30 dall: origin of philosophical society 



Professor Henry was chairman. General Sherman, Admiral Jen- 

 kins, J. E. Hilgard, and a number of other men whose names are 

 national property were members of this club. The general 

 method was to have an address or paper by some member of 

 the club, and afterward a social meeting with refreshments fur- 

 nished by the host of that evening. They were most enjoyable 

 evenings. However, in the course of time, it began to be felt 

 by some of the members that the tax on the less wealthy mem- 

 bers of the club was too great. The meetings were held fort- 

 nightly, and in the course of the season they would come around 

 several times to the same member. There were others who 

 wished very much to join, but could hardly be accommodated 

 in the houses of the old members; and after more or less discus- 

 sion about it Professor Henry suggested to some of the men 

 who brought the matter to his attention that they should appoint 

 a committee to organize a society and to have the whole subject 

 laid before the club, to form an organization that would omit the 

 refreshment part of the entertainment; that would make for 

 scientific purposes ; and that would be available for any scientific 

 man, either visitor or resident of Washington, and would be re- 

 stricted to men of science. 



The result of this was that a committee was formed whose 

 report you have heard read by the Secretary. The meeting was 

 held in the Regent's room of the Smithsonian Institution, and 

 Professor Henry, by unanimous vote, was made chairman. 



A skeleton of a constitution and by-laws, which had been pre- 

 pared by the Committee of the club, was presented at the meet- 

 ing and adopted with some amendments. Then General Barnes, 

 who was Surgeon-General, and was one of the members, was 

 good enough to offer us more commodious quarters in the city. 

 In those days coming over to the Smithsonian building, es- 

 pecially at night, was something of a task. The paths were not 

 paved; if it happened to be rainy it was a very muddy walk indeed. 

 There was a rather rickety bridge at Tenth Street over a very 

 bad smelling canal which we all had to cross in order to get into 

 the Smithsonian grounds. I do not know whether any of the 

 present members know that that part of Washington was for- 



