purpose.
HOUSE OF INDUSTRY. 1
THIS is another humane institution, which, like the Orphan Asylum, is s monument to the philanthro, y of woman. Fifteen years ago, through the influence and labors of a number of ladies, this House of Indus- try was chartered by the Legislature, and went into operation immedi- ately, under the direction of a Board of Managers. We may be permit- ted to mention, without being obnoxious to the cuarge of making any in- vidious distinction or unjust comparisons, that two of the original man- agers are still members of the Board, holding honorable and responsible positions, viz : Mrs. T. Maney and Mrs. R. H. McEwen, Sr., the former being the President, and the latter the Treasurer of the institution.
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In the infancy of the enterprise, a number of gentlemen of the city' manifested great interest in its welfare, and aided it with their means. Prominent among them was Joseph T. Elliston, Esq., now deceased, whose liberality secured to the institution the ground upon which it now stands.
The location of the House of Industry is on Vine street, north of Church. During the past year the building was enlarged by the addi- tion of a capacious brick addition, and it is now an imposing edifice. The object of the institution, as its name indicates, is to enable girls and young ladies dependent upon themselves, to obtain respectable employ- ment and make a support, and also to instruct them in those useful and necessary household duties which legitimately attach to the sphere of woman. Their manners, dress, conduct and conversation are the subject of advice and counsel, and they undergo a system of moral training which can hardly fail in producing the best results. It is a fact worthy of record, that while many of the young ladies that were inmates of this institution, have made suitable and worthy connections, and are now happily situated, in but two single instances has its protection and beneficence been unworthily bestowed. The number that have been the recipients of its benefits up to the present time, is sixty-seven. . There are now eighteen inmates, with room for the accommodation of nearly as many more.
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